NIRF Rankings 2026 is expected to be released soon by the Ministry of Education (MoE). For admission to Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) for MBA (Master’s in Business Administration) it is important to understand which institute ranks at top, and at what parameters.
When analyzed over five years from 2021 to 2025, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Kozhikode experienced impressive growth, which is reflected in significant improvements in its national rankings. Thus, the overall ranking of the institute was #4 in 2021, followed by #5 in 2022, but took its steady #3 position from 2023 until 2025. A detailed analysis of the five basic parameters for NIRF evaluation provides insight into possible reasons of such performance growth.
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IIM Kozhikode NIRF Ranking 2026: NIRF Evaluation Parameters
There are five major parameters around which NIRF rankings are established for each college and university in India. Over 7,600 higher education institutions participate in the National Institutional Ranking Framework, governed by the Ministry of Education. Given below, candidates can find a detailed comparative analysis of NIRF parameters for over five years. Analyzing these parameters will help candidates understand why IIM Kozhikode ranked 3 in the list and has maintained consistent rankings for the past five years.
1. Teaching, Learning & Resources (TLR -30% Weight)
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Score Path: 81.50 (2021) → 83.17 (2022) → 82.29 (2023) → 90.08 (2024) → 89.16 (2025)
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For over 81-83 years of its existence, IIM Kozhikode has progressed in its academic infrastructure and human resources. During 2024-2025, the institute scored between 90-89 for offering and employing full-time doctoral faculty. It has invested a good amount of expenditure per student on education, which is reflected in its performance for the past five years.
2. Research & Professional Practice (RP — 30% Weight)
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Score Path: 45.20 (2021) → 47.99 (2022) → 51.23 (2023) → 56.71 (2024) → 59.04 (2025)
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Research and professional practice carry 30% weight in evaluating universities or institution performance. This parameter has witnessed expanded growth, adding a total of +13.84 points over five years. The increase in its growth was accommodated through different mediums such as faculty members publishing a higher volume of high-impact research papers in top-tier academic journals. The institute has also expanded on its executive corporate training programs and Management Development Programmes (MDPs) to boost its research facilities.
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3. Graduation Outcomes (GO — 20% Weight)
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Score Path: 95.80 (2021) → 93.92 (2022) → 99.03 (2023) → 98.41 (2024) → 98.86 (2025)
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IIM Kozhikode has achieved the most in Graduation Outcomes offering good interest in its employment area. It has offered note-worthy placement records, along with competitive starting salaries. This has established the institution as the most competitive in its placement records.
4. Outreach & Inclusivity (OI — 10% Weight)
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Score Path: 72.00 (2021) → 68.36 (2022) → 70.78 (2023) → 74.54 (2024) → 73.27 (2025)
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In the outreach and inclusivity area, the campus has established itself as a reliable contender. It has managed to secure good enough score, close to 72-73 for past five years. This has been achieved by offering high representation of female students and students from different backgrounds, allowing the institute to maintain its score.
5. Peer Perception (PR — 10% Weight)
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Score Path: 68.50 (2021) → 56.88 (2022) → 85.81 (2023) → 100.00 (2024) → 100.00 (2025)
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Peer perception is weighed based on factors like public view of the institute, regional surveys, and viewpoint of external stakeholders instead of its internal operational data. In this parameter the campus has achieved its most perfect score, 100, for the past two years.
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What It Means for MBA Aspirants?
IIM Kozhikode's holding the number 3 spot in NIRF rankings interprets as the institution that offers almost every requirement management aspirants look for to pursue an MBA program. The institute did not achieve the rankings overnight but has improved over the years. Even though research output and peer recognition were important factors in the institutional change, consistent quality of teaching resources and placement of graduates helped the institution hold the top position.
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