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Central and state research universities
18 colleges in our NIRF 2024 set offer university / sciences programmes. The list below is ordered by NIRF University / Sciences rank — colleges without a separate rank in this category fall to the end, sorted by their overall NIRF rank where available.
Source: National Institutional Ranking Framework, Ministry of Education, Government of India (2024).
Indian Institute of Science
Bengaluru · Karnataka · est. 1909
India's premier research institution. The only Indian university consistently inside the QS top 200. Undergraduate BS programme admission via JEE Advanced (top-500 typically).
NIRF Overall #2, University #1, Research #1 (2024)
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi · Delhi · est. 1969
Central university famous for the social sciences, international studies, languages and life sciences. Admission via CUET / dedicated PG entrance.
NIRF Overall #10, University #2 (2024)
Jamia Millia Islamia
New Delhi · Delhi · est. 1920
Central university with strong engineering, mass communication, architecture and Islamic studies programmes. CUET admission for most undergraduate streams.
NIRF University #3 (2024)
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Manipal · Karnataka · est. 1953
Coastal Karnataka deemed university with major engineering, medical, dental, pharmacy and hotel-management schools. Admission via MET / NEET / GMAT for respective programmes.
NIRF University #4 (2024)
Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi · Uttar Pradesh · est. 1916
One of Asia's largest residential universities. Strong faculties across humanities, sciences, medicine (IMS-BHU) and engineering (IIT BHU is the engineering wing).
NIRF University #5 (2024)
University of Delhi
New Delhi · Delhi · est. 1922
Anchor of the Delhi higher-education cluster, with 90+ affiliated colleges. Admission via CUET. Most sought-after constituent colleges: St. Stephen's, Hindu, LSR, SRCC, Hansraj.
NIRF University #6 (2024)
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
Coimbatore · Tamil Nadu · est. 1994
Multi-campus deemed university with strong engineering (AEEE entrance) and good NIRF placement. The Coimbatore engineering campus is the flagship.
NIRF University #7 (2024)
University of Hyderabad
Hyderabad · Telangana · est. 1974
Central university particularly strong in basic sciences, integrated MSc programmes and humanities research. The campus is one of the largest in central India.
NIRF University #10 (2024)
Jadavpur University
Kolkata · West Bengal · est. 1955
West Bengal's state-funded engineering powerhouse. Faculty of Engineering & Technology is one of India's oldest, often produces top JEE Advanced rank-takers despite low fees.
NIRF Engineering #12, University #11 (2024)
VIT University
Vellore · Tamil Nadu · est. 2001
The deemed university umbrella that operates VIT's multi-campus engineering ecosystem. Separate engineering page covers admission and NIRF Engineering rank.
NIRF University #13 (2024)
Vellore Institute of Technology
Vellore · Tamil Nadu · est. 1984
India's largest private engineering school by intake. Admission via VITEEE entrance. Strong industry placement pipeline, multiple campuses.
NIRF Engineering #11, University #16 (2024)
Anna University
Chennai · Tamil Nadu · est. 1978
Tamil Nadu's flagship engineering university with affiliated colleges across the state. The CEG (College of Engineering Guindy) campus is the original engineering school of South India.
NIRF Engineering #13, University #20 (2024)
Symbiosis International (Deemed University)
Pune · Maharashtra · est. 1971
Pune's flagship private deemed university with major management (SIBM), law (SLS), liberal-arts and design schools. Admission via SET / SNAP / SLAT depending on programme.
NIRF Management #19, University #32 (2024)
Christ University
Bengaluru · Karnataka · est. 1969
Bengaluru's largest private deemed university. Particularly strong in BBA, BCom, psychology and the liberal-arts programme; multiple campuses across India.
NIRF Management #64, University #35 (2024)
Jamia Hamdard
New Delhi · Delhi · est. 1989
India's top-ranked pharmacy school. Admission via NEET / dedicated university entrance for pharmacy and allied health science programmes.
NIRF Pharmacy #1 (2024)
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune
Pune · Maharashtra · est. 2006
Centrally-funded research-and-undergraduate institute. 5-year integrated BS-MS programme; admission via IISER Aptitude Test (IAT) or KVPY successor channels.
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata
Mohanpur · West Bengal · est. 2006
First IISER in eastern India. Strong interdisciplinary sciences and the only IISER offering a BS in Earth Sciences.
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali
Mohali · Punjab · est. 2007
North India's IISER, particularly strong in mathematics and physics. Hosted India's first quantum computing PhD programme.