The annual EducationWorld Grand Jury India Higher Education Rankings were introduced in 2019 to acknowledge and felicitate higher education institutions (HEIs) — especially newly-promoted, low-profile HEIs. Special juries of knowledgeable educationists are constituted to recommend conferment of the EW Grand Jury Awards upon higher ed institutions implementing best practices.

To select progressive higher education institutions across the country, we invited nominations from educationists, individuals and higher ed institutions themselves supported by evidence of best practices in 12 categories including exemplary leadership, campus design excellence, best academia-industry alliance, new-age study programmes among others.

Evidence-supported nominations were received from 632 higher education institutions countrywide. To assess the evidence and rank nominated institutions in each category, this year’s Grand Jury comprised eminent educationists Prof. A.S. Seetharamu, former professor of education, Institute of Social and Economic Change, Bengaluru, Mehul D. Mehta, chairman MDM Group, start-up mentor and investor, and Deepakkumar Mukadam, former chancellor’s nominee on the management council of University of Mumbai and founder, Academistan, an online faculty networking platform. The Grand Jury duly assessed the nominations and supportive evidence and ranked Top 10 HEIs in each category.

Diversity, Inclusion & Equity Champion
Institutions that promote admission of students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, cultures and nationalities. Provide students equal opportunities and ensure their participation in all activities regardless of culture, language, gender, economic background or disability.

“It’s with great pride and humility that we accept the India #1 rank for Diversity, Inclusion and Equity (DIE). Our 3,258 students come from 26 states across India, creating a multicultural campus environment. Likewise, our diverse faculty members enrich the academic environment. Some of our major initiatives to strengthen DIE include providing fee concessions and scholarships to economically underprivileged students, on-campus celebration of major festivals and mental well-being programmes. Gender equity is promoted through Women Empowerment Cells and special entrepreneurship initiatives. In particular, women faculty and students have received support to pursue international academic opportunities, including postdoctoral fellowships and a fully funded Ph D at Imperial College London.” — Dr Annie Jacob (second from left), Director, KCG College of Technology, Chennai (3,258 students and 194 teachers)

Enabling Start-ups Culture
Institutions that encourage an entrepreneurial ecosystem and start-ups culture that highly values student ideation, problem solving, risk taking, and innovation and supports on-campus incubation of student businesses.

“The India #1 rank for enabling start-ups is deeply meaningful because Masters’ Union was built on the belief that entrepreneurship is learnt through action. Our students are building ventures whilst studying consumer brands, AI, sustainability, fintech, mobility, creator commerce and other emerging areas. They learn business frameworks in class and then apply them in live market settings through start-up ventures, business challenges, and industry projects. This unique InClass-OutClass model enables students to move seamlessly between concept and practice. This entrepreneurial culture has greatly strengthened student employability as recruiters value graduates who can deliver from idea to execution. The EW Grand Jury India #1 ranking validates our education model that creates entrepreneurial graduates who excel as start-ups founders as well as high-agency professionals inside companies.” — Pratham Mittal, Founder of Masters’ Union, Gurugram (257 students, 36 faculty)

Excellence in Academic Achievement
This award celebrates higher-ed institutions which demonstrated outstanding academic performance in the academic year 2025-26 — research output, teaching quality, learning assessment and innovative teaching-learning initiatives.

“The India #1 rank awarded by a distinguished EW Grand Jury is gratifying recognition of our sustained commitment to delivering premium design education. It reflects the consistently high standards maintained in our studios and classrooms and acknowledges the dedication of our faculty, students, and academic leadership. The USP of NAFDI is our ability to blend academic rigour with strong industry relevance. Our studio-first learning model emphasises live projects, real-world design briefs, portfolio-based assessment, and experiential learning, enabling students to graduate with professional portfolios and practical industry exposure. Complementing this approach are regular guest lectures by leading practitioners, industry visits, workshops, and participation in design competitions. Together, these initiatives ensure that our graduates are creative, industry-ready professionals equipped to thrive in the rapidly evolving design industry.” — Jatin Asher and Paras Mehta, Directors, NAFDI – School of Interior Design, Mumbai

Exemplary Leadership
These awards acknowledge extraordinary education leaders from low-profile and newly emergent private higher education institutions.

“We are delighted to be adjudged India #1 for Exemplary Leadership by an esteemed EW Grand Jury. I attribute this recognition to JBIMS’ strong academic foundation, deep industry linkages, highly committed faculty, and enthusiastic students. Our institutional emphasis on integrity, excellence, and perseverance has nurtured a leadership culture that is responsible and industry-connected. We have strengthened this leadership culture through student-led committees, industry interactions, alumni mentorship, research conferences, case-based learning and live projects. Students are also encouraged to take ownership of institutional activities, enabling them to develop leadership skills through hands-on experience. This has enabled us to nurture future-ready leaders equipped to navigate complex business environments and contribute meaningfully to society.” — Kavita Laghate, Director, Jamanalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai

Best Academic-Industry Alliance
Institutions spearheading alliances and collaborations to bridge the academia-industry gap, promote industry internships, enhance graduate employability and job-readiness.

“We are deeply honoured to be ranked India #1 for Best Academia-Industry Alliance. NAEMD is a pioneer in providing industry-integrated event management education in India. Our students receive hands-on practical exposure through internships with event, media, entertainment and experiential marketing companies; guest lectures and webinars by industry professionals; placement support; workshops; entrepreneurial opportunities; and live training in events planning, production, sponsorship, artist management, logistics, PR, client servicing and on-ground execution. We have collaborated with major events such as Femina Miss India state editions, Filmfare, Sunburn, NH7, MAMI Film Festival, IPL, ICC Cricket World Cup and Vibrant Gujarat, providing students unique opportunities to conceptualise, plan and execute events end-to-end.” — Pravin Joshi (centre left), Co-Founder & Director, Nest Academy of Event Management and Development (NAEMD), Mumbai

Campus Planning and Design Excellence
Attractive and conducive campuses providing state-of-the-art enabling infrastructure which enables students to learn joyfully and give their best, are awarded in this category.

“We are thrilled that the EW Grand Jury has acknowledged our efforts to create a student-centric, inclusive and future-ready campus that promotes learning, innovation, safety and holistic development. At MMK College, campus planning extends beyond physical infrastructure to building an environment that nurtures academic excellence and personal growth. Over the years, we have invested significantly in smart classrooms, digital learning facilities, upgraded library and IT infrastructure, barrier-free access facilities, enhanced campus security and environmentally responsible practices. This recognition will motivate us to continue investing in the quality, functionality and inclusiveness of our campus ecosystem” — Dr. Kishore Peshori (rear centre right), Principal, Smt. Mithibai Motiram Kundnani College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai (4,512 students, 53 teachers)

Top-Performing University of the Year
Universities demonstrating exceptional performance in the academic year 2025-26 in terms of academic outcomes, research, faculty development programmes, social engagement and innovative initiatives.

“This year, we are celebrating an important milestone – the 50th anniversary of the Presidency Group of Institutions. Therefore, awarding Top Performing University of the Year status to Presidency by an eminent EW Grand Jury is very special and an acknowledgement of the contributions of our faculty, students, alumni, industry partners, and global collaborators. We are fully committed to advancing higher education through research, global engagement, and continuous improvement. Towards this end, we have focused on providing industry-driven contemporary curriculums, practical pedagogies, established research centres, makerspaces, innovation hubs, and global partnerships – we have signed up collaboration agreements with more than 165 premier institutions in 33 countries for academic and research cooperation. Moreover, we have invested in faculty development, AI-driven personalised learning, sustainability initiatives, and leadership development. Our objective is to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and networks required to navigate and overcome future academic, technological and societal challenges.” — Dr. Nissar Ahmed, Chancellor, Presidency University, Bengaluru (20,000 students, 900 faculty)

Digital Education Innovation
Higher education institutions integrating innovative digital technologies within curriculums and implementing IT-enabled pedagogies to enable delivery of engaging and effective teaching-learning.

“This award reaffirms our commitment to harnessing technology to enrich teaching-learning and overall student development. It also acknowledges the collective efforts of our management, faculty, students, alumni, and industry partners, whose shared pursuit of innovation and excellence has enabled Thakur College to create a future-ready academic environment. Our education model is driven by a clear vision of integrating technology with effective pedagogy. Towards this end, we have liberally invested in smart classrooms, advanced Learning Management Systems, virtual labs, digital assessment tools, and outcome-based education practices. Our key initiatives include blended learning, simulation-based laboratories, faculty training in digital pedagogies, industry-linked projects, hackathons, innovation challenges, and entrepreneurship programmes. Robust and effective integration of technology has strengthened student engagement, improved learning outcomes, and prepared graduates to succeed in the new digital economy” — Greena Karani (centre), CFO, Thakur College of Engineering & Technology, Mumbai (6,700 students, 330 teachers)

Outstanding Achievement in Professional Education
Institutions providing globally benchmarked professional study programmes such as events management, fashion design and mass communication among others.

“We are deeply gratified to receive this honour. The objective of Lifeness Science Institute is to redefine nutrition and dietetics education in India through an integrative, industry-aligned model. The India #1 rank validates our commitment to providing holistic, industry-driven, experiential learning. Our undergrad and postgrad science programmes are recognised by the University of Mumbai, and our carefully designed curriculum combines conventional nutrition science with lifestyle and integrative health, and includes internships and industry projects. We have also established strong collaboration partnerships with leading hospitals and wellness organisations, including Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and SRCC Children’s Hospital in Mumbai, to provide our students professional, industry exposure” – Gopal Sharma (seated centre), Director, Lifeness Science Institute, Mumbai

Exemplary Researcher of the Year
This award recognises higher education research scholars for innovative R&D which has far-reaching impact and has caught, or has the potential to catch, the imagination of the public and/or industry.

“We are delighted to learn that a EW Grand Jury has recognised our commitment towards meaningful research and academic excellence. RIMT has taken several initiatives to encourage quality research publications, interdisciplinary collaboration, faculty development programmes, seminars, workshops, and industry interaction. Our faculty regularly publish papers in well-reputed engineering and management journals and mentor and encourage students to undertake research projects. Their efforts have helped create a vibrant academic environment that encourages inquiry, critical thinking, knowledge creation and continuous professional growth. Our India #1 award is a big motivation for our faculty and students to increase our contribution to impactful research and promote a culture of innovation and intellectual curiosity.” – Dr. Raveesh Agarwal (left), Professor and Head, Department of Business Administration, Rajshree Institute of Management and Technology (RIMT), Bareilly (4,000 students, 500 teachers)

Outstanding Career Development & Student Employability Leader
This award recognises higher education institutions that demonstrate leadership in preparing students for successful careers through innovative career-development initiatives, industry engagement, and strong employability outcomes.

“We are elated to be adjudged India #1 for career development and student employability. I credit this award to our faculty, staff, alumni, management, and industry partners who have contributed to our students’ growth and success. Since inception, our institutional focus has extended beyond academic excellence to preparing students for meaningful careers. We provide robust placement support, career guidance, skill-development programmes, internships and strong industry engagement to prepare our students for 21st-century workplaces. Indeed, we begin nurturing students’ employability skills from the first year onwards through communication skills training, internships, career counselling, interview preparation, confidence-building programmes, alumni mentoring, entrepreneurship initiatives, and industry-relevant certification programmes. Our objective is to ensure that every graduate is equipped with the knowledge, competence, confidence, and values to succeed in the workplace” — Dr. Naresh Chandra (centre), Director, BK Birla College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Kalyan

Emerging Study Programmes Pioneer
Higher education institutions pioneering introduction of new-age and futuristic industry-aligned study programmes.

Emerging High-Potential Foreign University (India Campus)