The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has secured the number one position in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) India rankings in the overall category for the seventh consecutive year. This consistent top ranking reflects the institute’s sustained excellence in teaching, research, and innovation. The NIRF rankings, released annually by the Ministry of Education, evaluate higher education institutions across multiple parameters, making IIT Madras a benchmark for quality education in India.
The 2025 edition of the NIRF rankings once again positioned IIT Madras as the leader, with an overall score of 87.31, marginally higher than the previous year’s 86.42. The institute continues to set high standards in areas such as Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practice (RPC), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Perception.
Performance across parameters shows consistency
IIT Madras’ scores across the five key NIRF parameters have shown a stable trend over the past five years, illustrating the institution’s balanced approach towards excellence. In 2025, the institute scored 90.58 in TLR, 88.02 in RPC, 87.01 in GO, 63.34 in OI, and a perfect 100 in Perception. These figures demonstrate its commitment to quality teaching, strong research output, successful student outcomes, and an inclusive environment, alongside a widely recognised reputation.
Scores over the last five years indicates small fluctuations but a consistently high standard:
These figures indicate that IIT Madras has maintained an exceptional level of teaching and research quality, alongside consistent graduation success. While outreach and inclusivity scores have seen minor year-on-year changes, the institute’s perception rating remains at the highest possible level, reflecting its national and international esteem.
Strong placement and higher studies record supports overall excellence
The institute’s placement statistics for undergraduate students also underscore its position as a leader in engineering education. Over the past six academic years, the number of students graduating on time has steadily increased, as has the number of those placed in reputed organisations. Median salaries have risen correspondingly, signalling growing industry confidence in IIT Madras graduates.
Between 2018-19 and 2023-24, the placement trends show the following:
The upward trajectory in placements and median salaries highlights the increasing demand for IIT Madras graduates, while the growing number of students opting for higher studies reflects the institute’s strong academic environment and research opportunities.
Official remarks during NIRF 2025 release
The NIRF India Rankings 2025 were officially released by Union Minister of Education, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan. He lauded the robustness of the rankings framework and congratulated all institutions featured in the latest edition. He emphasised the role of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in shaping the future of higher education in India, underlining that NIRF has become a trusted pillar in the nation’s drive to become a knowledge superpower.
Mr Pradhan highlighted the government's vision for a Viksit (developed) and Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat by 2047, citing the critical role of academic institutions in innovation, entrepreneurship, and quality education. He called upon institutions to join the NIRF framework and aim for global recognition.
The Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region, Dr Sukanta Majumdar, also spoke at the event. He noted the unprecedented expansion in access and inclusivity in India’s higher education system, with over 14,000 institutions participating in the 2025 rankings. Dr Majumdar pointed to the evolving ranking parameters, including Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-based rankings, equity, and research quality as key future directions.
Growth of NIRF and future outlook
Since its inception in 2016, the NIRF has expanded considerably in both scope and scale. Starting with one category and three subject domains, it now includes nine categories and eight subject domains, covering universities, colleges, research institutions, innovation, and sustainable development goals.
The sustained top ranking of IIT Madras across multiple years exemplifies its adherence to high standards in teaching, research, graduate outcomes, and perception. As the NIRF framework evolves and includes more parameters, the institute’s continued performance will remain an important indicator of India’s educational progress.
The 2025 edition of the NIRF rankings once again positioned IIT Madras as the leader, with an overall score of 87.31, marginally higher than the previous year’s 86.42. The institute continues to set high standards in areas such as Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practice (RPC), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Perception.
Performance across parameters shows consistency
IIT Madras’ scores across the five key NIRF parameters have shown a stable trend over the past five years, illustrating the institution’s balanced approach towards excellence. In 2025, the institute scored 90.58 in TLR, 88.02 in RPC, 87.01 in GO, 63.34 in OI, and a perfect 100 in Perception. These figures demonstrate its commitment to quality teaching, strong research output, successful student outcomes, and an inclusive environment, alongside a widely recognised reputation.
Scores over the last five years indicates small fluctuations but a consistently high standard:
These figures indicate that IIT Madras has maintained an exceptional level of teaching and research quality, alongside consistent graduation success. While outreach and inclusivity scores have seen minor year-on-year changes, the institute’s perception rating remains at the highest possible level, reflecting its national and international esteem.
Strong placement and higher studies record supports overall excellence
The institute’s placement statistics for undergraduate students also underscore its position as a leader in engineering education. Over the past six academic years, the number of students graduating on time has steadily increased, as has the number of those placed in reputed organisations. Median salaries have risen correspondingly, signalling growing industry confidence in IIT Madras graduates.
Between 2018-19 and 2023-24, the placement trends show the following:
The upward trajectory in placements and median salaries highlights the increasing demand for IIT Madras graduates, while the growing number of students opting for higher studies reflects the institute’s strong academic environment and research opportunities.
Official remarks during NIRF 2025 release
The NIRF India Rankings 2025 were officially released by Union Minister of Education, Mr Dharmendra Pradhan. He lauded the robustness of the rankings framework and congratulated all institutions featured in the latest edition. He emphasised the role of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in shaping the future of higher education in India, underlining that NIRF has become a trusted pillar in the nation’s drive to become a knowledge superpower.
Mr Pradhan highlighted the government's vision for a Viksit (developed) and Atmanirbhar (self-reliant) Bharat by 2047, citing the critical role of academic institutions in innovation, entrepreneurship, and quality education. He called upon institutions to join the NIRF framework and aim for global recognition.
The Minister of State for Education and Development of North Eastern Region, Dr Sukanta Majumdar, also spoke at the event. He noted the unprecedented expansion in access and inclusivity in India’s higher education system, with over 14,000 institutions participating in the 2025 rankings. Dr Majumdar pointed to the evolving ranking parameters, including Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-based rankings, equity, and research quality as key future directions.
Growth of NIRF and future outlook
Since its inception in 2016, the NIRF has expanded considerably in both scope and scale. Starting with one category and three subject domains, it now includes nine categories and eight subject domains, covering universities, colleges, research institutions, innovation, and sustainable development goals.
The sustained top ranking of IIT Madras across multiple years exemplifies its adherence to high standards in teaching, research, graduate outcomes, and perception. As the NIRF framework evolves and includes more parameters, the institute’s continued performance will remain an important indicator of India’s educational progress.
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