NIRF 2026: Apply to IISc Bengaluru for top university, IIT Delhi for Delhi NCR engineering

The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) has released its 2026 rankings, identifying leading institutions across various categories in India. Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru has secured the top position among universities, with Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, following in the university rankings.

These rankings serve as a key reference point for evaluating universities and institutions across India, assessing them on parameters such as teaching and learning resources, research output, graduation outcomes, outreach and overall perception. The NIRF 2025 rankings, the tenth edition, evaluated approximately 7692 institutions, a significant increase from 2426 institutions in the first edition.

NIRF 2026 University and Engineering Highlights

For 2026, IISc Bengaluru has been ranked as the top university. In the Delhi NCR region, IIT Delhi is considered the top benchmark for engineering colleges. Other major public engineering options in Delhi NCR for 2026 include Jamia Millia Islamia, DTU, IIIT Delhi, NIT Delhi, and NSUT.

The NIRF rankings are determined using weighted parameters that broadly cover teaching, learning and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity; and peer perception. This thorough evaluation aims to provide a clear picture of institutional performance.

NIRF 2025 Rankings Overview

The NIRF 2025 Rankings were released by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on September 4. These rankings were released across 17 categories, an increase from 16 categories in the previous year. A new category for sustainable development goals was introduced in the NIRF 2025 rankings, evaluating institutions on their ‘green’ practices.

In the medical category for NIRF 2025, AIIMS New Delhi retained the top spot for more than a decade, also ranking 8th overall. The Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, secured the second position, followed by Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, at third.

For law colleges in NIRF 2025, the National Law School of India University, Bengaluru, secured the top spot for the eighth consecutive year. National Law University (Delhi) and NALSAR University of Law (Hyderabad) followed in second and third positions, respectively.

The engineering rankings for NIRF 2025 highlighted the dominance of the IITs, with nine IITs, including IIT Roorkee, featuring in the list. Southern institutions such as IIT Madras, IIT Hyderabad, and NIT Tiruchirappalli continued to strengthen their presence among India’s best engineering colleges.

NIRF 2024 Key Rankings and Performance

The NIRF India Rankings 2024 were released on August 12, 2024. In these rankings, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, ranked 1st in Research with a score of 84.98. Indian Institute of Technology Madras ranked 2nd in Research with a score of 83.29, and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi ranked 3rd with a score of 81.08.

IIT Madras retained the top position in both the overall and engineering categories in NIRF 2024. IISc Bangalore led in universities and research. IIT Roorkee topped in architecture and planning, while IIT Bombay secured first place in innovation. Hindu College was ranked the best college in the NIRF 2024 rankings. Acropolis Institute Of Technology And Research, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, participated in India Rankings 2024 for Engineering and Innovation.

Further reading

• Delhi University non-teaching recruitment 2026: apply for 126 posts from October 23
• Delhi University PhD admissions 2026: check entrance test pattern, apply by October 20
• Apply for Delhi NCR Pharmacy Admission 2026 by May-July
• UID Bengaluru B.Des 2027: Apply now, fees detailed
• UID: Apply for 2027 admissions to Bengaluru & Gurugram campuses now

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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