| RANK 2026 | UNIVERSITY NAME | STATE | ACADEMIC & RESEARCH EXCELLENCE 400 | INDUSTRY INTERFACE & PLACEMENT 200 | INFRASTRUCTURE & FACILITIES 150 | GOVERNANCE & EXTENSION 150 | DIVERSITY & OUTREACH 100 | TOTAL SCORE 1000 |
| 1 | SRM INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY KATTANKULATHUR CHENNAI | Tamil Nadu | 393.11 | 194.21 | 140.95 | 134.96 | 78.27 | 941.5 |
| 2 | MANIPAL ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION MANIPAL | Karnataka | 389.26 | 192.01 | 138.72 | 134.81 | 78.56 | 933.36 |
| 3 | SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL PUNE | Maharashtra | 388.45 | 193.46 | 134.75 | 134.65 | 80.09 | 931.4 |
| 4 | JSS ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCHMYSURU | Karnataka | 391.47 | 190.38 | 134.46 | 136.2 | 77.7 | 930.21 |
| 5 | KALINGA INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY (KIIT) BHUBANESWAR | Odisha | 385.97 | 189.34 | 138.02 | 135.81 | 77.11 | 926.25 |
| 6 | SATHYABAMA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CHENNAI | Tamil Nadu | 387.25 | 190.21 | 134.59 | 136.08 | 76.61 | 924.74 |
| 7 | SRI RAMACHANDRA INSTITUTE OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND RESEARCH CHENNAI | Tamil Nadu | 388.26 | 190.16 | 138.62 | 130.54 | 76.1 | 923.68 |
| 8 | YENEPOYA UNIVERSITY MANGALORE | Karnataka | 386.59 | 192.93 | 136.58 | 128.85 | 74.93 | 919.88 |
| 9 | BHARATI VIDYAPEETH UNIVERSITY PUNE | Maharashtra | 385.76 | 187.09 | 133.16 | 132.33 | 75.69 | 914.03 |
| 10 | BLDE (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY) VIJAYAPURA | Karnataka | 383.03 | 189.16 | 133.57 | 130.74 | 72.29 | 908.79 |
| 11 | CHRIST UNIVERSITY BANGALORE | Karnataka | 385.12 | 188.65 | 133.88 | 130.02 | 73.44 | 911.11 |
| 12 | KLE ACADEMY OF HIGHER EDUCATION & RESEARCH (DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITY) BELAGAVI | Karnataka | 384.16 | 188.76 | 134.75 | 129.53 | 74.57 | 911.77 |
| 13 | BIRLA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RANCHI | Jharkhand | 384.19 | 186.99 | 132.02 | 131.24 | 74.61 | 909.05 |
| 14 | D. Y. PATIL UNIVERSITY NAVI MUMBAI | Maharashtra | 383.62 | 184.57 | 133.83 | 127.81 | 72.29 | 902.12 |
| 15 | JAYPEE INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY NOIDA | Uttar Pradesh | 385.49 | 182.52 | 131.56 | 124.58 | 69.87 | 894.02 |
Definition: Autonomous institutions granted “Deemed-to-be University” status by the UGC under Section 3, recognized nationally for high academic and research standards; typically offering specialized or multi-domain programs with curricular independence.
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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)
