Top NIRF Ranked Online & Distance Education Universities
List In India (2025)
Looking for the best online and distance education universities in India? Choosing an NIRF-ranked university ensures high-quality education, better recognition, and strong career support. Here is the updated NIRF Ranked universities list 2025 year released by the by the Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India, based on teaching, placements, student satisfaction, and more.
| Institute ID | Name | City | State | Score | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IR-O-U-0220 | Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru | Bengaluru | Karnataka | 83.29 | 1 |
| IR-O-U-0109 | Jawaharlal Nehru University | New Delhi | Delhi | 69.8 | 2 |
| IR-O-U-0108 | Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | Delhi | 68.11 | 3 |
| IR-O-U-0234 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal | Manipal | Karnataka | 67.18 | 4 |
| IR-O-U-0500 | Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh | 66.05 | 5 |
| IR-O-U-0120 | University of Delhi | Delhi | Delhi | 65.9 | 6 |
| IR-O-U-0436 | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu | 65.73 | 7 |
| IR-O-U-0496 | Aligarh Muslim University | Aligarh | Uttar Pradesh | 65.57 | 8 |
| IR-O-U-0575 | Jadavpur University | Kolkata | West Bengal | 65.39 | 9 |
| IR-O-U-0490 | Vellore Institute of Technology | Vellore | Tamil Nadu | 64.79 | 10 |
| IR-O-I-1441 | Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 64.62 | 11 |
| IR-O-U-0473 | S.R.M. Institute of Science and Technology | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 64.56 | 12 |
| IR-O-U-0439 | Anna University | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 63.85 | 13 |
| IR-O-U-0363 | Siksha `O` Anusandhan | Bhubaneswar | Odisha | 62.61 | 14 |
| IR-O-U-0356 | Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology | Bhubaneswar | Odisha | 62.53 | 15 |
| IR-O-U-0304 | Homi Bhabha National Institute | Mumbai | Maharashtra | 62.31 | 16 |
| IR-O-U-0042 | University of Hyderabad | Hyderabad | Telangana | 62.18 | 17 |
| IR-O-U-0570 | Calcutta University | Kolkata | West Bengal | 61.1 | 18 |
| IR-O-U-0391 | Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani | Pilani | Rajasthan | 60.03 | 19 |
| IR-O-U-0747 | Chandigarh University | Mohali | Punjab | 59.96 | 20 |
| IR-O-U-0260 | Kerala University | Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala | 58.48 | 21 |
| IR-O-U-0020 | Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation University (K L College of Engineering) | Vaddeswaram | Andhra Pradesh | 57.98 | 22 |
| IR-O-U-0323 | Savitribai Phule Pune University | Pune | Maharashtra | 57.96 | 23 |
| IR-O-U-0222 | JSS Academy of Higher Education and Research | Mysuru | Karnataka | 57.74 | 24 |
| IR-O-U-0006 | Andhra University | Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh | 57.67 | 25 |
| IR-O-U-0447 | Bharathiar University | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu | 57.26 | 26 |
| IR-O-U-0379 | Lovely Professional University | Phagwara | Punjab | 56.92 | 27 |
| IR-O-U-0476 | Shanmugha Arts Science Technology and Research Academy | Thanjavur | Tamil Nadu | 56.81 | 28 |
| IR-O-I-1480 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (Deemed-to-be-university) | Patiala | Punjab | 56.72 | 29 |
| IR-O-U-0458 | Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education | Srivilliputhur | Tamil Nadu | 56.71 | 30 |
| IR-O-U-0329 | Symbiosis International | Pune | Maharashtra | 56.41 | 31 |
| IR-O-U-0497 | Amity University | Gautam Budh Nagar | Uttar Pradesh | 56.14 | 32 |
| IR-O-U-0498 | Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University | Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 56.03 | 33 |
| IR-O-U-0253 | Cochin University of Science and Technology | Cochin | Kerala | 55.95 | 34 |
| IR-O-U-0308 | Institute of Chemical Technology | Mumbai | Maharashtra | 55.67 | 35 |
| IR-O-U-0448 | Bharathidasan University | Tiruchirappalli | Tamil Nadu | 55.6 | 36 |
| IR-O-U-0262 | Mahatma Gandhi University | Kottayam | Kerala | 55.18 | 37 |
| IR-O-U-0078 | Panjab University | Chandigarh | Chandigarh | 55.11 | 38 |
| IR-O-I-1357 | University of Madras | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 55.03 | 39 |
| IR-O-U-0052 | Gauhati University | Guwahati | Assam | 54.86 | 40 |
| IR-O-U-0107 | Jamia Hamdard | New Delhi | Delhi | 54.86 | 40 |
| IR-O-U-0295 | Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research | Wardha | Maharashtra | 54.71 | 42 |
| IR-O-U-0027 | Osmania University | Hyderabad | Telangana | 54.69 | 43 |
| IR-O-I-1110 | Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth | Pune | Maharashtra | 54.59 | 44 |
| IR-O-U-0196 | University of Kashmir | Srinagar | Jammu and Kashmir | 54.43 | 45 |
| IR-O-U-0564 | UPES | Dehradun | Uttarakhand | 54.02 | 46 |
| IR-O-U-0435 | Alagappa University | Karaikudi | Tamil Nadu | 53.84 | 47 |
| IR-O-U-0098 | Delhi Technological University | New Delhi | Delhi | 53.31 | 48 |
| IR-O-N-10 | SVKM`s Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies | Mumbai | Maharashtra | 52.43 | 49 |
| IR-O-U-0195 | University of Jammu | Jammu | Jammu and Kashmir | 52.33 | 50 |
| IR-O-U-0474 | Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 52.16 | 51 |
| IR-O-U-0555 | Graphic Era University | Dehradun | Uttarakhand | 52.01 | 52 |
| IR-O-U-0523 | King George`s Medical University | Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 51.1 | 53 |
| IR-O-U-0235 | Mysore University | Mysuru | Karnataka | 51.04 | 54 |
| IR-O-I-1486 | Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 50.86 | 55 |
| IR-O-U-0470 | Periyar University | Salem | Tamil Nadu | 50.36 | 56 |
| IR-O-U-0381 | Punjab Agricultural University | Ludhiana | Punjab | 50.32 | 57 |
| IR-O-U-0331 | Tata Institute of Social Sciences | Mumbai | Maharashtra | 50.2 | 58 |
| IR-O-U-0003 | Acharya Nagarjuna University | Guntur | Andhra Pradesh | 50.06 | 59 |
| IR-O-U-0217 | Christ University | Bengaluru | Karnataka | 49.87 | 60 |
| IR-O-U-0318 | Mumbai University | Mumbai | Maharashtra | 49.86 | 61 |
| IR-O-U-0642 | Shiv Nadar University | Gautam Buddha Nagar | Uttar Pradesh | 49.8 | 62 |
| IR-O-U-0463 | Madurai Kamaraj University | Madurai | Tamil Nadu | 49.72 | 63 |
| IR-O-U-0749 | Manipal University, Jaipur | Jaipur | Rajasthan | 49.5 | 64 |
| IR-O-U-0223 | Jain University, Bangalore | Bengaluru | Karnataka | 49.47 | 65 |
| IR-O-U-0239 | NITTE | Mangaluru | Karnataka | 49.45 | 66 |
| IR-O-U-0389 | Banasthali Vidyapith | Banasthali | Rajasthan | 49.38 | 67 |
| IR-O-U-0370 | Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth Mahatma Gandhi Medical College | Puducherry | Pondicherry | 49.14 | 68 |
| IR-O-U-0056 | Tezpur University | Tezpur | Assam | 49.01 | 69 |
| IR-O-U-0190 | Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences | Solan | Himachal Pradesh | 48.82 | 70 |
| IR-O-U-0168 | Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University) | Ambala | Haryana | 48.67 | 71 |
| IR-O-U-0043 | Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology and Research | Guntur | Andhra Pradesh | 48.45 | 72 |
| IR-O-U-0446 | Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 48.36 | 73 |
| IR-O-U-0014 | International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad | Hyderabad | Telangana | 48.32 | 74 |
| IR-O-U-0249 | Visvesvaraya Technological University | Belgaum | Karnataka | 48.1 | 75 |
| IR-O-U-0136 | Gujarat University | Ahmedabad | Gujarat | 48.04 | 76 |
| IR-O-U-0345 | Mizoram University | Aizawl | Mizoram | 48.03 | 77 |
| IR-O-I-1361 | Bharati Vidyapeeth | Pune | Maharashtra | 47.94 | 78 |
| IR-O-U-0451 | Chettinad Academy of Research and Education | Kelambakkam, Chengalpattu District | Tamil Nadu | 47.8 | 79 |
| IR-O-U-0099 | Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University | New Delhi | Delhi | 47.66 | 80 |
| IR-O-U-0215 | Bangalore University | Bengaluru | Karnataka | 47.45 | 81 |
| IR-O-U-0202 | Birla Institute of Technology | Ranchi | Jharkhand | 47.31 | 82 |
| IR-O-U-0372 | Central University of Punjab | Bathinda | Punjab | 47.11 | 83 |
| IR-O-U-0485 | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu | 47.03 | 84 |
| IR-O-U-0384 | Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology | Longowal | Punjab | 46.9 | 85 |
| IR-O-U-0541 | Sharda University | Greater Noida | Uttar Pradesh | 46.88 | 86 |
| IR-O-U-0037 | Sri Venkateswara University | Tirupati | Andhra Pradesh | 46.65 | 87 |
| IR-O-U-0554 | G.B. Pant Universtiy of Agriculture and Technology | Pantnagar | Uttarakhand | 46.64 | 88 |
| IR-O-U-0251 | Calicut University | Malappuram | Kerala | 46.63 | 89 |
| IR-O-U-0248 | University of Agricultural Sciences | Bengaluru | Karnataka | 46.47 | 90 |
| IR-O-U-0373 | Chitkara University | Rajpura | Punjab | 46.47 | 90 |
| IR-O-U-0169 | Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies | Faridabad | Haryana | 46.46 | 92 |
| IR-O-U-0464 | Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli | Tirunelveli | Tamil Nadu | 46.34 | 93 |
| IR-O-U-0739 | Madan Mohan Malaviya University of Technology | Gorakhpur | Uttar Pradesh | 46.33 | 94 |
| IR-O-U-0250 | Yenepoya University | Mangaluru | Karnataka | 46.31 | 95 |
| IR-O-U-0489 | Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R & D Institute of Science and Technology | Chennai | Tamil Nadu | 46.22 | 96 |
| IR-O-U-0524 | University of Lucknow | Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh | 45.89 | 97 |
| IR-O-U-0444 | Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu | 45.78 | 98 |
| IR-O-U-0449 | Central University of Tamil Nadu | Tiruvarur | Tamil Nadu | 45.73 | 99 |
| IR-O-C-6379 | Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT) | Delhi | Delhi | 45.51 | 100 |
🏛️What is NIRF Ranking?
NIRF stands for National Institutional Ranking Framework. It is a government-backed ranking system that evaluates and ranks higher education institutions in India across various parameters. The NIRF Ranking is a ranking system that evaluates and ranks higher educational institutions in India across various categories such as:
NIRF ranks institutions in multiple categories, such as:
- Overall
- Universities
- Engineering
- Management
- Pharmacy
- Medical
- Law
- Architecture & Planning
- Dental
- Colleges
- Innovation (added in recent years)
When was NIRF Established?
- Year of Establishment: 29th September 2015
- Launched by: Ministry of Education (formerly Ministry of Human Resource Development, MHRD), Government of India
- First Rankings Released: April 2016
Who Established NIRF and Why?
- Established By: The Ministry of Education (MoE) (formerly MHRD) initiated the NIRF with expert input from a core committee comprising academicians and stakeholders from various sectors of higher education in India.
- Chaired By: Prof. Surendra Prasad, Former Director of IIT Delhi, led the committee that developed the framework.
Purpose of NIRF Ranking
- Standardized National Framework: To provide a transparent, trustworthy, and objective ranking system for Indian universities and colleges.
- Empower Students and Parents: To help them make informed decisions when choosing institutions for higher education.
- Institutional Development: To encourage universities to improve in teaching, research, and outreach.
- Government Monitoring & Policy: A tool for policy formulation, funding decisions, and institutional audits.
What Does NIRF Evaluate?
The NIRF uses quantitative and qualitative metrics to assess institutions in the following five major parameters:
| Parameter | Description | Weightage |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR) | Faculty quality, student-teacher ratio, infrastructure, academic resources | 30% |
| 2. Research and Professional Practices (RP) | Publications, patents, research funding | 30% |
| 3. Graduation Outcomes (GO) | Placement, higher studies, graduation rate | 20% |
| 4. Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) | Diversity (gender, regional), social inclusivity, support for disadvantaged | 10% |
| 5. Perception (PR) | Stakeholders’ opinions – academia, employers, public | 10% |
Who Uses NIRF Rankings?
1. Students and Parents
Use: For making informed admission decisions.
How it helps:
- NIRF acts as a trustworthy reference guide for students looking to pursue higher Online ,regular and distance education in India.
- It highlights the top-performing online and distance education universities and colleges across different streams (engineering, management, medical, law, etc.).
- Parents and students can compare institutions based on real data such as placement performance, faculty quality, infrastructure, diversity, and research strength.
- It helps filter out low-performing or unrecognized institutions, reducing the risk of enrolling in poor-quality colleges.
Example: A student choosing between two MBA colleges can use the NIRF Management Rankings to see which one performs better in terms of faculty, placements, and ROI.
2. Online Distance Universities and Colleges
Use: For benchmarking, performance evaluation, and internal development.
How it helps:
- Institutions use NIRF rankings to measure their performance against other institutions at the national level.
- Helps in identifying areas of improvement, such as research output, student-faculty ratio, or inclusivity metrics.
- NIRF rankings act as a motivational and accountability tool, encouraging institutions to enhance teaching standards, infrastructure, research quality, and graduate outcomes.
- High ranks improve their brand reputation, attract better faculty, collaborations, and students, and even influence alumni donations.
3. Employers and Recruiters
Use: To assess institutional credibility and hire quality talent.
✅ How it helps:
- Companies and recruiters refer to NIRF rankings to identify the top institutions for campus placements and hiring.
- Institutions ranked highly in research output and graduation outcomes are perceived as producers of skilled, employable graduates.
- Employers can use NIRF to target talent acquisition from institutes known for producing high performers.
- Especially relevant for engineering, MBA, law, and pharmacy sectors, where institutional pedigree impacts hiring decisions.
Why Choose a NIRF-Ranked Distance University?
✅ Higher credibility in job markets
✅ Better teaching methods & study material
✅ Strong student support services
✅ Better industry tie-ups & placement support
Noteworthy Facts:
NIRF is mandatory for all government institutions (e.g., IITs, IIMs, NITs, Central Universities). Over 9,000+ institutions participated in NIRF Rankings 2024. NIRF has gained global recognition and is now being used as a quality assurance reference internationally.