KOCHI: The state public universities in Kerala bettered their rankings in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, which was released by the Union Ministry of Education on Thursday. Kerala University ranked 5th among 100 others in the category, bettering its position from 9th in 2024. Cusat also made a great leap from 10th in 2024 to 6th in 2025.
The ranking is determined by evaluating student participation, faculty-student ratio, academic excellence and research experience of permanent faculty, financial resources and mode of communication, research publication achievements and their quality, number of research projects, examination conduct and declaration of results, number of research degrees, number of students gaining admission from other states and countries, employment prospects of students, achievements in the fields of arts and sports, national and international honours, representation of women in various fields of study, facilities and assistance for students from economically and socially backward backgrounds, student-friendly learning environment, and systems prepared for students facing physical and mental challenges.
According to M Junaid Bushiri, Vice Chancellor, Cusat, the university showcased an outstanding performance in the NIRF 2025 rankings. “We made significant strides in various categories. Cusat has showcased its commitment to academic excellence and research by jumping from Rank 10 to Rank 6 among State Public Universities, demonstrating its rising prominence among state universities. In the Overall Rankings, the university has broken into the Top 50 overall in India, solidifying its national reputation.
In the University Category, Cusat has climbed from Rank 34 to Rank 32, showcasing its relentless pursuit of academic excellence. Meanwhile, the School of Legal Studies has achieved an impressive All-India Rank of 13, highlighting the university’s strong legal programmes, and the School of Management Studies has been ranked 82 in the Management Category, proudly holding the number 2 spot in Kerala, just behind IIM Kozhikode,” he said.
Minister for Higher Education, R Bindu, lauded the good performance showcased by the universities and colleges in the state. “This achievement is the result of Kerala’s excellent intervention in the higher education sector. The four-year undergraduate programme implemented by Kerala, which has brought about a comprehensive change in the current study - examination - assessment methods, and given better consideration to employment, skills and research, has played a role in making this achievement. Even in this period of many crises, it is the result of collective work that we have been able to achieve such a great achievement. I salute the academic community comprising the university-college level administration, teachers, students, IQAC, and non-teaching staff,” she said.
However, even as many of the institutions bettered their rankings, some prominent institutions like St Teresa’s College in Ernakulam, Mahatma Gandhi University, and the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology didn’t do good and slipped in the rankings.