When rankings rewrite Bengal’s story of education - GetBengal Story
A university is never just a bunch of classrooms and labs, it is a feeling, which is stamped into the heart of any student who walks its grounds. Pride is a two-way street; students wear their university like a badge of honor and universities wear their students' accomplishments with pride. This year, the academic scene in Bengal has had yet another proud moment in the NIRF 2025 rankings.
Jadavpur University (JU) has created history by clinching the top spot in the “State Public University” category, pushing last year’s topper, Anna University, down to second place. For JU students and alumni, it is a moment of immense pride, especially since the university stood second in the same category just a year ago. At the same time, the rankings brought disappointment for Calcutta University (CU), which slipped drastically—from 4th in 2024 to 15th this year.
On the national stage, JU has held steady, maintaining its 9th rank among the top 100 universities in the country. CU, however, saw a fall from grace, dropping to 39th from last year’s 18th.
In the overall category, Bengal continues to make its mark. IIT Kharagpur emerged as the state’s highest-ranked institute at 6th place, followed by JU at 18th and CU at 47th. The rankings underline Bengal’s academic depth, stretching from engineering to liberal arts and sciences.
Bengal's institutions have again shown why they belong among the top 100 colleges. This year, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Centenary College was ranked 6th, after sharing 3rd place with St. Stephen's College, Delhi in 2024. St. Xavier’s College has been ranked 8th this year, dropping two spots from its previous position. Other institutions with significant placements are Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandir (19), Ramakrishna Mission Residential College (24), Midnapore College (42), and Lady Brabourne College (47)—all instrumental in maintaining Bengal's very high standards in undergraduate education.
Engineering is a stronghold for the state as well. IIT Kharagpur is ranked 5th nationally, JU is ranked 18th, NIT Durgapur is 49th, and IIEST Shibpur is 54th. In terms of research, Bengal's rankings are similarly impressive, with IIT Kharagpur (5th), JU (23rd), IISER Kolkata (46th) and CU (48th) demonstrating how Bengal can contribute to innovation and discovery.
Beyond these, IIT Kharagpur added more feathers to its cap—bagging the 3rd spot in Architecture and Planning and 4th in Innovation among the nation’s top institutions.
So, the NIRF 2025 rankings aren't only stats on a chart -- they narrate an honest story of resilience, setbacks, and triumphs. For Jadavpur University, this year's a golden year that establishes its stature as Bengal's pride. For Calcutta University, the challenge now is to resurrect its standing. And for students, teachers, and alumni across the state, the NIRF 2025 rankings reaffirm one reality: Bengal is still a powerhouse of Education, nourishing brilliance year after year and generation after generation.
