NIRF Rankings 2025 Key Updates and What’s Different This Year

NIRF Rankings 2025: Key Updates and What’s Different This Year 

NIRF 2025 adds a new SDG category and for the first time, will give negative marks if the research paper is removed from journals. 

NIRF is expected to announce the 2025 rankings in early August as confirmed by the NBA. The release will happen once the Ministry of Education sets the date. 

The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), published annually, ranks higher education institutions across India using a structured methodology.  This year, it has revised its protocol and added new parameters to enhance the accuracy of its rankings. 

New Features and Revisions in NIRF 2025

The NIRF framework took a major step in 2025 by introducing a dedicated category for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by encouraging colleges and universities to align with global sustainability standards. 

NIRF 2024 made another key update besides the SDG category. It will now give negative marks for research papers that get retracted. NBA Chairperson Anil Sahasrabudhe explained that a formula is ready to calculate this based on how many papers were pulled back or what percentage they represent. 

The 2025 NIRF rankings will include some new changes and updates to the way colleges and universities are judged. One big change is the negative scoring for retracted research papers. This means if a college has had any of its research papers taken back or cancelled, it will lose points. This rule applies under the “Research and Professional Practices” section, which looks at the number of research papers, their quality (citations) and other research activities.

How does NIRF create the rankings?

NIRF ranks institutions based on five main areas:

1. Teaching, Learning and Resources

2. Research and Professional Practices

3. Graduation Outcomes

4. Outreach and Inclusivity

5. Perception
   
   

A special team, chosen by the Ministry of Education, decides the method for ranking each year.

The ranking process starts when institutions register and submit data through a system called the Data Capturing System (DCS). They must provide full details about their faculty, students, finances, research, citations, patents, and campus facilities. They also need to post this data on their websites to keep everything transparent.

Next, experts check the submitted data. The public and other stakeholders can also review and give feedback. If needed, institutions are asked to correct any mistakes. An independent survey is used to gather opinions about the institution’s reputation (peer perception).