| 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 | INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE (IISC) BANGALORE | Karnataka | 394.74 | 196.43 | 138.12 | 136.48 | 90.9 | 956.67 |
| 2 | GOKHALE INSTITUTE OF POLITICS AND ECONOMICS (GIPE) PUNE | Maharashtra | 361.25 | 176.83 | 106.49 | 122.28 | 64.76 | 831.61 |
| 3 | INDIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE (IARI) NEW DELHI | Delhi | 361.78 | 161.84 | 132.64 | 103.32 | 67.43 | 827.01 |
| 4 | LAKSHMIBAI NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION (LNIPE) GWALIOR | Madhya Pradesh | 359.06 | 156.82 | 118.44 | 120.82 | 70.72 | 825.86 |
| 5 | CENTRAL INSTITUTE OF HIGHER TIBETAN STUDIES (CIHTS) VARANASI | Uttar Pradesh | 357.25 | 165.51 | 123.35 | 104.63 | 71.35 | 822.09 |
(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)
