New Delhi: The number of unique higher education institutions participating in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) increased 91% from 4,030 in 2021 to 7,692 in 2025, according to the Ministry of Education.
The number of applications received under NIRF also more than doubled during the period, rising from 6,272 in 2021 to 14,163 in 2025, the ministry said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Launched in 2015, NIRF ranks higher education institutions across five broad parameters: Teaching, Learning and Resources; Research and Professional Practices; Graduation Outcomes; Outreach and Inclusivity; and Peer Perception.
The ministry said the number of Indian institutions appearing in the QS World University Rankings has also increased since NIRF was launched, from 11 institutions in the QS World University Rankings 2015 to 52 in the QS World University Rankings 2027.
The government has cited several measures to improve the quality of higher education, including the Institutions of Eminence (IoE) scheme, launched in 2017 to provide selected institutions greater academic, administrative and financial autonomy.
It also said 43 new premier institutes have been established since 2014, including seven IITs, eight Central universities and nine IIMs. IIM Guwahati, inaugurated in February 2026, is the latest addition to the IIM network and is currently operating from a transit campus in Assam.
The government has allocated ₹555 crore for IIM Guwahati, including for its temporary campus, construction of the permanent facility and operations during its first five years.
The Ministry of Education also said an outlay of ₹11,828.79 crore was approved in May 2025 for expansion of academic and infrastructure capacity, including research parks, at five newer IITs: IIT Tirupati, IIT Palakkad, IIT Bhilai, IIT Jammu and IIT Dharwad.
On industry-linked education, the ministry said UGC has introduced guidelines for undergraduate internships and research internships, while guidelines for Apprenticeship Embedded Degree Programmes have also been formulated.
The National Credit Framework allows students to accumulate up to 50% of the total credits required through skill-based courses.
AICTE has also been revising its model curriculum to incorporate emerging areas including artificial intelligence, data science, machine learning, cybersecurity, robotics and quantum computing.
The Ministry of Education said its SWAYAM Plus platform, launched in collaboration with industry partners, offers more than 500 employability-focused courses across 15 sectors in partnership with 89 industries.
The information was provided by Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday.
