National Institute of Technology Rourkela
(NIT Rourkela)Last Updated: Jun 10, 2026
Established
1961
Campus Size
640.00 Acres
Total Students
6,500
Faculty
310
Student-Faculty
21:1
NIT Rourkela's Recognition in National and International Engineering Rankings
NIT Rourkela Rankings & Accreditations
NIT Rourkela (NITR) stands out as the #1 NIT in Research by NIRF ranking and the only NIT in the top 200 of THE Asia University Rankings. Ranked #13 in Engineering by NIRF 2025 (a significant jump from #19 in 2024), NIT Rourkela has the strongest research profile among all NITs with NIRF Research rank #30. It is also ranked #7 in Architecture & Planning.
Rankings Summary - Year-wise
| Ranking Body | 2025 | 2024 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIRF Engineering | #13 | #19 | #15 |
| NIRF Overall | #34 | #34 | #39 |
| NIRF Research | #30 | #30 | #29 |
| NIRF Architecture | #7 | #9 | - |
| QS Asia | 317 (2025) | ~396 (2026) | - |
| THE World | 601-800 (2024) | 601-800 | - |
| THE Asia | #191 (2025) | - | - |
Accreditations & Recognition
- NAAC: Grade A (CGPA 3.12 on 4-point scale, 2nd Cycle - December 2016). Re-accreditation may have been conducted since; latest available confirmed data is from 2016.
- NBA: B.Tech programmes are NBA-accredited. Specific programme-wise validity details are maintained at the official NITR NBA page.
- Institute of National Importance: Designated under the NIT Act 2007.
Peer Comparison - Top 5 NITs
| Metric | NIT Trichy | NITK Surathkal | NIT Warangal | NIT Calicut | NIT Rourkela |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NIRF Engineering 2025 | #9 | #17 | #28 | - | #13 |
| NIRF Engineering 2024 | #9 | #17 | #21 | #25 | #19 |
| NIRF Overall 2024 | #31 | #46 | #53 | #54 | #34 |
| NIRF Research 2024 | #31 | #42 | - | - | #30 |
| QS Asia (latest) | 301-350 | 441-450 | 771-780 | ~580-621 | #317 |
| THE World (latest) | 801-1000 | - | 1001-1200 | - | 601-800 |
| NAAC Grade | A++ | A++ | A+ | A+ | A (2016) |
NIT Rourkela Rankings 2025
NIT Rourkela is ranked by 2 major ranking bodies as of 2025. The institution is ranked #13 in Engineering by India Today; #13 in Engineering by NIRF.
India Today
#13
Engineering · 2025
Score: 76.00
NIRF
#13
Engineering · 2025
Score: 71.80
India Today Rankings
India Today Best Colleges Survey
| Category | Year | Rank | Score | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | 2025 | #13 |
76.00
|
- |
| Engineering | 2024 | #13 |
75.50
|
— |
2025 vs 2024: 1 unchanged
NIRF Rankings
National Institutional Ranking Framework by the Ministry of Education, Government of India
| Category | Year | Rank | Score | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engineering | 2025 | #13 |
71.80
|
- |
| Engineering | 2024 | #13 |
71.30
|
— |
2025 vs 2024: 1 unchanged
How NIT Rourkela Compares
India Today Engineering Rankings - Top 10 Institutions
| Institution | 2025 Rank | 2024 Rank | Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | #2 | 90.00 | 1 | |
| #3 | #4 | 89.50 | 1 | |
| #4 | #3 | 87.50 | 1 | |
| #5 | #6 | 86.80 | 1 | |
| #6 | #5 | 84.50 | 1 | |
| #7 | #8 | 82.30 | 1 | |
| #9 | #11 | 80.50 | 2 | |
| #10 | #12 | 79.50 | 2 | |
| #11 | #10 | 78.00 | 1 | |
| #12 | #13 | 77.50 | 1 |
Latest News about NIT Rourkela
NIT Rourkela Launches M.Tech Programme in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science
Apr 22, 2026
NIT Rourkela Records Strong Placement Season with 95% Offers in 2025-26
Apr 22, 2026
NIT Rourkela Rises to 19th Rank in NIRF Engineering Rankings 2025
Apr 22, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions - NIT Rourkela Rankings
Q: What is the NIRF ranking of NIT Rourkela?
NIT Rourkela is ranked #13 in Engineering (NIRF 2025), #34 in Overall, and #30 in Research. The Engineering rank improved significantly from #19 (2024) to #13 (2025). NIT Rourkela is the #1 NIT in the NIRF Research category and #2 NIT in Overall rankings.
Q: Is NIT Rourkela the best NIT for research?
Yes. NIT Rourkela holds the #1 position among all NITs in NIRF Research rankings (rank #30 nationally in both 2024 and 2025). Its research output, PhD programmes, and industry R&D collaborations significantly exceed other NITs. It is also the only NIT in the top 200 of THE Asia University Rankings (ranked #191 in 2025).
Q: What are NIT Rourkela's international rankings?
NIT Rourkela is ranked #317 in QS Asia (2025), 601-800 in THE World (2024), and #191 in THE Asia (2025). The THE Asia rank of #191 makes it the only NIT in the top 200 of this ranking and 12th among all Indian universities. Its QS Asia rank of 317 is also among the best for any NIT.
Q: How does NIT Rourkela compare with NIT Trichy?
NIT Trichy (#9) ranks higher in NIRF Engineering, but NIT Rourkela (#30 Research) significantly outranks Trichy (#33) in Research. NIT Rourkela also leads in international visibility (THE Asia #191 vs Trichy #201-250). For placements, Trichy has a higher CSE average but Rourkela has stronger core engineering recruitment.
Q: Is NIT Rourkela's NAAC accreditation current?
NIT Rourkela's last confirmed NAAC accreditation was Grade A (CGPA 3.12) awarded in December 2016. NAAC accreditation is valid for 5 years, so re-accreditation was due around 2021-22. Some aggregators report an updated grade but the 2016 assessment is the last officially confirmed data point.
Q: What other special rankings does NIT Rourkela have?
NIT Rourkela is ranked #7 in Architecture & Planning (NIRF 2025), #34 in Overall, and #30 in Research. It is the only NIT with a sub-200 rank in THE Asia. Its 14 B.Tech specialisations (the most among top NITs) and strong 6-month industrial internship programme are unique features.