PhD
Doctor of Philosophy
Top Ranked PhD Colleges in India - NIRF 2025
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranks colleges offering Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) based on teaching, research, graduation outcomes, outreach, and perception. Below are the top 8 NIRF-ranked colleges for PhD in India. Fees at these ranked colleges range from ₹10,000 to ₹2.50 Lakh.
| NIRF Rank | College | Type | Total Fees | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 |
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
Government | ₹250,000 | View |
| #1 |
Indian Institute of Science Bangalore
Bangalore, Karnataka |
Government | ₹92,400 | View |
| #2 |
All India Institute of Medical Sciences New Delhi
New Delhi, Delhi |
Government | ₹10,000 | View |
| #3 |
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Mumbai, Maharashtra |
Government | ₹250,000 | View |
| #6 |
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Kharagpur, West Bengal |
Government | ₹250,000 | View |
| #13 |
Jamia Millia Islamia
New Delhi, Delhi |
Government | - | View |
| #14 |
Manipal Academy of Higher Education
Manipal, Karnataka |
Deemed | - | View |
| #14 |
Loyola College, Chennai
Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
Autonomous | - | View |
About NIRF Rankings
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) was launched by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. Colleges are evaluated on five broad parameters: Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR), Research and Professional Practice (RP), Graduation Outcomes (GO), Outreach and Inclusivity (OI), and Peer Perception. NIRF rankings are widely regarded as the most authoritative government ranking for higher education institutions in India.
All NIRF Ranked PhD Colleges (56)
Complete list of NIRF ranked colleges offering PhD
| NIRF Rank | College | Avg Package |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
IIT Madras
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
|
₹23.00 LPA |
| 1 |
IISc Bangalore
Bangalore, Karnataka
|
- |
| 2 |
AIIMS Delhi
New Delhi, Delhi
|
₹16.00 LPA |
| 3 |
IIT Bombay
Mumbai, Maharashtra
|
₹26.45 LPA |
| 6 |
IIT Kharagpur
Kharagpur, West Bengal
|
- |
| 13 |
JMI
New Delhi, Delhi
|
- |
| 14 |
MAHE
Manipal, Karnataka
|
₹12.31 LPA |
| 14 |
Loyola
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
|
- |
| 15 |
ISI Kolkata
Kolkata, West Bengal
|
₹24.00 LPA |
| 18 |
Jadavpur University
Kolkata, West Bengal
|
₹11.04 LPA |
| 19 |
AMU
Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh
|
- |
| 20 |
HBNI
Mumbai, Maharashtra
|
- |
| 22 |
BITS Pilani
Jaipur, Rajasthan
|
₹28.64 LPA |
| 23 |
Amrita
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
|
₹8.34 LPA |
| 23 |
SIMATS
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
|
- |
| 24 |
IARI
New Delhi, Delhi
|
- |
| 25 |
UoH
Hyderabad, Telangana
|
- |
| 25 |
SOA University
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
|
₹5.75 LPA |
| 27 |
KIIT
Bhubaneswar, Odisha
|
- |
| 32 |
CU
Mohali, Punjab
|
₹9.54 LPA |
| 33 |
PGIMER
Chandigarh, Chandigarh
|
- |
| 35 |
IIT ISM Dhanbad
Dhanbad, Jharkhand
|
₹18.50 LPA |
| 38 |
JSS AHER
Mysore, Karnataka
|
- |
| 46 |
KL University
Guntur, Andhra Pradesh
|
₹11.00 LPA |
| 48 |
KARE
Krishnankoil, Tamil Nadu
|
₹4.50 LPA |
| 52 |
GU
Guwahati, Assam
|
- |
| 53 |
OU
Hyderabad, Telangana
|
- |
| 57 |
PU Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Chandigarh
|
₹8.50 LPA |
| 58 |
IIT Mandi
Mandi, Himachal Pradesh
|
₹21.64 LPA |
| 59 |
Kashmir University
Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir
|
- |
| 60 |
NIMHANS
Bengaluru, Karnataka
|
- |
| 64 |
ICT Mumbai
Mumbai, Maharashtra
|
- |
| 68 |
UNOM
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
|
- |
| 72 |
GEU
Dehradun, Uttarakhand
|
- |
| 74 |
Jamia Hamdard
New Delhi, Delhi
|
₹5.50 LPA |
| 78 |
AIIMS Rishikesh
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand
|
- |
| 81 |
PAU
Ludhiana, Punjab
|
- |
| 83 |
KGMU
Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
|
- |
| 84 |
IIIT Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Telangana
|
- |
| 85 |
SNU
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
|
₹9.88 LPA |
| 86 |
VNIT Nagpur
Nagpur, Maharashtra
|
₹10.70 LPA |
| 88 |
TNAU
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
|
- |
| 89 |
Shoolini University
Solan, Himachal Pradesh
|
₹8.00 LPA |
| 91 |
SPPU
Pune, Maharashtra
|
- |
| 96 |
SRIHER
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
|
- |
| 97 |
NIT Silchar
Silchar, Assam
|
₹12.25 LPA |
| 98 |
MUJ
Jaipur, Rajasthan
|
₹7.60 LPA |
| - |
TU
Tezpur, Assam
|
- |
| - |
NIT Raipur
Raipur, Chhattisgarh
|
- |
| - |
KITS Coimbatore
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
|
₹4.20 LPA |
| - |
Manipur University
Imphal, Manipur
|
- |
| - |
HNBGU
Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir
|
₹5.42 LPA |
| - |
PSG Tech
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
|
₹11.03 LPA |
| - |
Ashoka
Sonipat, Haryana
|
₹11.60 LPA |
| - |
SU
Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh
|
- |
| - |
GITAM
Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
|
- |
QS India PhD College Rankings 2025
19 colleges ranked by QS India
| Rank | College |
|---|---|
| 1 |
IIT Madras
Chennai, Tamil Nadu
|
| 1 |
IISc Bangalore
Bangalore, Karnataka
|
| 2 |
IIT Bombay
Mumbai, Maharashtra
|
| 3 |
IIT Delhi
New Delhi, Delhi
|
| 4 |
IIT Kharagpur
Kharagpur, West Bengal
|
| 5 |
IIT Kanpur
Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh
|
| 6 |
DU
New Delhi, Delhi
|
| 7 |
IIT Roorkee
Roorkee, Uttarakhand
|
| 8 |
IIT Guwahati
Guwahati, Assam
|
| 9 |
JNU
New Delhi, Delhi
|
| 10 |
IIT Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Telangana
|
| 11 |
BHU
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
|
| 12 |
IIT BHU
Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
|
| 15 |
IIT Indore
Indore, Madhya Pradesh
|
| 16 |
ISI Kolkata
Kolkata, West Bengal
|
| 18 |
BITS Pilani
Jaipur, Rajasthan
|
| 20 |
VIT Vellore
Vellore, Tamil Nadu
|
| 20 |
Amrita
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
|
| 22 |
UoH
Hyderabad, Telangana
|
QS World University Rankings 2026 - PhD Colleges
6 PhD colleges featured in the global QS World University Rankings 2026
| Global Rank | College |
|---|---|
| #219 |
IISc Bangalore
Bangalore, Karnataka
|
| #503 |
Shoolini University
Solan, Himachal Pradesh
|
| #575 |
CU
Mohali, Punjab
|
| #676 |
Jadavpur University
Kolkata, West Bengal
|
| #801 |
Amrita
Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu
|
| #1401 |
Jamia Hamdard
New Delhi, Delhi
|
QS World University Rankings are released annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). Ranks shown are overall global positions for the latest available edition.
Frequently Asked Questions - PhD College Rankings
Focus on the specific research group's publications, the supervisor's h-index and ongoing projects, lab infrastructure, funding availability, alumni placement in academia and industry, and the institution's research ecosystem.
NIRF's research parameter partially captures PhD programme strength through publications and citations. However, PhD quality is highly supervisor-dependent. A mid-ranked institution with an excellent research group can offer a better PhD experience than a top-ranked one.
PhDs from premier Indian institutions (IITs, IISc, TIFR, IISERs) are well-recognised globally. International recognition depends on publication record, research impact, and the supervisor's standing in the global academic community.
IISc Bengaluru, IITs (especially older ones), TIFR, IISERs, IIMs (for management research), JNU, and select central universities have the strongest research ecosystems. Specialised labs like CSIR-NCL and JNCASR are excellent for specific fields.
The supervisor's research profile and mentorship quality matter more than institutional ranking for PhD. Investigate the supervisor's publication record, current projects, student graduation rate, and where their past PhD students are placed.