NIRF rankings 2025: NDRI, PAU retain 2nd, 3rd spots
ICAR-NDRI and PAU ranked second and third in NIRF 2025's Agriculture category, maintaining their positions from last year, with NDRI excelling in dairy innovations.
Region’s premier agricultural institutes — ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI) in Karnal and Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) in Ludhiana — have bagged the second and third positions, respectively, in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025 under the Agriculture and Allied category.
The Union ministry of education announced the 10th edition of the rankings on Thursday. The first rank in the Agriculture and Allied category went to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, which scored 89.23 marks.
NDRI in Karnal, with a score of 75.87, retained its second position from the 2024 rankings.
Director and vice-chancellor Dheer Singh received the award from Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan in New Delhi on Thursday.
Highlighting the institute’s contributions, Singh said NDRI’s continuous research had significantly contributed to the growth of the dairy industry in India.
“Besides offering quality education and training in dairy and food technology, NDRI’s work has led to breakthroughs such as the world’s first buffalo cloning using the hand-guided technique, and development of over 80 technologies to improve dairy productivity and efficiency,” he said.
“The institute’s Model Dairy Plant processes over 60,000 litres of milk daily. Through advanced breeding, precise milk yield prediction and effective fertility management, NDRI has substantially increased milk production. Innovations in synbiotic products, lactose-free beverages and rapid contaminant detection have enhanced milk quality and safety,” the V-C added.
PAU also maintained its third position from last year, scoring 75.83, just marginally behind NDRI. Vice-chancellor Satbir Singh Gosal received the award at the Delhi ceremony.
In the overall category, the varsity slipped to the 81st spot, compared to 80th last year and 74th the year before. Among the Top 100 Universities list too, PAU slid to the 64th rank, down from 57th last year and 54th in 2023. But it recorded an improvement in the Top 50 State Public Universities category, climbing to 25th from last year’s 30th.
Among other educational institutes from the region, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, secured the 32nd rank in the overall category, followed by PGIMER, Chandigarh, in the 33rd place.
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala, ranked 44th; Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, came 49th; Indian Institute of Technology Ropar, 56th; Panjab University, Chandigarh, 57th; and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali, 70th.
National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali, was placed 9th in the pharmacy category, retaining its position from last year.
Christian Dental College (CDC), Ludhiana, was ranked 24th among 223 dental institutions, moving up from its 30th position last year.
