The National Institutional Ranking Framework has become a strong option compared to foreign ranking agencies, says BITS Pilani Group Vice Chancellor V Ramgopal Rao. NIRF has grown a lot in the past 10 years, but still faces some problems that need to be fixed.
New Delhi, 14 Sep 2025
The National Institutional Ranking Framework has become a strong option compared to foreign ranking agencies, says BITS Pilani Group Vice Chancellor V Ramgopal Rao. NIRF has grown a lot in the past 10 years, but still faces some problems that need to be fixed.
NIRF Gains Official Support
NIRF is announced by the Indian government, which gives it official support. Private agencies like QS or Times Higher Education focus more on how people see schools. This is because they can make money by helping schools improve their image. NIRF now has over 14,000 schools taking part. The government uses NIRF rankings to decide how to give money to schools.
Challenges in Research Evaluation
Rao thinks the way NIRF checks research needs to change. He says schools that write more papers often cite their own work. This can make their rankings look better than they should be. Rao also wants NIRF to check the data schools give more carefully. If a school suddenly gets a much better ranking, NIRF should look into why. This will help make sure the rankings are fair and show what schools are really like.
The self-reported data, I believe, is a big concern because sometimes the results that come out of it are unexpected and do not reflect the reality on the ground.
The next NIRF rankings will be watched closely to see if these concerns are addressed. Follow The Rising News for more verified updates.
Updated 14 Sep 2025, 19:37 IST; source: link
