IIT-Madras tops NIRF rankings

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has once again secured the top spot in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, marking its seventh consecutive year as the top institution in the overall category. The rankings, released by the Ministry of Education, solidify IIT Madras's position as a leader in both the overall and engineering categories.

However, the release was accompanied by a notable critique from Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

Consistent Excellence

This is the seventh year in a row that IIT-Madras has been ranked No. 1 in the overall category. In the engineering category, the institute has held the top position for 10 consecutive years since the NIRF rankings were first introduced. This consistent performance is a result of the institution's strong showing across all key NIRF parameters, including Teaching, Learning & Resources, Research and Professional Practices, and Graduation Outcomes. The rankings also highlight the continued dominance of the IITs in technical education, with several of the institutes consistently placing in the top 10

The Minister's Criticism

While commending the institutions on their achievements, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed reservations about the "Perception" parameter within the NIRF framework. He specifically voiced concern that the parameter, which is based on surveys of academic peers and employers, may introduce a regional bias. Pradhan suggested that government-funded institutions in less prominent locations might be at a disadvantage compared to metropolitan institutions, regardless of their actual performance.

The minister called for a more robust and data-driven evaluation system. He proposed a future framework that would unify the institutional accreditation process (currently handled by NAAC) with the NIRF rankings. Pradhan also stated that new parameters could be introduced, such as the number of entrepreneurs an institution produces. This criticism suggests that while the NIRF rankings have become a significant benchmark, the government is looking to refine the methodology to be more transparent and equitable.