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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
Top 10 Private Engineering Colleges According To NIRF Rankings; Check courses offered, fees, and more
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is a ranking methodology released every year by the Ministry of Education to rank higher educational institutions in India. The NIRF releases a rank list for every registered institute in India for all the available courses based on: Teaching, learning, and resources (TLR) Research, professional practice, and collaborative performance (RPC) Graduation Outcome (GO) Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) Perception (PR) Based on the above-mentioned criteria, the NIRF has ranked the following colleges to be the best private colleges for Courses. 10 Best Private Colleges Name of the Institute NIRF Rank Vellore Institute of Technology 11 SRM Institute of Science and Technology 13 Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani 20 Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham 23 Siksha 'O' Anusandhan 26 Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology 29 Amity University 30 Chandigarh University 32 Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education 36 Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology 37 10 Best Private Institutes Given below is detailed information about the best private Institutes in India according to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). Vellore Institute of Technology The Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) is a private deemed-to-be University. The institute was established in 1984. The campus has over 372 acres. VIT Group of Institutions offers 71 Undergraduate, 58 Postgraduate, 15 Integrated, 2 Research programmes, and 2 Industrial Programmes. In addition, full-time Ph.D. in Engineering and Management disciplines, Ph.D. in Science and Languages, and Direct Ph.D. programmes in engineering disciplines are offered. The Vellore Institute of Technology offers 21 4-year Courses. Particulars Details Entrance Exam VIT Entrance Engineering Examination (VITEEE) Courses Offered and Fees – Biotechnology INR 1,76,000 P.A. – Chemical Engineering INR 1,76,000 P.A. – Civil Engineering INR 1,76,000 P.A. – Civil Engineering (in Collaboration with L&T) INR 1,76,000 P.A. – Computer Science and Engineering INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Computer Science and Engineering (Artificial Intelligence and Data Engineering) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Computer Science and Engineering (Bioinformatics) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Computer Science and Engineering and Business Systems(in collaboration with TCS) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Computer Science and Engineering (Cyber Security) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Computer Science and Engineering (Data Science) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Electrical and Electronics Engineering INR 1,76,000 P.A. – Electrical and Computer Science Engineering INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Electronics and Communication Engineering INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering INR 1,76,000 P.A. – Electronics and Communication Engineering (Biomedical Engineering) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Electronics Engineering (VLSI Design and Technology) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Health Sciences and Technology INR 1,76,000 P.A. – Information Technology INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Mechanical Engineering INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Mechanical Engineering (Electric Vehicles) INR 1,98,000 P.A. – Mechanical Engineering (Smart Manufacturing) INR 1,98,000 P.A. Vellore Institute of Technology: Placement statistics The VIT got a total of 12,579 placement offers, which include 2,862 dream offers, 2,807 super dream offers, 6,380 regular offers, and 530 marquee offers. VIT also received 4,051 industry internships. The highest CTC offered at VIT is 1 crore. The VIT has also been registered at the Limca Book of Records for the 12th time for unbeatable plaINR cement records. SRM Institute of Science and Technology The SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST) is a private deemed University in Tamil Nadu, India. The institute was founded in 1985. The SRMIST has a campus of 250 acres. The SRMIST has 5 other campuses across India – Kattankulathur, Ramapuram, Vadapalani, Ghaziabad, and Tiruchirappalli. SRMIST offers 40 specialisation courses. Particulars Details Entrance Exam Name SRM Joint Engineering Entrance Examination (SRMJEEE) Courses offered and Fees – Computer Science and Engineering (DevSecOps) INR 4,25,000 Mathematics and Computing INR 4,25,000 Aerospace Engineering INR 4,00,000 Artificial Intelligence INR 4,75,000 Automation & Robotics INR 2,75,000 Automobile Engineering INR 2,75,000 Automobile Engineering with Specialization in Vehicles Testing (GARC) INR 2,75,000 Automobile Engineering with Specialization in Automotive Electronics INR 2,75,000 Automotive Engineering (ARAI) INR 2,88,500 Biomedical Engineering INR 2,75,000 Biomedical Engineering with Specialization in Machine Intelligence INR 2,75,000 Biotechnology INR 2,75,000 Biotechnology (Computational Biology) INR 2,75,000 Biotechnology with Specialization in Food Technology INR 2,75,000 Biotechnology with specialization in Genetic Engineering INR 2,75,000 Biotechnology with specialization in Regenerative Medicine INR 2,75,000 Chemical Engineering INR 2,75,000 Civil Engineering INR 2,75,000 Civil Engineering with Computer Applications INR 2,75,000 Computer Science and Business Systems (In Collaboration with TCS) INR 4,25,000 Computer Science and Engineering INR 4,75,000 Computer Science And Engineering (Data Science) INR 4,75,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning INR 4,75,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Big Data Analytics INR 4,25,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Blockchain Technology INR 4,25,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Cloud Computing INR 4,25,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Computer Networking INR 4,25,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Cyber Security INR 4,25,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Gaming Technology INR 4,25,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Information Technology INR 4,25,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Internet of Things INR 4,25,000 Computer Science And Engineering with Specialization in Software Engineering INR 4,25,000 Electrical & Electronics Engineering INR 2,75,000 Electrical Vehicle Technology INR 2,75,000 Electronics & Communication Engineering INR 2,75,000 Electronics And Communication Engineering with Specialization in Cyber Physical Systems INR 2,75,000 Electronics And Communication Engineering with Specialization in Data Sciences INR 2,75,000 Electronics And Computer Engineering INR 2,75,000 Electronics And Instrumentation Engineering INR 2,75,000 Electronics Engineering (VLSI Design and Technology) INR 2,75,000 Mechanical Engineering INR 2,75,000 Mechanical Engineering (Automation and Robotics) INR 2,75,000 Mechanical Engineering with specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning INR 2,75,000 Mechatronics Engineering INR 2,75,000 Mechatronics Engineering (Autonomous Driving Technology) INR 2,75,000 Mechatronics Engineering (Immersive Technologies) INR 2,75,000 Mechatronics Engineering (Industrial IoT and Systems Engineering) INR 2,75,000 Mechatronics Engineering with Specialization in Robotics INR 2,75,000 Nanotechnology INR 4,00,000 SRM Institute of Science and Technology: Placement statistics According to the SRMIST's official website, there were a total of 1,276 offers for placement, and a total of 705 students got placed in the academic year 2025-26. In 2024-25, there were 870 offers, and 597 students got placed. There were a total of 9 marquee offers and 29 super dream offers Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani The Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS, Pilani) was established in 1964. The university was transformed from a regional to a national deemed university backed by G.D. Birla. Birla Institute of Technology and Science has established campuses in India and abroad – Dubai, Goa, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Pilani, Rajasthan. BITS conducts its own entrance exam for admission. Particulars Details Entrance Exam Name Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test (BITSAT) Courses offered and Fees Computer Science The Admission fees for the Academic year 2025-26 will be 2,75,000, which will increase by 5% PA for all the programs. Electrical and Electronics Engineering Mechanical Engineering Chemical Engineering Civil Engineering BITS – Placement Statistics The BITS has a great placement status so far. 95% of the BITS MBA BA Batch secured placement at notable companies. The median package for UG 4-Year Courses was 17,70,000, and 2,554 candidates were hired, and for 2-Year PG courses was 17,00,000, which was secured by 840 students. Amrita Vishwa Vidhyapeetham Amrita Vishwa Vidhyapeetam is a private deemed to – be university established in 1994 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. This university is spread across 400 Acres. Under the university category, the NIRF ranked this university in 7th position. This university offers more than 300 UG, PG and Ph.D courses/programs in several disciplines such as – Engineering, Management, Medical Sciences, Ayurveda, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and so on. Particulars Details Entrance Exam Name Amrita Engineering Entrance Examination (AEEE) Courses offered and Fees Computer Science INR 3,50,000 Electrical and Electronics Engineering INR 3,00,000 Mechanical Engineering INR 3,00,000 Chemical Engineering INR 2,50,000 Civil Engineering INR 2,50,000 Amrita Vishwa Vidhyapeetham – Placement Statistics The placement rate of Amrita University is around 95% in total. The highest CTC offered at Amrita University is somewhere between 56-57 LPA. A total of 500 students opted for higher studies in the academic year 2022-23. Siksha 'O' Anusandhan Siksha 'O' Anusandhan (SOA), is a Deemed-to-be University. Established in 2007, SOA offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across disciplines like engineering, medicine, law, management, and pharmacy. Accredited by NAAC with an 'A++' grade, it consistently ranks among India's top universities for its academic standards and innovative research environment. Siksha 'O' Anusandhan – Placement Statistics The SOA's placement rate has increased from 86% in 2021 to 91% in 2023. The highest offer made at SOA was 46 LPA in the 2023 placement drive which the best offer made in last 3 years. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology The Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET) was founded in 1956. The TIET's campus sprawls over 250 acres. The Thapar University is accredited with an 'A+' Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). According to the NIRF, the institute holds the 29th rank in the engineering category. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology – Placement Statistics Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology offers strong placement opportunities with top recruiters like Amazon, Deloitte, and Accenture. The highest package reached 55.75 LPA, with an average of 11–12 LPA. Over 430 companies visited in 2025, with around an 83% placement rate, especially strong in CSE, ECE, and core branches. Amity University Amity University is a leading private university in India. Amity University has campuses across India and abroad. It offers diverse programs in engineering, management, law, sciences, and more. Amity is recognized for its strong industry connections and placements. Amity University ranked 30th according to the NIRF Report 2024. Amity University – Placement Statistics The Amity University had 13,000+ campus placements in the AY 2023-24 across all campuses. More than 1,250 companies visited Amity Noida for placement in the same year. The highest package offered at Amity University was 62.7 LPA. Chandigarh University The Chandigarh University was established in 2012 in Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab. Accredited by the NBA and graded A+ by the NAAC. The Chandigarh University has been ranked 32nd by the NIRF in the engineering category; overall, as a university, it was ranked 20th. The CU offers various UG and PG programs. The list of courses with fees offered at CU is given in the table below: Particulars Details Entrance Exam Name Chandigarh University Common Entrance Test (CUCET) Courses offered and Fees Computer Science INR 2,92,000 Electrical and Computer Engineering INR 2,20,000 Mechanical Engineering INR 2,25,000 Chemical Engineering INR 1,90,000 Civil Engineering INR 2,20,000 Chandigarh University – Placement Statistics The CU has strong placement opportunities with top recruiters like Amazon, Deloitte, and Accenture. The CU registers 9000+ placement offers for the AY 2024-25, which is the highest in North India. The national package offered at CU is 54.75 LPA, and the highest international package made is 1.7 CR. Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education (KARE), established in 1984 in Krishnankoil, Tamil Nadu, is a NAAC A++ accredited deemed university known for its engineering and research programs. It offers UG, PG, and doctoral programs across engineering, technology, science, management, and humanities. KARE is Spread over 400 acres. Particulars Details Entrance Exam Name Kalasalingam Engineering Entrance Examination (KEEE) Courses offered and Fees Computer Science INR 1,20,000 Electrical and Computer Engineering INR 1,20,000 Mechanical Engineering INR 1,20,000 Chemical Engineering INR 1,30,000 Civil Engineering INR 1,30,000 Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education – Placement Statistics The KARE collaborates with corporate giants like Larsen & Toubro, IBM, HCL, L&P, etc. The placement percentage of Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education is around 80-90%. The institute received the highest package of 50LPA. Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) was founded in 1992 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, and is a prestigious private deemed university recognised with NAAC A++. KIIT is known for its sprawling 36 acres of eco-friendly campus, global rankings of NIRF top 15 universities, QS Asia 257, and excellence in innovation, research, sports, and entrepreneurship . According to the data available on KIIT's official website, in 2024, there were a total of 700 companies, out of which 5,585 job offers were made, and the highest salary offered was 53 LPA.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Science
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Indian Institutional Ranking Framework: PAU bags top podium spot, adjudged best among 67 state agri varsities
Reaffirming its stature as a national leader in agricultural education and research, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana has clinched the top spot among 67 state agricultural universities (SAU) and secured second position nationwide in the Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) 2025. Out of 78 agricultural and horticultural institutions assessed – including Indian Council of Agricultural Research-deemed universities, central agricultural universities and ICAR institutes – PAU stands just behind ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. The rankings, regarded as a credible benchmark of academic excellence, are based on comprehensive evaluation criteria including research output, teaching quality, placements, industry linkages, innovation, and faculty performance. The Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) evaluates and ranks over 2500 institutions across the country. PAU vice-chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal hailed the achievement as a reflection of the university's enduring commitment to academic and research excellence. 'PAU's consistent presence at the top of national rankings underscores the dedication of our faculty, students and staff. Our mission to support Indian agriculture through education, innovation and outreach remains stronger than ever,' he said. Registrar Dr Rishi Pal Singh (IAS) also commended the university's performance, attributing the high ranking to PAU's holistic focus on cutting-edge research and farmer-centric innovation. Dr MIS Gill, dean of postgraduate studies and a key coordinator in the ranking process, said that PAU's strong national positioning reaffirms its forward-thinking vision in agricultural science. With a legacy that spans decades, PAU is known for its robust institutional framework comprising over 35 departments, six constituent colleges and 10 regional research stations. The university has developed over 950 crop varieties, significantly advancing productivity in wheat, rice, cotton and horticultural crops. It is also a leader in research publications, patents and technology transfers. PAU's extension network impacts lakhs of farmers annually, delivering high-quality seeds, training and expert guidance. Its active collaborations with national and international bodies further reinforce its reputation as a global center of agricultural excellence. The IIRF 2025 honour follows PAU's consistent top-tier performance in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) rankings, where it secured the top SAU position and the third overall rank among agricultural institutions in both 2023 and 2024.
The Hindu
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
T.N. to establish new ranking list for higher education institutes
The Tamil Nadu government has provided in-principle approval for establishing a State Institutional Ranking Framework (SIRF) — a ranking list for higher education institutions in the State. According to a government order issued on Monday, the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education (TANSCHE), which had in a letter to the government earlier this month proposed to develop indicators for performance assessment of higher education institutions, will be the implementing authority of the ranking. The government has agreed to sanction ₹75 lakh for implementing the SIRF, and ₹10 lakh to meet preliminary expenses such as forming an expert committee, stakeholder consultation, and software development. The ranking will seek to 'encapsulate holistic development of students in terms of skill acquisition, competency development, and professional readiness', besides ranking institutions on other metrics. In the first phase of implementation, an expert committee would be formed for consultation with stakeholders across academia and industry to finalise indicators and evaluation metrics. These will be tested in 20 diverse institutions across disciplines. The indicators will then be refined based on feedback before the project is rolled out in full. Such a move was necessitated as the current ranking frameworks, including the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), largely focused on indicators such as research output, faculty-student ratios and publication metrics. There was insufficient focus on student learning outcomes, overemphasis on number of publications and citations, heavy reliance on institutional self-reporting without verification, limited stakeholder engagement and absence of a level playing field, the order said. A holistic outcome-based evaluation capturing aspects like problem solving, critical thinking, communication, teamwork and ethical reasoning would be a key feature of the SIRF. Institutional performance would be assessed through indicators such as internships, employability indices and alumni outcomes, besides seeking inputs from students, faculty, employers and alumni. All submitted data will undergo verification and TANSCHE will provide open access to its evaluation criteria. For this, the Council will set up a digital platform for data submission, analysis, visualisation and reporting, the order added.
NDTV
5 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
NEET UG Results 2025: Top 25 Medical Colleges In India As Per NIRF Ranking
With the NEET UG 2025 results declared by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 14, the admission process for undergraduate medical and dental courses across India is now underway. This year, 22.09 lakh students appeared for the NEET UG exam, and 12.36 lakh qualified, compared to 13.15 lakh qualified candidates last year. A total of 22.76 lakh students registered for NEET UG 2025, a slight dip from 24.06 lakh in 2024. The number of students who skipped the exam also fell, from over 72,000 in 2024 to approximately 66,700 this year. As students prepare to apply for medical admissions, choosing the right college is a crucial step. While many candidates already have their preferred institutions in mind, others may still be confused about which colleges to prioritise. To help with this decision, here is a list of the Top 25 Medical Colleges in India as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024. Though the NIRF 2025 rankings are yet to be released, the 2024 list can serve as a reliable reference point for students during the admission process. Top 25 Medical Colleges In India 1. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi 2. Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh 3. Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, Tamil Nadu 4. National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru, Karnataka 5. Jawaharlal Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Puducherry 6. Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 7. Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh 8. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 9. Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka 10. Madras Medical College and Government General Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 11. Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune, Maharashtra 12. Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 13. Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala 14. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 15. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, Odisha 16. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, Rajasthan 17. Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi 18. SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 19. King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh 20. Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 21. Siksha 'O' Anusandhan, Bhubaneswar, Odisha 22. Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal 23. Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research, Wardha, Maharashtra 24. Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), Delhi 25. Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar, Odisha Students are advised to carefully review the offerings, infrastructure, location, and placement records of these institutions before making a final decision.
Scroll.in
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
How reliable are the rankings of India's top IITs and IIMs?
Every year, around the time when the new academic year begins, the ministry of education releases its annual rankings of government and private higher education institutions in the country. The rankings, which have been published since 2016, are calculated based on the government's National Institutional Ranking Framework. The rankings are published across different categories, including engineering, management, medicine and law. In each category, the ministry lists the 200 institutions that in its assessment are the best in the country that year. The NIRF rankings are a crucial resource for millions of students who have to decide what institutions and programmes to seek admission in each year. But are the rankings based on a rigorous methodology and consistent data? This question came to fore last September when an employee of the Indian Institute of Management Mumbai alleged that the institute had inflated numbers pertaining to income, expenditure and faculty strength in the data it submitted to the NIRF. Scroll cross-checked these claims by sourcing data that the institute had submitted to the NIRF, as well as the data published in its annual reports, and found that there were indeed significant discrepancies between the two. Neither the institute nor the ministry of education had responded to Scroll 's requests for comment. However, the case highlighted one of the fault lines of the rankings system: it relies on self-reported data. Data that the institutions submit is used to assign ranks to them, raising questions about the reliability of the process. The IIM Mumbai employee's allegations raised concerns over whether similar discrepancies could be found in data from other leading institutions. Scroll examined the data submitted to NIRF by all government engineering and management institutes ranked in the top ten. We picked data from 2022-'23, the same year for which IIM Mumbai's data came into question. That year, seven Indian Institutes of Management were among the top 10 institutes in the management category. The engineering category featured nine Indian Institutes of Technology. We compared the data submitted by the institutes to NIRF with the data published in their annual reports. We specifically considered the data in these documents pertaining to income and expenditure. Our analysis showed significant discrepancies between data submitted for NIRF and data published in the annual reports of institutions. Most institutes did not respond to our questions about these discrepancies. But professors with administrative experience in public institutes, speaking on the condition of anonymity, admitted there was a widespread lack of clarity about how data should be categorised. One IIT professor said he had heard that 'institutions often exaggerate numbers to get higher rankings, even when it comes to their number of published papers'. Confusion over data Experts who have analysed the NIRF system have raised concern in the past over the lack of clarity and transparency when it comes to the data submitted for the rankings. In June 2024, V Ramgopal Rao, a former director of IIT Delhi, and Abhishek Singh from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science published a paper on the rankings and found several flaws and inconsistencies in the system. 'The reliance on self-reported data raises pertinent questions regarding the consistency and accuracy of the information presented,' they wrote. This was not only because it would be in each institution's interest to report favourable data. 'Institutions varying in size, structure and resources may interpret and report data differently, potentially leading to disparities in the ranking outcomes,' they wrote. 'The absence of stringent mechanisms for verifying the accuracy and uniformity of the submitted data introduces an element of uncertainty into the rankings.' This, they noted, has serious implications on the reliability of the rankings system. 'Without standardised reporting practices, the rankings may inadvertently favour institutions adept at presenting data in a favourable light rather than those genuinely excelling in academic parameters,' the paper stated. The paper also criticised the NIRF system for the lack of transparency about its methodology, specifically about the assessment of financial data. 'To mitigate ambiguity and potential misinterpretations, it is imperative to establish unambiguous and explicit definitions of metrics, especially those which capture financial data,' the paper noted. 'Formulating clear and well-defined rules and criteria is essential to ensure a standardised and equitable assessment.' Comparing data for the IIMs In the NIRF documents of the IIMs, expenditure is broken down into two heads: operational expenditure and capital expenditure. In contrast, the annual reports of the IIMs break down expenditure into several heads, including staff payments and benefits, academic expenses, and administrative and general expenses. The IIT professor mentioned above, who has been involved in submitting data for NIRF, and an IIM professor, who has analysed such data closely, told Scroll that the categories of expenditure mentioned in the annual reports correspond to the 'operational expenditure' category of the NIRF documents. Thus, we compared these two sets of figures between the NIRF documents and annual reports. We found that only in one instance, of IIM Lucknow, did the two figures correspond exactly. IIM Bangalore reported an operational expenditure of around Rs 287.87 crore to NIRF, which was Rs 70 crore higher than what it declared in its annual report. In the remaining four IIMs, expenditure figures declared to NIRF were lower than those declared in the annual reports. Thus, the data did not suggest that a majority of these institutes had exaggerated expenditure figures in their NIRF submissions. This was despite the fact that the framework's methodology rewards institutions for high operational expenditure, as part of a calculation termed 'financial resources and their utilisation'. But the data did show widespread discrepancies between these figures and those in the annual reports, indicating a lack of clarity about what data that falls under these heads. When it comes to income, the IIM NIRF document lists income from three categories: sponsored research, consultancy projects and 'executive development programs/management development programs'. However, the annual reports of the IIMs list income under several heads, including from academic receipts, 'grants/subsidies', income from investments, income from sponsored research and consultancy projects, and income from executive/management development programmes, as well a category termed 'other income'. Where the NIRF documents and the income statements of annual reports contained identical categories, we compared figures directly. When the categories did not match, we examined other sections in the annual reports to locate income from sources mentioned in the NIRF documents, such as sponsored projects. Even in instances where money from sponsored research was listed under sections such as 'current liabilities and provisions', we included it in our calculations, despite three IIM professors maintaining that these entries were not technically categorised as income. Thus, we compared the total income from sponsored projects and consultancy listed in the NIRF documents, with the highest income or credit shown under these heads in any section of the institutions' annual reports. Separately, we compared the income from executive and management development projects in the former documents, with the highest income or credit listed under this category in the annual reports. We found that of a total of 12 such comparisons across the six institutes, in 10 cases, the income reported to NIRF was higher than that declared in the annual report. The highest such difference was found in the instance of IIM Kozhikode, whose NIRF documents listed an income from executive development programmes of Rs 137.13 crore, which was Rs 60.16 crore higher than the figure declared in its annual report. 'Higher income and expenditure allows institutions to project a bigger scale of operations,' a professor from a private university told Scroll. Another professor from a public university said, 'If institutions are able to garner higher earnings from their consultancy programmes and research, it secures them a higher ranking.' Indeed, the NIRF methodology rewards institutions for high research funding and consultancy income, and in the case of management institutes, for income from executive and management development programmes. Scroll emailed all the above institutions, seeking clarity on these apparent discrepancies. As of publishing, only IIM Bangalore had responded. The institute did not reply to specific queries about figures in the two sets of documents. It noted that a 'NIRF Methodology document spells out the ranking formula for Financial Resources Utilisation'. A guidelines document 'has further instructions on what kind of expenditure should be included and what are those that are to be specifically excluded', it noted. It added, 'Our reporting is compiled on the basis of the Methodology and Guidelines documents.' For their annual reports, the institute said, 'institutes like the IIMs are governed by the uniform reporting format issued by the Ministry of Education in consultation with the CAG'. It stated, 'The Income and Expenditure and Balance Sheet formats and significant accounting policies are spelt out in that document. Our annual accounts are also compiled on the basis of the mandated reporting format.' Further, it said, 'Given this background, when we report relevant data under Financial Resources utilisation for the NIRF evaluation, data is taken from the annual accounts and specific inclusions and exclusions as per the guidelines are made in order to arrive at the final number that is used in the methodology document to arrive at per student values.' Data for the IITs Similarly, Scroll also analysed the data submitted by all the IITs that figured in the top 10 ranks of the engineering list for the year 2022-'23. Nine out of the ten ranks were occupied by the IITs – but since data was unavailable for the Hyderabad and Rohtak institutes, we analysed data for a total of seven institutes. With regard to the IITs too, Scroll compared the sums of operational expenditure mentioned in the NIRF with the total expenditure mentioned in the institutions' annual reports. Out of the seven, three institutions stated higher expenditure figures in the NIRF documents. IIT Madras had the largest difference between the figure submitted to NIRF and the figure mentioned in its annual report. In its NIRF submissions, the institute stated that its expenditure for the year was around Rs 1,360 crore, but in its annual report, the figure mentioned was around Rs 727 crore, or Rs 633 crore less. The other two institutions that stated higher expenditure figures in the NIRF documents were IIT-Delhi and IIT BHU. When it came to income, the NIRF documents listed income from sponsored research and consultancy projects. As with the IIMs, we looked through the annual reports and compared these figures with figures listed in any section of the annual report under the same category. If more than one section contained an entry under the same head, we used the higher number. This analysis indicated that four IITs had reported higher income from sponsored research and consultancy projects to NIRF than the figures they had declared in their annual reports. The largest such difference was seen in the case of IIT Bombay, which showed a total income from these sources of Rs 569.49 crore. Of this, the consultancy income mentioned in the two sets of documents was identical: Rs 99.63 crore. But the declared income from sponsored research in NIRF documents, Rs 469.86 crore in NIRF documents, was Rs 196.52 crore higher than the figure in the annual report. On the other end of the spectrum was IIT Madras, which in its annual report declared income of Rs 1505.16 crore from consultancy and sponsored projects, which was Rs 656.74 crore higher than that declared in its NIRF documents. Only IIT Kharagpur explicitly mentioned a specific category under the income statement of its annual reports that listed income from 'Sponsored/Research/Consultancy Projects'. While the institute listed income from these sources of Rs 227 crore in its NIRF documents, it listed income of Rs 116 crore from them in its annual reports. 'I've also heard that institutions often exaggerate numbers to get higher rankings, even when it comes to their number of published papers,' the IIT professor said. 'There is no proper verification that happens to ensure all the data institutions are sending in is true.' Another professor from an IIT noted that 'if NIRF made definitions clearer', confusion over data categories could be avoided. 'Some of these discrepancies happen because there is not enough clarity,' the professor said. 'Sometimes when we have doubts, we ask counterparts in other IITs to find out what data to submit.' The professor suggested that NIRF conduct sessions or workshops to clearly explain all the categories and what they entail. After the IIM Mumbai staffer flagged concerns about the institution's data, the administration suspended two of its staff for six months – one, the whistleblower themself, and another staffer who the adminstration believed was involved in the process of drafting the letter. Staff at IIM Mumbai said that the author of the letter faced pressure from the institute and decided to give up on the matter. After their six-month suspension ended, they were absorbed back into the administration. However, the other employee, a professor at the institution, continued to be targeted by the administration, other staffers told Scroll. His six-month suspension was extended to nine months and in January to his surprise, he was handed a termination letter. Both the reasons for his suspension and termination were that he had allegedly 'maligned the name of the institution'.
