NIRF 2025 College Category: State-Wise Analysis, Growth Trends, and Insights

NIRF 2025 College Category: State-Wise Analysis, Growth Trends, and Insights

Sep-09-2025, Articles

The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 has unveiled its much-awaited list of India’s Top 100 Colleges, reflecting the evolving landscape of undergraduate education in the country.

This year, the College Category witnessed record-breaking participation, showing how more states and institutions are embracing rankings to drive quality improvement.

With Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Kerala accounting for 83% of the Top 100, the 2025 results highlight both pockets of excellence and areas needing urgent attention.

Participation Surge: 2024 vs. 2025

The NIRF framework saw remarkable growth in institutional participation in 2025:

• In 2025, the total number of applications rose by 30%, indicating that institutions are increasingly using NIRF as a quality benchmark.
• The College category alone saw 4,030 participating colleges, up from 3,542 in 2024, a year-on-year growth of 14%.

This surge reflects the growing importance of rankings in shaping institutional policies and attracting students.

Top 100 Distribution: State-Wise Breakdown

The table below shows how many colleges from each state made it into the Top 100, giving a clear picture of regional performance:

Key Points

• These nine states/UTs together account for 100% of the Top 100 colleges.
• Tamil Nadu + Delhi + Kerala alone make up a staggering 83%, leaving very limited representation for the rest of India.

Comparison with 2024

Trends

• Kerala showed the most significant improvement, adding three more colleges to the Top 100 compared to last year.
• Tamil Nadu and Delhi continue their steady rise.
• Several large states dropped out completely, widening the gap in regional performance.

Visualization: 2025 Top 100 Colleges by State

Chart – Percentage Share of Top 100

10 Key Takeaways and Insights

1. Tamil Nadu Continues to Dominate

• 33 colleges in the Top 100 – a new record high for the state.
• Strong mix of autonomous, aided, and private colleges like:
  • Loyola College
  • PSG College of Arts & Science
  • Madras Christian College
• Reason for dominance: consistent state policies, robust quality assurance, and research initiatives.

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2. Delhi Matches Tamil Nadu in Elite Presence

• Six of the Top 10 Colleges are Delhi University colleges, led by:
  • Hindu College (#1)
  • Miranda House (#2)
  • St. Stephen’s (#3)
• Delhi’s growth from 31 to 32 colleges highlights sustained excellence.

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3. Kerala Shows Remarkable Progress

• Kerala emerged as a surprise performer:
• Grew from 15 to 18 colleges in the Top 100.
• Strong institutions include:
  • Rajagiri College (#12)
  • Sacred Heart College, Thevara (#44)
  • St. Thomas College, Thrissur (#53)
  • Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram (#54)
  • SB College, Changanassery (#56)
  • Mar Ivanios College (#61)
  • St. Joseph’s College Devagiri (#74)
  • Maharaja’s College, Ernakulam (#75)
  • Vimala College Thrissur (# 78)
  • Farook College (#82)
  • St.Joseph’s College, Irinjalakkuda (#83)
  • CMS College, Kottayam (#86)
  • Christ College, Thrissur (#87)
  • Mar Athanasius College  Kothamangalam (#92)
• Reflects the state’s focus on inclusive, decentralized education.

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4. South India’s Unrivalled Strength

Combined representation of Tamil Nadu + Kerala + Karnataka + Puducherry:

• 56 colleges, accounting for 56% of the Top 100.
• South India continues to set national benchmarks for undergraduate education quality.

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5. West Bengal Holds Steady but Needs Innovation

• 6 colleges in the Top 100, led by:
  • Presidency College
  • St. Xavier’s Kolkata
• Minimal growth compared to southern states.

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6. Growth in Smaller States and UTs

• Mizoram entered the Top 100 for the first time with one college.
• Chandigarh retained both its colleges from last year.
• Shows that smaller regions can compete when they focus on quality.

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7. Large States with Zero Representation

Shockingly, states like:

• Andhra Pradesh
• Uttar Pradesh
• Gujarat
• Rajasthan

had no colleges in the Top 100 in 2025.

This highlights a stark divide between certain regions and points to urgent policy intervention needs.

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8. Competitive Surge Raises the Bar

• With 4,030 colleges participating, competition for the Top 100 was intense.
• Only 2.48% of participating colleges made it to the elite list.
• In 2024, this figure was 2.82%, meaning that while participation grew, standards became tougher.

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9. National Gap is Widening

• Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Kerala together dominate the list more than ever before.
• Other states risk falling further behind if they do not improve infrastructure and governance.

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10. Grassroots Indicator of Higher Education Health

The College category reflects:

• Breadth and accessibility of higher education.
• It shows whether quality education is reaching the masses, not just top-tier professional institutions like IITs and IIMs.

State Performance Snapshot

Success Rate Insight:

• Delhi’s colleges are highly competitive, with nearly 6.5% of participants making the Top 100.
• Tamil Nadu and Kerala hover around 4–6%, reflecting robust quality.
• Other states average less than 1%, showing a significant quality gap.

Conclusion

The NIRF 2025 College Rankings highlight the polarized nature of India’s undergraduate education:

• Tamil Nadu and Delhi dominate, reflecting decades of investment and quality focus.
• Kerala’s upward trend is a positive sign of reform and progress.
• Several large states need urgent interventions to bridge the quality divide.

As participation continues to grow, the College category will remain a true barometer of how well higher education serves the grassroots level in India.

Final Thought:
By learning from leaders like Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Kerala, lagging states can transform their higher education landscape, ensuring equitable access to quality education across the country.