NIRF 2026 SDG Ranking Expected Soon: Check Top Institutes for Sustainable Development

Quick Answer: NIRF 2026 Sustainable Development Goals ranking is awaited as of September 23. Institutions have already submitted data for the 2026 Sustainable Institutions category, but the Ministry of Education has not yet published the final 2026 ranking. Until then, NIRF 2025 remains the latest official SDG ranking, led by IIT Madras, Indian Agricultural Research Institute and Jamia Millia Islamia.

NIRF 2026 SDG Ranking: Latest Status

What's Next?

The next major update will be publication of the official India Rankings 2026 results by the Ministry of Education.

Once the ranking is released, students and institutions should check:

• NIRF 2026 SDG Rank 1 institute
• Complete top 10 Sustainable Institutions list
• Institutions entering or leaving the top 10
• IIT Madras 2026 SDG position
• IARI 2026 position
• Jamia Millia Islamia 2026 position
• Newly ranked universities and institutes
• Changes in methodology or indicators
• Any expanded rank bands

Until the Ministry publishes those results, institutions displaying a "NIRF 2026 SDG" PDF on their websites should not automatically be described as NIRF 2026 ranked institutions. In many cases, those PDFs are the institutional data submitted for consideration in India Rankings 2026.

Is NIRF 2026 SDG Ranking Released?

No, the final ranking is still awaited as of September 23, 2026.

The NIRF Data Capturing System confirms that India Rankings 2026 data submission began in January 2026 and that submission for the Sustainable Institution category closed on March 23, 2026.

Several institutions have consequently published documents titled along the lines of "NIRF 2026 SDG Institution" or "NIRF Data 2026."

These documents demonstrate participation and submitted institutional information. They do not, by themselves, establish a final 2026 rank.

NIRF 2025 SDG Ranking: Official Top 10

Until the 2026 results are published, the following remains the latest official top 10 Sustainable Development Goals ranking:

IIT Madras Leads India's First NIRF SDG Ranking

Indian Institute of Technology Madras secured the No. 1 position when NIRF introduced the Sustainable Development Goals category in 2025.

This gave IIT Madras a notable distinction: it was not only highly placed across traditional NIRF categories but also became the first institution to occupy the top position in the dedicated SDG ranking.

The sustainability category expands the idea of institutional performance beyond conventional measures such as teaching, research output and placements.

It asks a broader question:

How is a higher-education institution contributing to sustainable development?

Indian Agricultural Research Institute Ranked No. 2

Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, secured the second position in the inaugural NIRF SDG ranking.

IARI's presence near the top is especially relevant because agriculture intersects with several sustainability challenges, including:

• Food security
• Crop productivity
• Water use
• Soil health
• Climate-resilient agriculture
• Sustainable farming systems

The result also demonstrates that the SDG ranking is not simply another engineering or university ranking.

Jamia Millia Islamia Ranked No. 3

Jamia Millia Islamia secured Rank 3 in the official 2025 SDG Institutions ranking.

This placed JMI ahead of several major IITs and other universities in this specific category.

That does not mean JMI ranked ahead of those institutions across every NIRF category.

It means JMI occupied the third position under the dedicated Sustainable Development Goals framework.

SRM Institute of Science and Technology at Rank 4

S.R.M. Institute of Science and Technology in Chennai ranked fourth.

Its position also shows that the top SDG list was not restricted to centrally funded public institutions.

Private and deemed-to-be university institutions can also compete within the sustainability framework when they satisfy the applicable NIRF participation and assessment requirements.

Manipal Academy of Higher Education at Rank 5

Manipal Academy of Higher Education-Manipal secured the fifth position.

Its presence in the top five further diversified the inaugural ranking across different types of higher-education institutions.

IIT Roorkee Ranked No. 6

IIT Roorkee secured sixth place.

The institution has academic and research activity in areas relevant to sustainable development, including engineering, water resources, infrastructure, environmental research and disaster-related disciplines.

However, students should distinguish such institutional strengths from the official ranking itself: the official fact is its No. 6 position in NIRF 2025 SDG Institutions.

JNU Ranked No. 7

Jawaharlal Nehru University ranked seventh.

JNU's inclusion also highlights the breadth of sustainability.

Sustainable development is not limited to renewable-energy engineering or green buildings. It also intersects with:

• Social development
• Environmental studies
• Economics
• Public policy
• Health
• Equity
• Governance

IIT Delhi Ranked No. 8

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi occupied the eighth position in the inaugural ranking.

The result should be interpreted separately from IIT Delhi's positions in Engineering, Overall, Innovation and other NIRF categories.

An institution can hold different ranks because each category is measuring a different aspect of institutional performance.

NIT Rourkela Ranked No. 9

National Institute of Technology Rourkela secured Rank 9.

It was the only NIT in the official 2025 SDG top 10.

Other NITs participated in the sustainability ranking, but participation should not be confused with securing an individually published top-10 position.

BHU Completes the Top 10

Banaras Hindu University ranked tenth.

BHU's inclusion means the inaugural top 10 covered institutions from multiple regions and institutional types, including IITs, a major agricultural institution, central universities, an NIT and private/deemed universities.

NIRF 2025 SDG Top 10 by State

Delhi Has the Largest Representation in the Top 10

Four of the 10 institutions in the inaugural list are located in Delhi:

• Indian Agricultural Research Institute
• Jamia Millia Islamia
• Jawaharlal Nehru University
• IIT Delhi

That represents:

4 ÷ 10 × 100 = 40%

So Delhi accounted for 40% of the individually ranked top 10 institutions in NIRF's first SDG category.

Tamil Nadu Has Two Institutions in the Top 10

Tamil Nadu contributed:

• IIT Madras — Rank 1
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology — Rank 4

That means 20% of the top 10 institutions were located in Tamil Nadu.

What Is the NIRF Sustainable Development Goals Ranking?

The Sustainable Development Goals category is designed to recognise how higher-education institutions contribute to sustainable development.

The category was introduced into the NIRF ranking system in 2025.

Its inclusion reflects the growing importance of evaluating universities and institutes not only by academic output but also by their environmental and social impact.

What Are Sustainable Development Goals?

The Sustainable Development Goals, commonly called SDGs, are a global framework covering interconnected development priorities.

In higher education, sustainability can involve issues such as:

• Quality education
• Clean water
• Clean energy
• Climate action
• Health and wellbeing
• Gender equality
• Responsible consumption
• Sustainable infrastructure
• Social inclusion
• Community development

A sustainable institution therefore involves much more than planting trees on campus.

What Does NIRF Look for in a Sustainable Institution?

The NIRF Sustainable Institutions data framework collects information across multiple institutional dimensions.

The submitted data can cover areas connected with:

• Student composition
• Financial support
• Social inclusion
• Health and wellbeing
• Sustainable infrastructure
• Energy
• Water management
• Waste management
• Environmental practices
• Research and innovation
• Community impact

This broader approach is why a sustainability ranking should not be interpreted as simply a list of campuses with the most greenery.

Green Campus vs Sustainable Institution

Why Was the SDG Category Added to NIRF?

Traditional higher-education rankings tend to focus heavily on teaching, research, reputation and student outcomes.

The introduction of the sustainability category broadens the framework by recognising the role institutions can play in addressing environmental and social challenges.

Universities and colleges are large communities themselves.

They consume:

• Electricity
• Water
• Land
• Food
• Transport resources
• Construction materials

They also produce research, train future professionals and interact with communities.

Their sustainability impact can therefore extend well beyond campus boundaries.

Why Sustainability Matters for Students

Students may initially see sustainability rankings as less important than placements or academic reputation.

However, sustainable institutional practices can affect everyday campus life.

Examples include:

• Water availability
• Waste handling
• Campus air quality
• Energy systems
• Public transport access
• Green spaces
• Accessibility
• Student wellbeing
• Community engagement

For students interested in environmental science, climate technology, agriculture, energy, public policy or sustainability careers, an institution's SDG activities can be particularly relevant.

Does NIRF SDG Rank Measure Placements?

The SDG ranking should not be used as a replacement for placement data.

A high sustainability rank does not automatically mean an institution offers the highest salary packages.

Similarly, a college with excellent placements may not necessarily occupy a leading position in the sustainability category.

Students should match the ranking category to the question they are trying to answer.

NIRF SDG Ranking vs Overall Ranking

NIRF SDG Ranking vs Engineering Ranking

An IIT can have different positions in Engineering and SDG categories because the categories measure different things.

For example, IIT Delhi was among India's leading engineering institutions in NIRF 2025 but ranked eighth in the SDG Institutions category.

There is no contradiction.

Engineering rank measures performance under the Engineering methodology, while the sustainability category assesses a different institutional dimension.

Why IIT Bombay Is Not in the 2025 SDG Top 10

IIT Bombay participated in the NIRF 2025 Sustainable Development Goals category but did not appear among the individually ranked top 10.

It was included in the official 11-50 rank band.

This distinction is important because participation and top-10 ranking are different things.

Which Institutions Were in the 11-50 SDG Rank Band?

NIRF also published an 11-50 rank band containing institutions including:

• AIIMS Bhopal
• Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
• Anna University
• Bangalore University
• IIT Bombay
• IIT Gandhinagar
• IIT Indore
• MNIT Jaipur
• Manipal University Jaipur
• NIT Karnataka Surathkal
• NIT Silchar
• NIT Tiruchirappalli
• Panjab University
• University of Hyderabad
• Vellore Institute of Technology
• UPES

These examples are not an ordered ranking within the 11-50 band.

Can We Assign Exact Ranks to Institutions in the 11-50 Band?

No.

This is an important data-quality rule.

If NIRF places an institution in the 11-50 band, it should be reported as:

NIRF SDG Rank Band: 11-50.

It should not be converted into an invented rank such as 17, 26 or 41.

NIRF 2026 Institutional Data Is Already Available

Although the final ranking is awaited, many institutions have already published the data they submitted for NIRF 2026.

Examples include IITs, NITs, central universities, state universities and other participating institutions.

This confirms that the 2026 Sustainable Institutions exercise is underway.

It does not reveal the final order.

Example: IIT Kanpur NIRF 2026 SDG Data

IIT Kanpur has published its submitted Sustainable Institutions data for NIRF 2026.

The document contains institutional information covering areas such as student strength, student background and financial support.

But a submitted NIRF 2026 data PDF is not evidence that IIT Kanpur has received a particular 2026 SDG rank.

Why Students May See "NIRF 2026 SDG" on University Websites

This is likely to create substantial confusion in search results.

A university page may say:

NIRF 2026 — SDG Institution

That can mean the institution has published the data submitted to NIRF for the 2026 ranking exercise.

It does not necessarily mean the 2026 ranking has been declared.

Students should check whether a page says:

• Submitted data
• Data Capturing System
• NIRF data sheet
• India Rankings result
• Rank

Submitted Data vs Published Ranking

How to Check NIRF 2026 SDG Ranking When Released

1. Open the official NIRF India Rankings website.
2. Select India Rankings 2026.
3. Find the Sustainable Development Goals or Sustainable Institutions category.
4. Open the ranking table.
5. Check the institution name.
6. Verify its city and state.
7. Check whether it has an exact rank or rank band.
8. Compare the result with NIRF 2025.

Will IIT Madras Remain No. 1 in 2026?

The 2026 ranking has not yet been published, so IIT Madras should not be described as the confirmed 2026 winner.

What is confirmed is:

IIT Madras ranked No. 1 in NIRF 2025 SDG Institutions.

Whether it retains that position will only be known when the Ministry of Education publishes the 2026 result.

Could the NIRF 2026 Top 10 Change?

Yes.

The order can change because institutions submit updated data for each ranking exercise and are assessed under the applicable framework.

Possible changes include:

• Existing top-10 institutions changing positions
• Institutions from the 11-50 band entering the top 10
• New participants appearing
• Previously ranked institutions moving into a band

None of these movements should be predicted as fact before the official ranking is released.

Can NIRF SDG Ranking Help Students Choose a College?

Yes, particularly when sustainability matters to the student's academic or personal priorities.

But it should be combined with:

• Course quality
• Accreditation
• Faculty
• Research opportunities
• Fees
• Scholarships
• Placements
• Location
• Hostel facilities
• Admission requirements

No single NIRF category answers every college-selection question.

Who Should Pay Special Attention to the SDG Ranking?

The ranking can be particularly useful for students considering areas such as:

• Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Sustainability Management
• Renewable Energy
• Agricultural Sciences
• Climate Science
• Water Resources
• Urban Planning
• Public Policy
• Development Studies

Can a Low SDG Rank Mean a University Is Academically Weak?

No.

The sustainability category measures a specific institutional dimension.

A university could perform strongly in Engineering, Medicine, Management, Research or another category while having a different position in Sustainable Institutions.

Rankings should always be interpreted within their category.

Why the 2026 Ranking Will Be Especially Important

NIRF 2025 was the first edition of the dedicated SDG category.

The next edition will provide the first opportunity to compare movement over time.

For the first time, students will be able to ask questions such as:

• Which SDG institutions improved?
• Which institutions retained their positions?
• Which institutions entered the top 10?
• Which institutions moved into or out of rank bands?

That will make the 2026 result more useful for trend analysis than the inaugural list alone.

NIRF 2026 SDG Ranking: What Not to Report Before Release

Until the official result appears, students and publishers should avoid claims such as:

• "IIT Madras ranks No. 1 in NIRF 2026 SDG"
• "IIT Delhi is No. 8 in NIRF 2026 SDG"
• "BHU is No. 10 in NIRF 2026"

Those are 2025 positions unless and until the 2026 results reproduce them.

A more accurate statement is:

"IIT Madras topped the latest available NIRF 2025 SDG ranking; NIRF 2026 results are awaited."

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is NIRF 2026 SDG Ranking released?

No. As of September 23, 2026, the final NIRF 2026 Sustainable Development Goals/Sustainable Institutions ranking is awaited.

2. Has NIRF 2026 SDG data submission finished?

Yes. The NIRF Data Capturing System states that Sustainable Institution data submission closed on March 23, 2026.

3. Which is the latest official NIRF SDG ranking?

NIRF 2025 is the latest officially published SDG Institutions ranking currently available.

4. Which institute ranked No. 1 in NIRF 2025 SDG?

IIT Madras ranked No. 1 in the inaugural NIRF Sustainable Development Goals category.

5. Which institute ranked second?

Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, ranked No. 2.

6. What was Jamia Millia Islamia's SDG rank?

Jamia Millia Islamia ranked No. 3 in NIRF 2025 SDG Institutions.

7. Which NIT was in the 2025 SDG top 10?

NIT Rourkela ranked No. 9 and was the NIT appearing in the individually ranked top 10.

8. What was BHU's SDG rank?

Banaras Hindu University ranked No. 10 in the 2025 SDG Institutions ranking.

9. Is IIT Bombay ranked in the SDG category?

IIT Bombay was listed in the NIRF 2025 SDG 11-50 rank band rather than the individually ranked top 10.

10. Is NIRF SDG ranking the same as Overall ranking?

No. Sustainable Institutions and Overall are separate categories evaluating institutions through different frameworks.

11. Does a NIRF 2026 SDG PDF on a university website mean its 2026 rank is out?

Not necessarily. Many institutions publish the data they submitted for India Rankings 2026 before final rankings are announced. Submitted data should not be confused with an official rank.

12. Where should students check the final NIRF 2026 SDG ranking?

Students should verify the result through the official National Institutional Ranking Framework website when India Rankings 2026 are formally published.

Final Update

The NIRF 2026 Sustainable Development Goals ranking remains awaited as of September 23.

Institutions have completed the 2026 Sustainable Institution data-submission process, and many universities and institutes have already published their submitted NIRF 2026 data. Those documents confirm participation but should not be mistaken for final rankings.

Until the new results are released, the official benchmark remains NIRF 2025.

IIT Madras leads that list at No. 1, followed by Indian Agricultural Research Institute at No. 2 and Jamia Millia Islamia at No. 3. SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, IIT Roorkee, JNU, IIT Delhi, NIT Rourkela and BHU complete the official top 10.

The 2026 edition will be particularly important because it will create the first year-over-year comparison for India's dedicated NIRF sustainability category.

Once the Ministry of Education publishes the results, students should compare the new list against 2025 rather than assuming that last year's positions have automatically continued.