NIRF Agriculture Ranking 2026: Release Date Awaited, Ranking Parameters and Top Agriculture Colleges to Watch
The NIRF Agriculture and Allied Sectors Ranking 2026 is still awaited as of September 16, with the Ministry of Education yet to announce an official India Rankings 2026 release date. The NIRF portal confirms that institutional data submission for the 2026 ranking cycle has already closed, but the latest publicly available Agriculture and Allied Sectors ranking remains the 2025 edition, led by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi.
Students comparing agriculture universities should therefore be careful with websites already presenting a definitive “NIRF Agriculture Ranking 2026” table. Until the Ministry of Education publishes India Rankings 2026, those lists are predictions, historical rankings or unofficial interpretations rather than the official 2026 result.
NIRF Agriculture Ranking 2026: Current Status
| Question | Status |
| Has NIRF Agriculture Ranking 2026 been released? | No, not as of September 16 |
| Official release date announced? | No |
| 2026 institutional data submission | Closed |
| Latest official Agriculture ranking available | 2025 |
| 2025 Rank 1 | Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi |
The official NIRF data-capturing system states that India Rankings 2026 data submission began January 6 and closed in March 2026.
When Will NIRF 2026 Be Released?
No confirmed date has been announced.
Recent reporting notes that NIRF rankings have historically appeared between roughly June and September, but the Ministry of Education had not announced the 2026 release date by mid-September.
Do Not Treat an Expected Date as Official
Some education portals have previously predicted May, August or September publication.
Those predictions should not be confused with a Ministry announcement.
What Is the NIRF Agriculture and Allied Sectors Category?
The category compares higher-education institutions involved in fields such as:
- Agriculture
- Veterinary sciences
- Dairy science
- Fisheries
- Horticulture
- Food technology
- Allied agricultural education and research
Agriculture Ranking Is Relatively New
Agriculture and Allied Sectors became a separate NIRF ranking category in recent editions, allowing specialised agricultural institutions to be compared more directly.
How Does NIRF Rank Agriculture Institutions?
The latest published Agriculture and Allied Sectors methodology uses five major groups:
| Parameter | Weight in Latest Published Methodology |
| Teaching, Learning and Resources (TLR) | 30% |
| Research and Professional Practice (RPC) | 30% |
| Graduation Outcomes (GO) | 20% |
| Outreach and Inclusivity (OI) | 10% |
| Perception | 10% |
The official 2025 Agriculture methodology uses these five parameter groups; candidates should check the final 2026 methodology when India Rankings 2026 is published in case any scoring details have been revised.
Teaching, Learning and Resources: 30%
TLR broadly examines the academic resources available to students.
Factors can include:
- Faculty strength
- Faculty qualifications
- Student-faculty environment
- Financial resources
- Academic facilities
Why TLR Matters for Agriculture
Agricultural education is highly practical.
Students may need access to:
- Laboratories
- Research farms
- Animal facilities
- Field stations
- Experimental plots
Research and Professional Practice: 30%
RPC is particularly important for research-intensive agricultural universities.
It looks broadly at areas such as:
- Publications
- Research quality
- Citations
- Projects
- Professional practice
Agricultural Research Has Direct National Importance
Research can affect:
- Crop productivity
- Seed development
- Climate resilience
- Animal health
- Food security
Graduation Outcomes: 20%
Graduation outcomes reflect what happens to students academically and professionally.
Metrics can involve:
- Graduation performance
- Placements
- Higher studies
- Doctoral output
Do Not Interpret GO Only as Corporate Placement
Agriculture graduates can move into:
- Government services
- Research
- Higher education
- Agribusiness
- Entrepreneurship
Outreach and Inclusivity: 10%
This parameter examines diversity and inclusion.
It can consider representation across:
- Regions
- Gender
- Social categories
- Economically disadvantaged groups
Perception: 10%
Perception captures how an institution is viewed by relevant academic and professional communities.
Perception Is Only Part of the Ranking
A famous institution does not receive its entire score from reputation.
Research, resources and outcomes carry far greater combined weight.
Top 10 Agriculture Institutions in NIRF 2025
| 2025 Rank | Institution | Score |
| 1 | Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi | 89.23 |
| 2 | ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal | 75.87 |
| 3 | Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana | 75.83 |
| 4 | Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi | 68.95 |
| 5 | Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly | 67.66 |
| 6 | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore | 67.06 |
| 7 | SKUAST Kashmir, Srinagar | 65.81 |
| 8 | Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai | 63.92 |
| 9 | G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar | 61.56 |
| 10 | Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar | 61.47 |
These are the latest official Agriculture and Allied Sectors top 10 available before the 2026 ranking release.
Indian Agricultural Research Institute Remains the Institution to Watch
IARI held the No. 1 position in the 2025 Agriculture ranking with a score of 89.23.
Its parameter scores included particularly strong research and perception performance.
Why IARI Is Different From a Typical Undergraduate University
IARI is heavily research-oriented and is closely associated with advanced agricultural science and postgraduate education.
Students comparing undergraduate B.Sc Agriculture options should therefore not automatically treat the overall ranking table as an undergraduate admission list.
National Dairy Research Institute Was No. 2
NDRI Karnal ranked second in 2025 with 75.87.
It is especially important for students interested in:
- Dairy science
- Animal production
- Dairy technology
- Research
Punjab Agricultural University Ranked No. 3
PAU Ludhiana scored 75.83, narrowly behind NDRI.
The university has a major historical role in agricultural research and extension in Punjab.
BHU Ranked Fourth
Banaras Hindu University scored 68.95 in the 2025 Agriculture category.
IVRI Ranked Fifth
Indian Veterinary Research Institute in Izatnagar/Bareilly ranked fifth with a score of 67.66.
Veterinary Institutions Can Appear in Agriculture Rankings
The category is called Agriculture and Allied Sectors, so it is broader than crop agriculture alone.
Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Ranked Sixth
TNAU's 2025 score was 67.06.
SKUAST Kashmir Ranked Seventh
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir scored 65.81.
CIFE Ranked Eighth
The Central Institute of Fisheries Education in Mumbai demonstrates that fisheries education and research also form part of the allied-sector category.
GBPUAT Ranked Ninth
G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar scored 61.56.
CCS Haryana Agricultural University Completed the Top 10
The Hisar institution scored 61.47 in the 2025 ranking.
Institutions Just Outside the 2025 Top 10
Other significant institutions included:
- University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore – Rank 11
- Kerala Agricultural University – Rank 12
- NIFTEM Thanjavur – Rank 13
- Dr Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University – Rank 14
- Amity University – Rank 15
The official NIRF 2025 table also includes institutions specialising in veterinary science, fisheries, horticulture and food technology.
What Could Change in NIRF Agriculture Ranking 2026?
Institutions can move because of changes in:
- Research output
- Faculty data
- Graduation outcomes
- Financial resources
- Inclusivity
- Perception
A Rank Change Does Not Necessarily Mean Quality Changed Overnight
Rank is relative.
An institution can improve its score but fall if competitors improve more.
Small Score Differences Can Move Several Ranks
For example, NDRI and Punjab Agricultural University were separated by only:
0.04 points
in the 2025 overall score.
NIRF Ranking Should Not Be the Only Admission Criterion
Students should also investigate:
- Course availability
- ICAR-related recognition where relevant
- Faculty
- Research farms
- Hostel
- Fees
- Location
- Admission exam
Different Institutions Specialise in Different Areas
A student interested in veterinary science should not automatically choose the same institution as someone targeting:
- Agronomy
- Horticulture
- Fisheries
- Dairy science
Popular Agriculture Courses
Programs across the sector can include:
- B.Sc Agriculture
- B.Sc Horticulture
- B.Tech Agricultural Engineering
- Dairy Technology
- Fisheries
- Veterinary programs
- M.Sc Agriculture
- PhD programs
Admission Routes Differ
Agriculture institutions can use different entrance and counselling systems.
Students may encounter:
- CUET UG
- State entrance examinations
- University-specific processes
- ICAR-linked counselling structures
Do Not Assume NIRF Rank Means Automatic Admission
Each institution has separate:
- Eligibility
- Entrance criteria
- Seat matrix
- Reservation rules
Agriculture Is Becoming More Technology-Driven
Modern agricultural education increasingly includes areas such as:
- Precision agriculture
- Drones
- Remote sensing
- Artificial intelligence
- Data analytics
- Climate-smart farming
Agribusiness Is Another Major Career Route
Graduates can work in:
- Food companies
- Seed companies
- Agri-input firms
- Supply-chain companies
- Banking
- Rural finance
Government Careers Remain Important
Agriculture graduates can also pursue:
- Agricultural officer positions
- Research careers
- Extension services
- Government recruitment
Research Facilities Matter for PG and PhD Students
Postgraduate applicants should look beyond ranking and examine:
- Faculty research areas
- Laboratories
- Research farms
- Funding
- Publications
How to Use NIRF Agriculture Ranking Properly
- Use NIRF to create an initial shortlist.
- Identify your preferred agricultural discipline.
- Check whether each institution offers that program.
- Compare fees and admission routes.
- Review research and placement information.
- Then make your final preference list.
What Students Should Watch for When NIRF 2026 Releases
Check:
- Top 10 changes
- IARI's position
- NDRI vs PAU
- TNAU movement
- New institutions entering the top 20
- Parameter scores
Parameter Scores Often Tell More Than the Rank
Suppose Institution A ranks higher overall but Institution B has much stronger research.
A PhD applicant may reasonably prefer Institution B depending on the research field.
Check the Detailed NIRF Scorecard
The official ranking table allows users to examine scores for:
- TLR
- RPC
- GO
- OI
- Perception
Official 2026 Data Submission Is Already Complete
The NIRF portal says India Rankings 2026 data submission began on January 6 and has now closed.
The Next Major Step Is Publication
Students are now waiting for the Ministry of Education to announce the release of India Rankings 2026.
Do Not Confuse Institutional “NIRF 2026 Data” Pages With the Final Ranking
Some universities already have webpages labelled “NIRF 2026.”
Those pages may contain their submitted institutional data.
They do not necessarily mean the official 2026 national ranking has been published.
Final Takeaway
NIRF Agriculture and Allied Sectors Ranking 2026 has not yet been officially released as of September 16, and the Ministry of Education has not announced a confirmed publication date.
The 2026 institutional data-submission process is complete, so the sector is now waiting for the final India Rankings announcement.
Until that happens, the latest official Agriculture ranking is NIRF 2025, where Indian Agricultural Research Institute ranked first with 89.23, followed by ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute with 75.87 and Punjab Agricultural University with 75.83.
The latest published Agriculture methodology gives 30% weight each to Teaching, Learning and Resources and Research and Professional Practice, 20% to Graduation Outcomes and 10% each to Outreach and Inclusivity and Perception.
Students should use the ranking as a comparison tool rather than a standalone college-selection system. Program specialisation, research facilities, fees, accreditation or recognition, admission route, location and career goals can matter just as much as a single national rank.
