KU jumps several rungs in NIRF India Rankings to 24th in the country

Cusat continues its upward trend from 41 last year to 37 this time, while Calicut University drops a rung to 70th rank

Kerala University (KU) brought cheer to the State as it jumped 16 positions to be ranked 24th among universities in the country in the India Rankings 2023 under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) that were announced on Monday.

The 86-year-old university also wrested the honour of being the top-ranked university in the State from Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) which dropped one position to achieve a ranking of 31. Cochin University of Science and Technology (Cusat) continued its upward trend from 41 last year to 37 this time. Calicut University dropped a rung to the 70th rank.

Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) and the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (Kufos) were ranked 15th and 25th respectively in the category of agriculture and allied sectors.

As had been the case last year, Centrally-run institutions outshone engineering colleges that function under the State government. While the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Calicut was ranked 23rd in the category, the institution was also adjudged the eighth best for innovation.

The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Palakkad secured the 48th and 69th positions among engineering colleges respectively. The College of Engineering Trivandrum, regarded as a premier State-run institution, continued its gradual slide as it fell from the 110th rank to figure in the 151-200 rank band this year.

The number of arts and science colleges from the State in the top-100 bracket fell from 17 to 14. Nineteen institutions had made it to the coveted list in 2021.

Barring a few, most of those that figure among the top 100 ranked arts and science colleges have dropped several ranks when compared to the 2022 rankings. University College, Thiruvananthapuram, remained the best arts and science college in the State with a 26th rank (24 last year). Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (30), St. Teresa’s College (41), Mar Ivanios College (45) and Maharaja’s College (46) are the other institutions that made it to the top-50 group in the country.

While the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology occupied the 10th rank among medical institutions, the Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, entered the rankings in the 44th position. The Government Dental College, Thiruvananthapuram, was ranked 25th among dental colleges.

The Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Kozhikode, continued its run as the best business school in the State as it was ranked third in the country.