Delhi institutions retain lustre in NIRF rankings

Delhi has reaffirmed its standing as India’s top education hub with 17 of its institutions securing top positions in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, released by the Ministry of Education on Thursday.

From universities and colleges to medical dental, and research institutes, Delhi’s academic landscape has once again emerged as one of the strongest in the country.

In the university category, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) retained the second spot, continuing its legacy as a premier centre of learning. Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) came in fourth, while the University of Delhi (DU) stood fifth. Jamia Hamdard University topped the Pharmacy category, and Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) was placed at 93, making Delhi one of the few regions to have multiple universities across diverse categories finding a place on the leaderboard.

Delhi University’s constituent colleges dominated the college rankings. Hindu College claimed the top spot in India, followed by Hansraj College at third, Kirori Mal College at fourth and St Stephen’s College at fifth.

The capital’s reputation in medical education also stood tall with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, retaining the top rank for the tenth consecutive year. Other major players included Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital (22nd), Maulana Azad Medical College (26th), Lady Hardinge Medical College (32nd) and University College of Medical Sciences (38th). In the dental category, the AIIMS stood first, while the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS) secured the third rank.

Adding to this list of achievements, the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, made its mark in the research category with the 24th rank.

Report card

Universities: JNU (2), JMI (4), DU (5), Jamia Hamdard (1) in Pharmacy, GGSIPU (80)

Colleges: Hindu (1), Hansraj (3), Kirori Mal (4), St Stephen’s (5)

Medical institutions: AIIMS (1), VMMC (22), MAMC (26), Lady Hardinge (32), UCMS (38)

Dental colleges: AIIMS (1), MAIDS (3)

Research institutes: IARI 24

17 Delhi institutions ranked in total