The Ministry of Education are yet to release the NIRF Ranking 2026. The National Institutional Ranking Framework rankings are generally announced between August and September every year, but the 2026 edition has been delayed amid a closer examination of data submitted by higher education institutions.
According to a report by The Print, one major issue being examined during this year’s assessment is the presence of retracted research papers in institutional submissions. A large number of such papers have reportedly been flagged, prompting additional scrutiny of higher education institutions by authorities.
India has recorded 887 research paper retractions in 2025, according to the global research watchdog Retraction Watch. India has the second-highest number of retractions in the world. China stands at number 1 with 1701 retractions.
Why are retracted research papers important for NIRF?
In the NIRF assessment, research is a major component. Under the framework, institutions are evaluated across five broad parameters — Teaching, Learning & Resources; Research and Professional Practice; Graduation Outcomes; Outreach and Inclusivity; and Perception.
In the NIRF 2025 methodology, a negative-marking system based on the number of retracted publications was introduced for the Overall, Engineering, Universities and Research Institutions categories. This means that research papers subsequently withdrawn or retracted by journals can have a direct bearing on an institution’s ranking score.
What is being checked this year?
The autonomous body under the Ministry of Education, the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), which conducts the NIRF exercise, is examining the research data submitted by participating institutions.
The latest reports indicate that officials have identified retracted papers during the assessment and are looking more closely at the institutions concerned. The NBA is also reportedly considering whether repeat offenders could be debarred from future NIRF rankings.
Thus, additional verification of the data, the identification of retracted publications, and the recalculation of scores could explain the delay in releasing the rankings list.
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Like every year, this year too, the list will be released for 17 ranking categories, namely Overall, Universities, Colleges, Research Institutions, Engineering, Management, Pharmacy, Medical, Dental, Law, Architecture and Planning, Agriculture and Allied Sectors, Innovation, Open University, Skill University, State Public University, and SDG or Sustainability.
Parameters of rankings
The parameters on which the overall institutes are ranked are teaching, learning, and resources; research and professional practice; graduation outcomes; outreach and inclusivity; and perception. For each category, the parameter changes.
