TISS Mumbai and Bharati Vidyapeeth Pune share top spot in IIRF 2025 rankings

IIRF University Ranking 2025: In the IIRF Ranking 2025 under the deemed university good for arts, science, research, and humanities category, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, and Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune, have jointly secured Rank 1.

These two institutions lead the top 1 deemed university good for Arts, Science, Research, and Humanities category in India.

Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai, has retained Rank 2, while Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, holds Rank 3, maintaining their positions from the IIRF 2024 list.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), also known as TISS Mumbai or TISS University Mumbai, was founded in 1936 as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work.

A UGC- and AICTE-approved deemed university, it houses 19 schools and 5 centers offering UG, PG, PhD, and open & distance learning (ODL) programs in areas such as rural development, management, gender studies, and education.

While the institute does not offer a traditional MBA, it provides equivalent programs like MA in Human Resource Management & Labor Relations, MA in Hospital Administration, and MA in Social Entrepreneurship.

The HRM & LR program, widely regarded as an MBA equivalent in HR, covers a range of topics such as labor economics, conflict management, financial management, and trade unions.

During the 2024 placements, the highest package offered to HRM & LR students stood at ₹49 LPA, with a median of ₹25.28 LPA. Sixty-six out of 78 students received packages above ₹20 LPA, with strong recruitment in the FMCG and FMCD sectors.

Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai

Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune

Established in 1964, Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University Pune has entered the top 10 deemed universities good for arts, science, research, and humanities categories in India for the first time by sharing Rank 1 in IIRF 2025.

Accredited with an A+ grade by NAAC, BVDU offers UGC-approved programs including BSc, BTech, and MBA. It is a member of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU).

Admissions are based on university-conducted entrance exams like BVP CET, BMAT, and BUMAT. The university recorded its highest package of ₹25 LPA during its latest placement season, with an 87% placement rate. Top recruiters included TCS, IBM, Cognizant, Amazon, and Reliance Industries.

Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai

Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research (IGIDR), Mumbai, established in 1987, continues to hold Rank 2 in the IIRF 2025 ranking.

The institute offers M.Sc. and M.Phil programs, along with other advanced postgraduate degrees. It attracts top recruiters such as Deloitte, PricewaterhouseCoopers, American Express, JP Morgan Chase, KPMG, UBS, and Deutsche Bank.

Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru

Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, which remains at Rank 3, offers over 13 postgraduate programs, including M.Sc., Integrated Ph.D., and Ph.D. degrees.

The institution is recognized for its research excellence and continues to draw students from across the country.

LIST OF TOP 10 DEEMED UNIVERSITY GOOD FOR ARTS, SCIENCE, RESEARCH, AND HUMANITIES COURSES- 2025

Rank	Name of the Institute
1	Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai
1	Bharati Vidyapeeth, Pune
2	Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai
3	Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru
4	National Brain Research Centre, Gurugram
5	National University of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi
6	International Institute for Population Sciences, Mumbai
7	Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai
8	ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal
9	O P Jindal Global (Institute of Eminence) Deemed to be University, Sonipat
10	Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore

The Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) is a trusted ranking system that evaluates over 5,000 academic institutions in India.

It assesses universities, colleges, and business schools based on key metrics such as research output, faculty quality, industry collaboration, and placement performance.

The IIRF covers more than 1,500 universities, 2,000 engineering colleges, 1,000 business schools, and several other specialized institutions in fields like law, architecture, design, MBBS, pharmacy, and journalism.

It provides valuable insights for students, educators, and policymakers. For complete rankings and information, visit www.iirfranking.com.