Hindu College retains top spot in NIRF college rankings 2025; Hansraj overtakes St Stephen’s for 3rd position

Delhi University’s Hindu College has retained the top position in the 10th edition of the National Institutional Ranking Frameworks India Rankings 2025, followed by Miranda house in the 2nd position. Hans Raj College Delhi has replaced St Stephens College in the 3rd position. NIRF India Rankings 2025 LIVE.

This year, 14,163 participants registered for the NIRF India rankings 2025, and a new 17th category, sustainable development goals, has been included in the 10th edition, the ministry said.

A negative marking for retracted papers and removal of citations has been introduced in the NIRF India rankings 2025, Anil Sahasrabudhe said.

The Ministry of Education, today, has published the NIRF India Rankings 2025 for Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs), among colleges. The pdf for the 10th edition of the NIRF India rankings 2025 will be available for download soon on its official website at nirfindia.org.

In 2024, a total of 10,845 HEIs took part in the NIRF India rankings 2025, out of which University of Delhi’s Hindu College, Miranda House and St Stephens College secured top three spots in the college rankings category.

As per the NIRF India data, Miranda House held the top position in the rankings for consecutively seven years (2017 to 2023). However, the Hindu College, in the 9th edition of the NIRF India rankings, replaced it as the top rank holder for the first time in 2024.

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When was college category added in NIRF India rankings?

Moreover, the Ministry of Education declared its 1st NIRF ranking for several categories, in 2016, after its launch on September 29, 2015. The inaugural ranking did not include a college category.

It was introduced in 2017 in the 2nd edition of the NIRF rankings, just a year after it published its 1st edition. Since its establishment, the ministry has been following certain parameters and NIRF frameworks to rank HEIs across the country.

The parameters cover teaching, learning and resources; research and professional practices; graduate outcomes; outreach and inclusivity; and perception.

The NIRF India rankings are announced for 16 categories namely overall, universities, research institutions, degree colleges, innovation, and discipline-specific rankings in engineering, management, pharmacy, law, medical, dental, architecture and planning, and agriculture and allied sectors.

As per the officials, three new categories - open universities, skill universities, and state-funded public universities- were included in the 9th edition of the NIRF rankings from 2024 onwards.

Top 10 colleges in the NIRF India ranking 2025

Of the top 100 colleges, these are the top 10 institutions in the 10th edition of the NIRF India rankings 2025 for the college category.