As the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) College Rankings 2026 remain awaited, an analysis of the previous three editions shows that Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Kerala have consistently accounted for the majority of institutions in India's top 100 colleges.
Tamil Nadu retained the leading position in all three years, although its representation declined in 2025 after increasing in 2024. Delhi recovered its 2023 count, while Kerala recorded a steady increase.
The analysis is based on the College category rankings released by the Ministry of Education for 2023, 2024 and 2025.
| State/UT | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tamil Nadu | 35 | 37 | 33 |
| Delhi | 32 | 27 | 32 |
| Kerala | 14 | 16 | 18 |
| West Bengal | 8 | 7 | 6 |
| Maharashtra | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| Other states/UTs | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| Total | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Tamil Nadu had 35 colleges among the top 100 in 2023. The number increased to 37 in 2024 before declining to 33 in 2025.
Despite the decline, the state continued to have the highest representation in the College category.
In 2025, PSGR Krishnammal College for Women, Coimbatore, secured ninth place, while PSG College of Arts and Science ranked tenth. Loyola College and Presidency College, Chennai, occupied the 14th and 15th positions, respectively.
Delhi accounted for 32 colleges in the top 100 in 2023. Its representation fell to 27 in 2024 before recovering to 32 in 2025.
While Tamil Nadu led in the number of ranked colleges, Delhi dominated the highest positions.
In 2025, Hindu College retained the first rank, followed by Miranda House in second place. Hans Raj College, Kirori Mal College and St Stephen's College occupied the next three positions.
This meant that Delhi institutions held all five top positions in the 2025 College rankings.
Kerala emerged as the only state among the five listed individually to record an increase in its top-100 representation in both successive years.
Its count rose from 14 in 2023 to 16 in 2024 and 18 in 2025, an overall increase of four institutions.
Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Ernakulam, was Kerala's highest-ranked college in 2025, securing the 12th position.
West Bengal's representation decreased from eight colleges in 2023 to seven in 2024 and six in 2025.
However, the state maintained a presence among the highest-ranked institutions. Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College, Kolkata, ranked sixth in 2025, followed by St Xavier's College, Kolkata, in eighth place.
Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Kerala together accounted for 81 colleges in 2023, 80 in 2024 and 83 in 2025.
The figures highlight the concentration of top-ranked colleges in these three regions. However, the number of institutions appearing in the top 100 should not be interpreted as a direct measure of the overall quality of higher education in a state.
The NIRF rankings assess participating institutions against prescribed parameters, including teaching and learning, research, graduation outcomes, outreach and inclusivity, and perception.
With the 2026 College rankings still awaited, the next edition will show whether Tamil Nadu retains its numerical lead, Delhi maintains its position among the highest ranks and Kerala continues its upward trend.