The Kerala Institutional Ranking Framework (KIRF) 2025 placed Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) at the top of the University category. Rajagiri College of Social Sciences led the Arts and Science colleges, while College of Engineering Thiruvananthapuram (CET) secured the top spot in the Engineering rankings. The results were announced by Higher Education Minister R. Bindu at a press conference in Thrissur on Monday.
CUSAT earned 87.346 points, followed by Mahatma Gandhi University with 82.288 points and Calicut University with 72.858 points. All 11 participating universities were deemed eligible for ranking this year. Kerala University, which was ranked fifth nationally in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) and second under KIRF last year, did not participate. The Minister suggested that this absence reflected a lack of initiative from the university’s Vice Chancellor in-charge, Mohanan Kunnummal.
The Arts and Science category had the highest participation, with 275 institutions. The top 100 colleges were individually ranked, while the remaining institutions were placed in rank bands 101-150 and 151-200. Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Ernakulam, topped the list with 65.152 points, followed by St. Teresa’s College, Ernakulam, and Vimala College, Thrissur.
In Engineering, 93 institutions took part, with 50 making it to the rankings. CET led with 67.884 points, followed by TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, and Rajagiri School of Engineering and Technology, Ernakulam.
In Management, Rajagiri Business School, Ernakulam, secured first place. Nirmala College of Pharmacy, Muvattupuzha, led in the Pharmacy category, while MIMS College of Nursing, Malappuram, topped Nursing. Farook Training College, Kozhikode, was first in Teacher Education, and the College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram, led the Agriculture and Allied sector.
KIRF 2025 saw 519 institutions participate, a 15% increase from the previous year. Public-sector institutions made up 51.3% of the total, including 109 government and 157 aided colleges, while 253 were self-financing. The Kerala State Higher Education Council also introduced an Innovation and Entrepreneurship parameter for the rankings this year. The final rankings were overseen by a committee chaired by former CSIR Senior Scientist Gangan Prathap.
This year, new awards were introduced to incentivize excellence. The top-ranked university will receive a Chief Minister’s Award with a cash prize of ₹5 lakh, while first-ranked institutions in other categories will be awarded ₹2 lakh Higher Education Minister’s Awards. These awards aim to promote research, academic quality, and innovation across Kerala’s higher education institutions.
