The Ministry of Education is yet to release the NIRF University Rankings 2026, leaving universities and students awaiting the latest assessment of higher education institutions across India.
While the release date remains unconfirmed, an analysis of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) University category rankings for 2023, 2024 and 2025 reveals significant changes in the positions of several institutions.
Gauhati University recorded the biggest improvement among universities ranked in both 2023 and 2025, climbing 55 positions from 88th to 33rd. In contrast, Savitribai Phule Pune University registered the largest decline, falling 37 positions from 19th to 56th.
The analysis, based on the Ministry's official University category lists, also shows that some institutions retained their positions near the top despite substantial changes elsewhere.
Several universities registered substantial upward movements over the three-year period.
The following are the 10 largest improvements in ranking positions among institutions appearing in both the 2023 and 2025 top-100 lists:
Gauhati University, Assam: 88th in 2023, 40th in 2024 and 33rd in 2025 — up 55 positions.
Bharati Vidyapeeth, Maharashtra: 91st in 2023, 78th in 2024 and 59th in 2025 — up 32 positions.
International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad: 84th in 2023, 74th in 2024 and 55th in 2025 — up 29 positions.
Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Maharashtra: 98th in 2023, 58th in 2024 and 72nd in 2025 — up 26 positions.
Central University of Punjab: 100th in 2023, 83rd in 2024 and 77th in 2025 — up 23 positions.
Chettinad Academy of Research and Education, Tamil Nadu: 82nd in 2023, 79th in 2024 and 61st in 2025 — up 21 positions.
Andhra University, Andhra Pradesh: 43rd in 2023, 25th in 2024 and 23rd in 2025 — up 20 positions.
BITS Pilani, Rajasthan: 20th in 2023, 19th in 2024 and seventh in 2025 — up 13 positions.
JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research, Karnataka: 34th in 2023, 24th in 2024 and 21st in 2025 — up 13 positions.
Amity University, Uttar Pradesh: 35th in 2023, 32nd in 2024 and 22nd in 2025 — up 13 positions.
Gauhati University's movement was particularly notable. The institution entered the top 50 in 2024 before improving further in 2025.
Andhra University also maintained an upward trajectory across the three editions, while BITS Pilani entered the top 10 in 2025.
However, not every university improved consistently. Tata Institute of Social Sciences, for example, rose sharply in 2024 before slipping in 2025, although its final position remained higher than in 2023.
The same comparison reveals substantial downward movements for several established universities.
The 10 largest declines among institutions ranked in both 2023 and 2025 were:
Savitribai Phule Pune University, Maharashtra: 19th in 2023, 23rd in 2024 and 56th in 2025 — down 37 positions.
Periyar University, Tamil Nadu: 59th in 2023, 56th in 2024 and 94th in 2025 — down 35 positions.
Madurai Kamaraj University, Tamil Nadu: 53rd in 2023, 63rd in 2024 and 85th in 2025 — down 32 positions.
Calcutta University, West Bengal: 12th in 2023, 18th in 2024 and 39th in 2025 — down 27 positions.
University of Mysore, Karnataka: 44th in 2023, 54th in 2024 and 71st in 2025 — down 27 positions.
Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu: 21st in 2023, 26th in 2024 and 46th in 2025 — down 25 positions.
Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra: 71st in 2023, 82nd in 2024 and 92nd in 2025 — down 21 positions.
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi: 74th in 2023, 80th in 2024 and 93rd in 2025 — down 19 positions.
Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Tamil Nadu: 81st in 2023, 98th in 2024 and 99th in 2025 — down 18 positions.
Institute of Chemical Technology, Maharashtra: 23rd in 2023, 35th in 2024 and 40th in 2025 — down 17 positions.
Savitribai Phule Pune University recorded the steepest decline, with most of its downward movement occurring between 2024 and 2025.
Calcutta University, which was placed 12th in 2023, also dropped out of the top 20 in the subsequent editions.
These movements reflect changes in relative ranking positions and should not automatically be interpreted as a deterioration in academic standards.
Despite changes elsewhere, the first two positions in the University category remained unchanged throughout the three editions.
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, ranked first in 2023, 2024 and 2025.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, retained second place in all three years.
However, competition intensified immediately below them.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education improved from sixth in 2023 to fourth in 2024 and third in 2025.
The University of Delhi also improved from 11th in 2023 to sixth in 2024 and fifth in 2025.
Meanwhile, Jamia Millia Islamia moved from third in 2023 and 2024 to fourth in 2025.
NIRF evaluates institutions using parameters covering teaching, learning and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity; and perception.
Changes in rankings can result from variations in institutional scores, the performance of competing universities and changes in the assessment framework.
Consequently, movement in ranking positions alone does not establish whether a university's academic performance has improved or declined.
For students considering undergraduate or postgraduate admissions, rankings can serve as one reference point. However, course-specific quality, accreditation, faculty availability, placements, fees and research opportunities should also be considered.
The awaited NIRF University Rankings 2026 will show whether the major movements recorded between 2023 and 2025 have continued, stabilised or reversed.
The Ministry of Education has not announced a confirmed release date for the 2026 rankings. Once published, the updated lists will be available through the official NIRF website, nirfindia.org.