Northeast shines in IIRF 2025: Ten universities break into national top 50

A significant milestone has been achieved by higher education institutions across Northeast India, with ten universities earning positions among the country's top 50 in the Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) 2025.

Rajiv Gandhi University in Itanagar continues to set the standard for excellence, maintaining its impressive 13th position nationally for the second consecutive year. The consistency of this performance establishes the institution as a reliable academic powerhouse representing the Northeast on the national stage.

However, the rankings reveal mixed fortunes across the region's educational landscape. Tezpur University experienced a notable decline, dropping from 16th to 24th position, while Mizoram University faced an even steeper fall from 15th to 25th place. North Eastern Hill University in Shillong also saw its ranking slip from 18th to 29th position, indicating challenges these institutions may need to address.

Central Agricultural University in Imphal secured 26th position, demonstrating the specialised strength of agricultural education in the region. This ranking becomes particularly significant given the Northeast's agricultural economy and the university's role in developing sector-specific expertise.

Several institutions bucked the downward trend, showing encouraging progress. Tripura University climbed three positions from 47th to 44th, while Nagaland University improved from 37th to 34th place.

The complete list of Northeast universities in the top 50 includes Sikkim University (36th), Assam University (37th), and Manipur University (40th), collectively representing seven of the eight northeastern states in this prestigious bracket.

Private sector representation remains limited but noteworthy. Sikkim Manipal University in Gangtok stands alone as the region's sole private institution in the national top 50, achieving 24th position.

The broader private university landscape shows promise, with nine additional Northeast institutions securing top 100 positions. Martin Luther Christian University in Shillong leads this group at 62nd position, followed by William Carey University at 67th. The University of Science and Technology Meghalaya rounds out the top performers at 77th position.

These rankings emerge from IIRF's comprehensive evaluation of over 2,500 institutions nationwide, including more than 500 universities. The framework's methodology emphasises industry feedback and workforce alignment, making these achievements particularly relevant for graduate employability and economic development in the Northeast.