Beyond the Top 10: How NIRF 2025 Engineering Rankings Reveal Shifts in Placements and Sustainability

The MoE has announced the NIRF 2025 for engineering institutions, reaffirming IIT Madras as India’s no. 1 engineering college. IIT Madras retained its position for the tenth consecutive year with a score of 88.72 out of 100. IIT Delhi followed in second place with 85.74, while IIT Bombay secured the third position with 83.65. Let’s understand the ranking parameters and trend analysis beyond the most highlighted top 10 engineering colleges.

NIRF Rankings 2025 for Engineering Beyond IITs: Real Competition Across Parameters

This year’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 rankings assessed 1584 engineering institutes across five weighted parameters: Teaching, Learning & Resources (30%), Research & Professional Practice (30%), Graduation Outcomes (20%), Outreach & Inclusivity (10%), and Perception (10%). IITs once again dominated the list, with nine out of the top 10 positions. The only exception was NIT Trichy, which held its position at 9th with a score of 68.14, retaining its position as the top NIT in the country.

The NIRF 2025 ranking sees a significant shift in the evaluation methodology. The introduction of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators and tighter checks on research integrity have caused small but significant shifts, particularly in the middle tier of the rankings.

Sustainability in the Spotlight

A major change in NIRF 2025 is the inclusion of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) metrics. Private institutions such as Birla Institute of Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Amrita Vishwa Vidhyapeetham and SRM Institute of Technology, which have consistently invested in sustainability projects, take their spots as the best private engineering colleges in the country. Even among NITs, those with stronger regional outreach and inclusivity programs improved their standings.

Research Quality Over Quantity

There is a 30% weightage to research and professional practice, but this year, the quality of publication mattered more than quantity. IIT Madras and IIT Delhi retained their edge because of their high-impact international journals and industry collaborations. Some mid-ranked institutes that chased quantity suffered in rankings with the introduction of penalties for papers published in questionable or predatory journals.

Placements Keep Driving Success

The Graduation Outcomes (GO) parameter, accounting for 20%, continued to be a decisive factor in rankings. IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay recorded some of the highest median salary packages and placement rates, boosting their GO scores. Beyond the IITs, NIT Trichy again stood out, while private players such as VIT and KIIT Bhubaneswar scored good points due to strong recruiter connections and consistent placement output. This parameter remains one of the most critical indicators of institutional quality for students and parents.

Government vs Private

While IITs and NITs continue to dominate the top of the table, private institutions are increasingly competitive in the 20-50 rank range. Birla Institute of Technology saw an impressive jump from 20th position last year to 11th rank this year. KIIT Bhubaneswar moved up to 36th place in 2025 from 37th last year. Similarly, Amrita and VIT retained their positions as the leading private players, reflecting strong performances in inclusivity, teaching, and graduation outcomes. The gap between top government institutions and high-performing private ones is gradually narrowing.

Beyond the Top 10: The Real Competition

The most significant shifts occurred in the 20-50 rank band, with several NITs and IIITs shifting in ranks. Institutions that improved placement outcomes and invested in faculty resources climbed the charts, while others slipped due to weaker perception scores. This growing competition in the mid-tier range signals broader opportunities for aspirants beyond the IITs.

Regional Trends: South India Leads Again

Southern India continues to assert its dominance, with IIT Madras, NIT Trichy, Amrita, and VIT.  IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur lead north India, while the east is represented by IIT Kharagpur and KIIT. This regional balance highlights the nationwide spread of quality engineering education, though southern institutions show a more consistent performance overall.

The Perception Advantage Keeps IITs Ahead

The Perception (PR) score, which weighs 10%, remains a major advantage for IITs. Recruiters, academics, and the general public overwhelmingly associate IITs with excellence, which keeps them ahead even when other institutes score comparably in teaching or placements. Closing this perception gap is a challenge for the best-performing private and regional institutions.

The NIRF 2025 engineering rankings show a shift in priorities for technical education. With sustainability, inclusivity, and research integrity now firmly on the agenda, institutions are being encouraged to look beyond traditional measures of success. IITs remain untouched at the top; however, based on the rankings, students can find their best fit beyond the IITs.