Himachal Pradesh witnessed a mixed outcome in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, released by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday.
IIT Mandi stood out with a significant improvement, climbing to 58th place in the Overall category with 54.52 points, highlighting its growing academic and research profile. Meanwhile, Shoolini University, Solan, continued its consistent performance, maintaining its position among India’s leading private universities.
However, most other institutions in the state failed to make an impact. Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla, Sardar Patel University, Mandi, and the state’s medical and dental colleges did not appear in any of the ranking categories.
The NIRF 2025 evaluated over 14,000 institutions across 17 categories, including Engineering, Medical, Research, Innovation, and SDG-related metrics. Despite IIT Mandi’s progress and Shoolini’s stability, the state was notably absent from top-performing lists in public universities, colleges, research, and innovation sectors.
In contrast, regional peers like the University of Kashmir and Panjab University secured strong positions, reflecting the competitive nature of higher education in North India.
Experts have stressed the need for urgent academic reforms, enhanced research focus, and infrastructure development in Himachal’s public universities to boost national competitiveness.
