Tasbiya KhanSenior Executive
Top Universities in India 2026: Ranking, Admission, Fees, Placements
India has more than 180+ universities ranked under NIRF 2025, including private universitites like BITS Pilani, SIMTS Chennai, VIT Vellore, etc., government universitites like IISc, JNU, JMI, etc. and the semi government universities like Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Science Gangtok and Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. These are categorised as Central, State, Deemed, and Private, offering a wide range of academic programs. The top universities in India have been ranked under NIRF, QS World ranking, Times Higher Education, etc. Admission to these universities will be based on merit or through entrance exams like CUET, CUET PG, etc.
India's top universities are Indian IITs like in Bombay, Delhi, Madras, the IISc Bangalore, and central universities such as JNU, University of Delhi, and Banaras Hindu University, alongside specialized ones like AIIMS for medicine and NLS for law, according to rankings from QS, NIRF, and U.S. News. All these kinds of universities are managed and accredited by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in India.
For detailed information on the top Universities in india, read the content below -
- Key Highlights of Top Universities in India 2026
- NIRF Ranking 2025 of Top Universities in India
- Top Universities in India: QS World University Ranking 2026
- Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Universities in India 2026
- Top Universities in India: Exam Schedule 2026
- Top Government Universities in India
- Top Private Universities in India
- Top Law Universities in India
- Top MBA Universities in India
- Top Universities in India: Fees Vs Salary
- Top Universities in India: Highest Salary and Top Recruiters
- Low-cost Top Universities in India
- Specialisations Offered by Top Universities in India
- Top Universities in India: Comparison 2026
Key Highlights of Top Universities in India 2026
Many Indian universities are frequently ranked among the best in the world. Top Indian universities are highly regarded globally, consistently ranking high in NIRF and QS rankings for strong academics, placements, research, and infrastructure, with both premier government colleges like IITs and IISc and private universities like Manipal and Amrita, leading across different parameters. Candidates can see the table below for the key highlights of the top Universities in India wit total no. of colleges, annual fee structure of top colleges, top 10 university in India with admission process and accepted entrance exams -
| Particulars |
Statistics |
|---|---|
| Total no. of Universities in India |
180+ colleges |
| Free range across Top Universities in India |
INR < 1 lakh: 69 colleges INR 1-2 lakh: 29 colleges INR 2-3 lakh: 14 colleges INR 3-5 lakh: 28 colleges INR > 5 lakh: 22 colleges |
| Top Universities in India ranked under NIRF and Qs World ranking (Private/Government/Semi Govt.) |
|
| Top Specialisations in India |
|
| Accepted Entrance Exams |
CUET, CUET PG, etc. |
Source: Official site and may vary.
NIRF Ranking 2025 of Top Universities in India
As per NIRF ranking 2025, Indian Institute of Science emerged as ranked as no. 1 followed by other top colleges like JNU and Manipal School of Life Sciences.
The NIRF ranks colleges every year. The ranking is based on various parameters, and rankings change year on year depending on various criteria like performance, placement, infrastructure, etc. of the college universities. Listed below are the best university in India with NIRF ranking over the past three years under "University" category e-
| Top Universities |
NIRF 2023 |
NIRF 2024 | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 6 | 4 | 3 | |
| 3 | 3 | 4 | |
| 11 | 6 | 5 | |
| 5 | 5 | 6 | |
| BITS Pilani Ranking | 20 | 19 | 7 |
| 7 | 7 | 8 | |
| 4 | 9 | 9 | |
| Aligarh Muslim University Ranking | 9 | 8 | 10 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Universities in India: QS World University Ranking 2026
In the QS World University ranking 2026, IIT Delhi leads India as 123rd ranks globally followed by IIT Bombay and IIT Madras. Listed below are some of the other top 50 universities in India with ranking 2026 -
| College Name | QS World University Ranking 2026 |
|---|---|
| IIT Delhi | 123 |
| IIT Bombay | 129 |
| IIT Madras | 180 |
| IIT Kharagpur | 215 |
| IISc | 219 |
| IIT Kanpur | 222 |
| DU | 328 |
| IIT Guwahati | 334 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Eligibility Criteria to get Admission to Universities in India 2026
The general eligibility criteria for admission to the top Universities in India are mentioned below:
- Students must pass Class 12 from a recognised board to be admitted to UG degree in the Central Universities.
- For the General category, the candidate must secure with a minimum of 50% in Class 12, and for SC/ST, candidates need to have secured a minimum of 45% in Class 12 to be eligible for the CUET 2025.
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Universities in India: Exam Schedule 2026
To take admission to the top Universities in India, candidates must meet the eligibility criteria or pass an entrance exam. Listed below are the top entrance exams accepted in their schedule and syllabus -
| Exam Name | Exam Schedule | Exam Syllabus |
|---|---|---|
| IIT JAM | IIT JAM Schedule | IIT JAM Syllabus |
| CUET | CUET Schedule | CUET Syllabus |
| ICAR AIEEA | ICAR AIEEA Schedule | ICAR AIEEA Syllabus |
| CUET PG | CUET PG Schedule | CUET PG Syllabus |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Government Universities in India
The top government Universities in India include IISC, JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia, and many others, often leading national rankings like NIRF. Government Universities are funded by the government to lower the cost of education for candidates with limited seats and tough competition.
There are about 100+ government Universities in India. Government universities have lower fees, high academic credibility, good faculty, and strong alumni networks, but may have old infrastructure. Candidates can see the table below for top colleges with fees and NIRF ranking 2025 -
| Public/Govt. Universities |
Total Tuition Fee |
NIRF Ranking 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| INR 36,000 |
1 |
|
| INR 432 |
2 |
|
| INR 42,000 |
4 |
|
| INR 11,010 |
5 |
|
| INR 2.4 lakh |
6 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Private Universities in India
The top private universities in India include Manipal School of Life Sciences, VIT Vellore, SIMTS Chennai, and many others. Private colleges are expensive than government universities with modern infrastructure and experienced faculty. These Universities offer great placement opportunities to candidates with top industry connections.
About 70+ private Universities are in India. Private Universities have modern infrastructure and classrooms with better placements but with higher tuition fees. Candidates can see the tale below for the top private colleges with fees and NIRF ranking 2025 -
| Private Universities |
Total Tuition Fee |
NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| INR 3.06 Lakh |
3 |
|
| INR 3.75 Lakh |
14 |
|
| Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences Admission |
INR 2 Lakh |
13 |
| INR 7.6 Lakh |
15 |
|
| KIIT Admission | INR 5.95 Lakh |
17 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Law Universities in India
The top Law universities in India consistently include the NLSIU Bengaluru, NLU Delhi, NALSAR University of Law in Hyderabad, and The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences in Kolkata, often called to as the top NLUs in India, with Symbiosis Law School Pune and Jindal Global Law School are the private Law colleges in India, all recognized for strong academics and placements. Candidates can check the table below for the top Law universities in India -
| Top Law Colleges in India |
Total Tuition Fee |
NIRF Ranking 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| INR 13.45 lakh |
1 |
|
| INR 6.75 lakh |
2 |
|
| INR 7.75 lakh |
3 |
|
| INR 9.00 lakh |
7 |
|
| INR 3.40 lakh |
10 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top MBA Universities in India
The top MBA universities in India names as IIMs like in Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Kozhikode, Lucknow, etc., alongside with other private colleges like ISB Hyderabad, XLRI Jamshedpur, SPJIMR Mumbai, and MDI Gurugram, with FMS Delhi also highly ranked for its strong ROI, according to NIRF and other leading rankings. Candidates can check the table below for the top MBA Universities in India -
| College Name | Average Course Fees |
|---|---|
| IIM Ahmedabad | INR 25 Lakh |
| IIM Bangalore | INR 25 Lakh |
| IIM Kozhikode | INR 21 Lakh |
| DMS IIT Delhi | INR 11 Lakh |
| IIM Lucknow | INR 13 Lakh |
The top Universities in India, especially government Universities like JNU, JMI,BHU, have lower tuition fees with excellent average placement package offered to candidates, making it the best ROI of top colleges. For admission to the top Universities in India, candidates must check the ROI of each college by comparing tuition fees and average salary. Candidates can check the table below for the top colleges in India with fees and salary -
| Universities Name |
Total Tuition Fee |
Annual Average Package |
|---|---|---|
| INR 432 |
INR 9.50 LPA |
|
| JMI Courses | INR 42,700 |
INR 6 LPA |
| INR 3.06 Lakh |
INR 11.75 LPA |
|
| Banaras Hindu University Courses | INR 2.40 lakh |
INR 8.5 LPA |
| INR 11,010 |
INR 5.50 LPA |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Universities in India: Highest Salary and Top Recruiters
Top Indian universities like IITs, IIMs, IISc, BITS Pilani, and DU colleges consistently offer the highest salaries. Manipal School of Life Sciences offered the highest average salary of INR 11.75 LPA with top recruiters participated including Astra Zeneca Ltd, Biocon, Thermo Fisher Scientific, etc. Candidates can check the table below for top colleges with average salary and the top recruiters -
| Universities Name |
Average Placement Package |
Top Recruiters |
|---|---|---|
| INR 11.75 LPA |
Astra Zeneca Ltd, Biocon, Thermo Fisher Scientific, etc. |
|
| INR 5.50 LPA | Deloitte, Wipro, TCS, Tata Power, Axis Bank, etc. |
|
| INR 6 LPA |
DMRC, Big Oh Tech, TCS, Xenon Stack, Infosys, etc. |
|
| INR 9.50 LPA |
Infosys, TCS, Google, IBM, HCL, HP, Accenture, etc. |
|
| INR 8.5 LPA |
IBM, Infosys, Wipro, Deloitte, KPMG, etc. |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Low-cost Top Universities in India
Source: Official site and may vary.
Specialisations Offered by Top Universities in India
Top Indian Universities offer diverse specialisations like Biotechnology, Agriculture, Chemistry, etc. Candidates can see the table below for the top specialisations offered by top colleges -
| Top Specialisations | No. of Colleges | College Name |
|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology | 24 colleges | Jamia Millia Islamia, VIT Vellore, SRM IST, Chennai, etc. |
| Agriculture | 36 colleges | Banaras Hindu University, SOA University, KL University, etc. |
| Mathematics | 16 colleges | Jadavpur University, KIIT - Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Panjab University, etc. |
| Computer Science | 16 colleges | Aligarh Muslim University, Anna University, Srinivasa Ramanujan Center, etc. |
| Chemistry | 15 colleges | Indian Institute of Science, KIIT, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, etc. |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Top Universities in India: Comparison 2026
To check the comparison between the universities in India, click the link below:
Indian Institute of Science
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Jamia Millia Islamia
Delhi University (DU)
Commonly asked questions On Top Universities in India 2026: Ranking, Admission, Fees, Placements
There are about 180+ top universities in India. Among the top universities, about 100+ are government universities, 70+ are private colleges and public-private entities own 2 colleges.
The top universities in India are the Indian Institute of Science, JNU, JMI, Jadavpur University, BHU, and many more.
CUET, ICAR AIEEA, CUET PG, IIT JAM, KCET, Andhra Pradesh PGCET, CCMN and CPGET are the best entrance exams for top Universities in India.
IISc is the top University according to NIRF 2025. It has also been accredited NAAC 'A' grade by UGC.
Listed below are some of the top Universitites in India along with their NIRF ranking 2025:
Universities Name | NIRF 2023 | NIRF 2024 | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 6 | 4 | 3 | |
| 3 | 3 | 4 | |
| 11 | 6 | 5 | |
| 5 | 5 | 6 | |
| BITS Pilani Ranking | 20 | 19 | 7 |
| 7 | 7 | 8 | |
| 4 | 9 | 9 | |
| Aligarh Muslim University Ranking | 9 | 8 | 10 |
Source: Official site and may vary.
Among the top Universities in India, Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of top Universities in India, followed by Chennai, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Pune, etc. Listed below are the state wise number of colleges
Location | Number of Universities |
|---|---|
Tamil Nadu | 28 colleges |
Delhi NCR | 19 colleges |
Karnataka | 18 colleges |
Maharashtra | 15 colleges |
Uttar Pradesh | 16 colleges |
Andhra Pradesh | 9 colleges |
Banaras Hindu University
BITS Pilani - Birla Institute of Technology and Science
Amrita Center for Nanoscience and Molecular Medicine, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham - Kochi Campus
Aligarh Muslim University
School of Science and Humanities, SRM Kattankulathur
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Poonamallee
Commonly asked questions On Top Universities in India 2026: Ranking, Admission, Fees, Placements
Hi, you must consider the following parameters before selecting your university:
- Accreditation: This is the first factor that you must consider while researching about the university. An accreditation can vouch for the quality education as an accredited university needs to meet the established criteria for curriculum quality, facilities, academic support and other resources.
- Course Curriculum and Academic opportunities: A main reason a student decides to study abroad is to receive hands on experience along with excellent curriculum. Thus, before deciding a university, you must check the curriculum of the particular course as it should meet your requirements. Also, the inclusion of other academic opportunities like research work, group projects and assignments will help you make the conscious decision about that university.
- Facilities and Academic Resources: The academic environment of a university is of great importance as you will be spending most of your time studying at the campus. You must check the facilities and resources such as classroom, library, laboratories, seminar halls, and auditorium. Also, a university which focusses on holistic development must provide excellent sports and recreation facilities. It is important to check all the resources thoroughly before arriving at the decision.
- Scholarships and aids: Studying abroad can be a financially challenging decision, and scholarship opportunities can be a big relief in that regard. You must check university's website for scholarship related information and can compare universities on the basis of this crucial factor.
- Internship and Career Opportunities: The main goal of studying abroad is to enhance your career prospects. In this regard, many universities provide career support services, ensuring students receive ample internship or post study opportunities, for professional grooming. The kind of career support offered can be a decision-making factor for you while deciding about the university.
Hope this helps!
It is true that gaining admission to India's most esteemed universities may be extremely difficult. Given below are some of the reasons:
- Higher Number of Applicants
- Difficult Entrance Exams
But it's crucial to keep in mind that, despite the difficulties along the way, they are not impossible. Many committed students succeed in overcoming these challenges and obtaining their dream of enrolling in highly esteemed universities.
SOA University - Siksha 'O' Anusandhan
Indian Agricultural Research Institute - IARI
KIIT - Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
UoH - University of Hyderabad
Chandigarh University (CU)
JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research
Commonly asked questions On Top Universities in India 2026: Ranking, Admission, Fees, Placements
Hi, you can refer below for the top universities in India according to NIRF for the year 2025 under the Universities category:
Universities Name | NIRF 2023 | NIRF 2024 | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 6 | 4 | 3 | |
| 3 | 3 | 4 | |
| 11 | 6 | 5 | |
| 5 | 5 | 6 | |
| BITS Pilani Ranking | 20 | 19 | 7 |
| 7 | 7 | 8 | |
| 4 | 9 | 9 | |
| Aligarh Muslim University Ranking | 9 | 8 | 10 |
In India, universities are ranked based on multiple criteria by various organizations. Some of the major ranking systems include the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) by the Ministry of Education. The University Grants Commission (UGC) established an expert committee in 2015 to develop the NIRF framework.
There are about 70+ top ranked private universities in India. Some of them are mentioned below with tuition fees and NIRF ranking 2025 -
Private Universities | Total Tuition Fee | NIRF 2025 |
|---|---|---|
INR 3.06 Lakh | 3 | |
INR 3.75 Lakh | 14 | |
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences Admission | INR 2 Lakh | 13 |
INR 7.6 Lakh | 15 | |
| KIIT Admission | INR 5.95 Lakh | 17 |
Source: Official site and may vary.