| RANK 2026 | UNIVERSITY NAME | ACADEMIC & RESEARCH EXCELLENCE 400 | INDUSTRY INTERFACE & PLACEMENT 200 | INFRASTRUCTURE & FACILITIES 150 | GOVERNANCE & EXTENSION 150 | DIVERSITY & OUTREACH 100 | TOTAL SCORE 1000 |
| 1 | O.P. JINDAL GLOBAL UNIVERSITY SONIPAT | 388.71 | 194.98 | 138.42 | 138.76 | 83.87 | 944.74 |
| 2 | SHIV NADAR INSTITUTION OF EMINENCE GREATER NOIDA | 390.64 | 195.24 | 139.38 | 134.48 | 82.38 | 942.12 |
| 3 | AHMEDABAD UNIVERSITY AHMEDABAD | 392.26 | 191.62 | 140.88 | 136.29 | 80.22 | 941.27 |
| 4 | ASHOKA UNIVERSITY SONIPAT | 385.55 | 196.22 | 136.29 | 138.14 | 81.58 | 937.78 |
| 5 | FLAME UNIVERSITY PUNE | 388.86 | 192.77 | 137.86 | 134.33 | 83.81 | 937.63 |
| 6 | KREA UNIVERSITY SRI CITY | 388.37 | 195.96 | 136.47 | 136.44 | 79.71 | 936.95 |
| 7 | PLAKSHA UNIVERSITY MOHALI | 384.66 | 195.36 | 135.05 | 137.5 | 82.14 | 934.71 |
| 8 | BENNETT UNIVERSITY GREATER NOIDA | 388.58 | 193.49 | 132.45 | 133.21 | 80.12 | 927.85 |
| 9 | SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY PUNE | 385.46 | 192.66 | 133.32 | 135.51 | 79.26 | 926.21 |
| 10 | SRM UNIVERSITY-AP AMARAVATI | 388.66 | 191.19 | 131.36 | 131.78 | 82.23 | 925.22 |
Definition: Universities designed around flexible curricula, liberal arts and sciences, policy and data integration, and cross-domain or trans‑disciplinary learning - aligned with NEP‑2020 ideals of interwoven education, flexible majors/minors, and critical thinking.
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(This story appeared in Outlook magazine’s August 17 issue, 'Parliament on Street', which takes an incisive look at the student protests against recurring examination paper leaks, the zing of Gen-Z politics and the Jantar Mantar protest at Delhi which triggered a strong response all across India, sending out a clear reminder that while governments are formed in Parliament, democracies remain alive on the streets)
