IIRF 2026: JNU Ranked India’s Top Government University

The International Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) has released the list of India's top 10 government universities for 2026. This ranking highlights the best publicly funded institutions across the country based on various academic and research parameters.

Topping the list is New Delhi-based Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), followed by the University of Delhi (DU) in second place.

Jamia Millia Islamia, also located in Delhi, holds the third position. This means that three universities from the National Capital Region have secured the top three spots.

India's Top 10 Government Universities for 2026

Rank University City

1 Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

2 University of Delhi, New Delhi

3 Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi

4 University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana

5 Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

6 Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh

7 Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, Rajasthan

8 Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab

9 Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh

10 Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh

India's Top Management Universities for 2026

1.   IIM Ahmedabad, Gujarat

2.   IIM Calcutta

3.  IIM Bangalore

4.   Faculty of Management Studies, University of Delhi

5.  IIM Lucknow

India's Top Engineering Universities for 2026

1.   IIT Bombay

2. IIT Madras

3. IIT Delhi

4. IIT Kharagpur

5. IIT Kanpur

History of the International Institutional Ranking Framework

The International Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) is an independent, non-governmental agency based in India that evaluates and ranks higher education institutions. Established in 2015 by the IIRF Centre for Institutional Research (ICIR) and supported by industry experts and the Federation for World Academics (FWA), this framework was designed to provide a transparent and data-driven assessment of universities, engineering colleges, and B-schools.

The International Institutional Ranking Framework was officially established in 2015 as a formal, independent ranking system under India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

In the 2020s, the framework expanded significantly, extending its assessment scope to over 5,000 institutions across India and covering fields such as law, design, medicine, and management.