IIRF Ranking 2026: JNU retains top spot among India’s top central universities
Delhi dominates central university rankings with DU at second and Jamia Millia Islamia rising to third, as all three top institutions are based in the national capital.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi, has secured Rank 1 in the Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) Ranking 2026 under the Central Universities category.
The university has retained its top position from the IIRF Ranking 2025, reaffirming its standing among India’s leading government-funded central universities.
JNU, established under the Jawaharlal Nehru University Act, 1966, is known for its interdisciplinary academic structure and offers more than 100 undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs across multiple schools and specialized centers.
Top 3 Central Universities in IIRF Ranking 2026
The University of Delhi (DU) retained Rank 2 in the IIRF Central University Ranking 2026, while Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) moved up to Rank 3 from Rank 4 last year.
In the 2025 rankings, Banaras Hindu University (BHU) held the third position, making JMI the only institution among the top three to improve its rank this year.
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Founded in 1969, JNU is recognized for its strengths in social sciences, international studies, languages, humanities, and pure sciences.
The university offers undergraduate programs in foreign and Indian languages, integrated science courses, and dual-degree BTech programs in Computer Science and Electronics & Communication Engineering.
At the postgraduate level, JNU offers MA, MSc, MTech, MBA, MCA, Master of Public Health, and several specialized programs. Doctoral research opportunities are available across disciplines, including international studies, law, governance, sciences, and arts.
Admissions are primarily conducted through CUET, while engineering admissions are based on JEE Main scores and JoSAA counseling. The university is also known for its highly subsidized fee structure, with several academic programs costing less than ₹1,000 annually.
University of Delhi Holds Second Position
The University of Delhi, established in 1922, continues to hold the second position in the IIRF Central University Rankings.
One of India's largest and most prestigious central universities, DU offers more than 391 academic programs through 16 faculties and 86 departments.
Its academic portfolio includes undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral, professional, and vocational programs in arts, humanities, commerce, management, sciences, law, education, engineering, and medicine.
Admissions to most undergraduate programs are conducted through CUET and the Common Seat Allocation System (CSAS), while postgraduate admissions largely rely on CUET-PG scores.
DU also provides distance education through the School of Open Learning (SOL) and the Non-Collegiate Women's Education Board (NCWEB).
Jamia Millia Islamia Climbs to Third Rank
Jamia Millia Islamia, established in 1920 and declared a Central University through an Act of Parliament in 1988, secured Rank 3 in the IIRF Ranking 2026. The university improved from Rank 4 in 2025, replacing BHU in the top three.
JMI offers undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, and certificate programs across 10 faculties. Popular courses include B.Tech, B.Arch, BDS, MBA, B.A. LL.B., mass communication, humanities, social sciences, law, management, fine arts, and science programs.
The university is recognized by several national regulatory bodies, including UGC, AICTE, NMC, BCI, CoA, PCI, NCTE, and others.
Top 10 Central Universities in IIRF Ranking 2026
Rank | Name of the Institute | State | State Rank |
1 | JNU - Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi | Delhi | 1 |
2 | DU - University of Delhi | Delhi | 2 |
3 | JMI - Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi | Delhi | 3 |
4 | UoH - University of Hyderabad | Telangana | 1 |
5 | BHU - Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh | 1 |
6 | AMU - Aligarh Muslim University | Uttar Pradesh | 2 |
7 | CURAJ - Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer | Rajasthan | 1 |
8 | CUP - Central University of Punjab, Bhatinda | Punjab | 1 |
9 | Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala | Himachal Pradesh | 1 |
10 | The Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak | Madhya Pradesh | 1 |
About IIRF Ranking
The Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) is a ranking system that evaluates more than 5,000 academic institutions across India.
It ranks universities, colleges, and business schools based on research performance, placements, faculty quality, industry collaboration, and other institutional indicators. IIRF is registered under India's Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) through the Companies Act, 2013.
The IIRF India Ranking conducts a comprehensive assessment of more than 2,500 institutions, including over 500 universities, 300 engineering colleges, 300 business schools, 300 undergraduate colleges, and more than 100 institutions each in law, design, architecture, medicine, dental sciences, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, and public health.
IIRF Ranking Parameters
The rankings are based on nine key parameters:
- Academic Reputation: The Pedagogy of Practice (25%)
- Graduate Outcome & Employability: The Return on Investment (23%)
- Research Outcome: Volume, Income & Reputation (22%)
- Demand Ratio & Student Profile (6%)
- Employer Reputation & International Outlook (6%)
- Wellbeing & Institutional Development (5%)
- Peer Perception and Alumni Feedback (4%)
- Public Perception & Data Verification (4%)
- Impact and Value Addition (5%)
The ranking framework provides insights to students, parents, educators, and policymakers seeking information on higher education institutions in India. More details are available at www.iirfranking.com.
