Analysis of NIRF India rankings 2025: A study of top agricultural institutions in India
Abstract
Educational Institutions are the main pillar of the nation that increase the development. According to the Economic Survey 2023-24 and current evaluations, the agriculture and allied sectors contribute around 18.2% to 18.3% to India's GDP (Gross Value Added) at present prices. Research institution and Agricultural universities perform important part in proceeding. Agricultural education is important in the growth of research, and technological innovation in India. These institutions provide an improving agricultural productivity. It also supporting rural development. These institutions addressing national challenges such as food security and sustainable agriculture. NIRF estimates higher education institutions constructed on the rules of including education, research, outreach, also perception. The present study examines the upper ten institutes ranked popular in NIRF India Positions 2025 under Agriculture Sector category. The study admits a descriptive and analytical research design. It is using secondary data collected from the official NIRF 2025 dataset. The study main variables measured institution name, city, state, rank, and score. The analysis also examines the availability of digital library services as well as institutions by converting selected digital services, like digital libraries, e-resources access, institutional repositories, remote access, and OPAC. Digital Service Score to allow comparative analysis besides graphical illustration. The findings specify that the IARI (Indian Agricultural Research Institute), New Delhi, secured the prime rank with the highest score. It is surveyed through ICAR, National Dairy Research Institute and Punjab Agricultural University. The results added expose that most top-ranked institutions are concentrated in Northern India. While southern and western regions are represented by institutions such as Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and the Central Institute of Fisheries Education. The comparative analysis of digital services shows that most institutions have well-established. Digital infrastructures, remote access services are comparatively less common. The paper has highpoints of the rising importance of digital library services and institutional performance evaluation. Strengthening agricultural education and research in India’s education.
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Introduction
Agricultural education innovation in India discovers a vital role in firming food safety and rural growth. Research institutes as well as Agricultural universities have expressively to scientific research. It also has technology transfer, and capacity building for sustainable agricultural practices (Food and Agriculture Organization [FAO], 2021; Kumar & Singh, 2020) [4] . The NIRF stayed introduced through the Ministry of Education, Government of India, recognizing an importance of quality assessment in higher education, in 2015. It will have to estimate besides rank advanced educational institutes all over the nation (Ministry of Education, 2025). The framework aims to promote transparency, accountability, and competitiveness. Among higher education institutions by providing a standardized ranking system (Agarwal, 2022) [1] .
Review of Literature
Agricultural universities and research institutions trainings specify higher education institutions specializing in agriculture contribute substantially. Research outputs, extension services, and the development of sustainable agricultural practices (Kumar & Singh, 2020) [4] . Agricultural universities emphasized that ranking systems have a dynamic role in benchmarking institutional performance and guiding policy decisions in higher education (Agarwal 2022) [1] . These institutions support agricultural innovation. They have rising improved crop varieties, innovative farming technologies, and extension services. It's help for farmers and rural communities (Sharma & Gupta, 2019). Agricultural universities research studies also highlight the role of advancing scientific research and agricultural innovation (Singh and Patel 2021) [8] . Institutional positions deliver valued visions interested in a comparative performance of universities across different parameters. These parameters enable a complete assessment of institutional performance. [8] .
Purposes of the Study
The current study aims towards examine a performance and distribution by leading agricultural institutions in India. It's totally built arranged by NIRF National Positions 2025 popular the Farming Sector category. Specific objectives of the study are as follows: 1. To identify the highest ten institutes ranked under NIRF India Rankings 2025 under Agriculture besides Allied Sector category. 2. To analyse the ranking scores and comparative performance of the selected institutions in order to understand their relative standing and academic excellence in agricultural education and research. 3. To examine the geographical distribution of leading agricultural institutions in India, highlighting the regional representation of top-ranked universities and research institutes. 4. To highlight the role of agricultural universities and research institutions in advancing agricultural education and research, particularly in terms of innovation, scientific research, and contribution to national agricultural development.
Methodology
This paper approves a graphic and systematic investigate project. The data were collected from the NIRF National Positions 2025 for the Farming Allied Sector category. Top ten ranked institutions were selected for analysis.
The collected data consist of the Institute ID, institution name, city, state, NIRF score, and rank. The data were organized and analysed using simple descriptive and statistical methods to examine institutional presentation and geographical circulation. Total Score = Sum of the five services (Maximum = 5). This format clearly shows which specific service contributes to the total score, making it suitable for research papers, thesis chapters, or comparative institutional analysis. The percentage analysis of digital library services shows that the majority of digital services are widely available across the selected agricultural institutions. Out of the five digital services analysed, four services: Digital Library, E-Resources Access, Institutional Repository, and OPAC are available in all 10 institutions, representing 100% availability. This indicates that agricultural university libraries have strongly adopted digital infrastructure to support academic and research activities. The institutional repository services are fully applied in all over institutions. These are allowing universities to store and distribute research outputs. Some of the outputs are thesis, dissertations, and scholarly publications. OPAC (Online Public Access Catalogue) is available in all institutions. OPAC is certifying well-organized search and retrieval tool of library materials. Remote access services are available in only 7 out of the 10 institutions. So, it is representing 70% availability. This shows that 3 institutions (30%) still lack off-campus access to digital resources. These distribution shows that 40 out of the total 50 possible digital service examples are fully implemented. Digital service implementation rate of 94%. 10 out of 10 institutions provide digital libraries, enabling users to access electronic collections and online resources. In the same way, eresources access is also available in 100% of the institutions.
Representing the general use of digital journals, databases, and e-books in agricultural research. The analysis of institutional digital infrastructure highlights the availability of key digital library services. The services are across the selected agricultural institutions. The data specify that all ten institutions provide Digital Library and Institutional Repository services. So, the resulting in 100% availability for these two digital components. Digital library services are providing by 10 out of 10 institutions (100%). The analysis of digital service availability across the selected agricultural institutions. These institutions indicate a high level of digital infrastructure implementation in university libraries. The five digital services analysed, four services: Digital Library, E-Resources Access, Institutional Repository, and OPAC are available in 100% of the institutions. Indicating full acceptance of these essential digital services. The analysis shows that Remote Access services are available in only 70% of the institutions, meaning 7 out of 10 institutions provide off-campus access to digital resources, while 3 institutions (30%) do not offer this facility.
Results and Discussion
Institutional Ranking Performance
Geographical Distribution of Institutions
Role of Agricultural Universities in
Conclusion
References
- Agarwal P. Indian higher education: envisioning the future. New Delhi: Sage Publications; 2022.
- Food and Agriculture Organization. The state of food and agriculture 2021: making agrifood systems more resilient. Rome: FAO; 2021.
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research. Agricultural education and research in India: annual report. New Delhi: ICAR; 2023.
- Kumar R, Singh A. Role of agricultural universities in strengthening agricultural innovation systems in India. J Agric Educ Ext. 2020;26(3):247-60. doi:10.1080/1389224X.2020.1740134.
- Ministry of Education. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF): India rankings 2025 [Internet].
- New Delhi: Government of India; 2025 [cited 2026 Jun 29]. Available from: https://www.nirfindia.org
- Ministry of Finance. Economic survey 2023-24 [Internet]. New Delhi: Government of India; 2024 [cited 2026 Jun 29]. Available from: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in
- National Institutional Ranking Framework. India rankings 2025: methodology document [Internet]. New Delhi: National Institutional Ranking Framework; 2025 [cited 2026 Jun 29]. Available from: https://www.nirfindia.org
- Singh S, Patel V. Agricultural education and research development in India: challenges and opportunities. Indian J Agric Sci. 2021;91(5):657-62.
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