VIKAS SHARMA
JAMMU, SEPT 4: The University of Jammu (JU) has retained its 87th rank in the Overall category of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 with a score of 50.11, while the University of Kashmir (KU) has shown marked improvement by climbing 10 spots to secure the 59th position with a score of 54.31. The rankings were released today by the Union Ministry of Education.
However, the dismal reality for J&K remains unchanged in the colleges’ category. For yet another year, not a single government or private college from the Union Territory has made it to the top 100 list nationally. Worse still, no J&K college figures even in the rank bands of 101–150, 151–200, or 201–300 — a glaring indicator of UT’s weak higher education ecosystem, where building infrastructure is too often mistaken for imparting quality education.
In the university category, KU has surged to the 34th rank with a score of 57.13, improving from last year’s 45th. JU, however, slipped from 50th rank in 2024 to 51st this year with 53.01 points. Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)-Kashmir also figured among the top 100 universities, finishing at 75th place.
In the overall category, SKUAST-Kashmir secured 94th rank with 49.75 points, while SKUAST-Jammu failed to make it to the top 100. National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar was placed in the 101–150 rank band.
Among professional institutions, IIT Jammu stood at 56th rank in the engineering category with a score of 53.08, while NIT Srinagar secured the 73rd spot. Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Katra, featured in the 151–200 rank band in engineering but earned a notable 23rd position in the Architecture and Planning category.
Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Jammu registered a respectable performance, ranking 35th among management institutes with a score of 58.50. In the Agriculture and Allied Sectors category, SKUAST-Kashmir and SKUAST-Jammu bagged the 7th and 23rd ranks respectively. In the newly introduced State Public Universities category, KU achieved 8th position with a score of 75.17, while JU and SKUAST-Kashmir stood at 21st and 36th.
In other categories like Skill University, Research, Pharmacy, Innovation, Medical, Dental, and Law, no J&K institute made the cut.
At the national level, IIT Madras retained the overall top position for the seventh straight year, while IISc Bengaluru and IIT Bombay followed. AIIMS Delhi topped the medical category, IIM Ahmedabad led management, and Hindu College secured the first spot among colleges.
The NIRF rankings are based on parameters including teaching, learning, and resources; research and professional practices; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity; and perception.
J&K at a Glance – NIRF 2025 Rankings
University of Kashmir (KU):
Overall rank 59 (score 54.31)
University category rank 34
8th in State Public Universities
University of Jammu (JU):
Overall rank 87 (score 50.11)
University category rank 51
21st in State Public Universities
SKUAST-Kashmir:
Overall rank 94
University category rank 75
7th in Agriculture & Allied Sectors
36th in State Public Universities
SKUAST-Jammu:
Not in top 100 overall
23rd in Agriculture & Allied Sectors
IIT Jammu:
56th in Engineering (score 53.08)
NIT Srinagar:
73rd in Engineering (score 50.23)
Rank band 101–150 in Overall
SMVDU Katra:
Engineering: Rank band 151–200
Architecture & Planning: 23rd
IIM Jammu:
35th in Management (score 58.50)
Colleges Category:
No J&K college in Top 100, or even in rank bands up to 300
