Which is the top College college in Chennai as per NIRF 2021?
Loyola College Chennai leads the city list at rank #3.
NIRF 2021 · City ranking
8 Chennai institutions appear in the NIRF 2021 College list, with national ranks, scores and cities. Use the list to explore college profiles and compare options.
Loyola College Chennai leads the Chennai entries in 2021 at national rank 3 with a score of 69.28.
Chennai colleges featured across NIRF College editions
These institutions appeared in the available Chennai lists from 2017 to 2021. Ownership uses our current classification; each entry shows its latest listed year and national rank.
Top Government College colleges in Chennai
- Presidency College 2021 · National rank 7 · Listed this year
Top Private College colleges in Chennai
- Loyola College 2021 · National rank 3 · Listed this year
- Madras Christian College 2021 · National rank 18 · Listed this year
- Madras School of Social Work 2021 · National rank 30 · Listed this year
- Women`s Christian College 2021 · National rank 40 · Listed this year
- Ethiraj College for Women 2021 · National rank 51 · Listed this year
- Stella Maris College for Women 2021 · National rank 58 · Listed this year
- Anna Adarsh College for Women 2019 · National rank 90 · Historical entry
- Justice Basher Ahmed Sayeed College for Women 2019 · National rank 91 · Historical entry
- Shri Shankarlal Sundarbai Shasun Jain College for Women 2017 · National rank 59 · Historical entry
Ownership not confirmed
- Queen Mary`s College 2021 · National rank 55 · Listed this year
- The Women's Christian College 2017 · National rank 10 · Historical entry
- Justice Baseer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women 2017 · National rank 47 · Historical entry
This page covers published NIRF entries, not every good institution in Chennai offering programmes in this category. An institution's absence does not mean it is a poor choice. Ranks are national College ranks, not positions within Chennai.
Chennai College ranking history
Explore Chennai institutions in the published NIRF College lists by year. Every rank below is a national category rank, not a position within Chennai. A lower rank number is better.
Comparisons use the preceding available College edition and the state and city recorded in each year's list. Newly listed means absent from the previous Chennai list, not necessarily a first NIRF appearance. Absence does not establish why an institution is missing, and movement alone does not explain changes in quality.
Highlights and changes in 2021
8 Chennai institutions appear in the 2021 published College list. Loyola College is the highest-ranked Chennai entry at national rank 3 with a score of 69.28.
View full Chennai 2021 ranking with scores and college profiles
Major changes from 2020 to 2021
Stella Maris College for Women recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 64 to 58, an improvement of 6 places. Queen Mary`s College recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 41 to 55. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Chennai ranking changes from 2020
6| 2021 rank | Institution | 2020 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 58 | Stella Maris College for Women | 64 | ↑ 6 places |
| 3 | Loyola College | 6 | ↑ 3 places |
| 30 | Madras School of Social Work | 33 | ↑ 3 places |
| 55 | Queen Mary`s College | 41 | ↓ 14 places |
| 51 | Ethiraj College for Women | 46 | ↓ 5 places |
| 7 | Presidency College | 5 | ↓ 2 places |
Changes to the published list — 0 newly listed and 0 no longer listed
Newly present Chennai institutions in 2021
0No newly listed Chennai institutions in this comparison.
Chennai institutions not present in 2021
0Every Chennai entry in the earlier list remains present.
Chennai NIRF College rankings 2020
8 Chennai institutions appear in the 2020 published College list. Presidency College is the highest-ranked Chennai entry at national rank 5 with a score of 68.89.
Chennai institutions in NIRF College 2020
8| 2020 rank | Institution | 2019 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Presidency College | 3 | 68.89 |
| 6 | Loyola College | 6 | 68.03 |
| 17 | Madras Christian College | 13 | 64.36 |
| 33 | Madras School of Social Work | 65 | 57.99 |
| 38 | Women`s Christian College | 32 | 56.78 |
| 41 | Queen Mary`s College | 40 | 56.28 |
| 46 | Ethiraj College for Women | 36 | 55.76 |
| 64 | Stella Maris College for Women | 58 | 53.36 |
Major changes from 2019 to 2020
Madras School of Social Work recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 65 to 33, an improvement of 32 places. Ethiraj College for Women recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 36 to 46. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Chennai ranking changes from 2019
4| 2020 rank | Institution | 2019 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Madras School of Social Work | 65 | ↑ 32 places |
| 46 | Ethiraj College for Women | 36 | ↓ 10 places |
| 38 | Women`s Christian College | 32 | ↓ 6 places |
| 64 | Stella Maris College for Women | 58 | ↓ 6 places |
Changes to the published list — 0 newly listed and 2 no longer listed
Newly present Chennai institutions in 2020
0No newly listed Chennai institutions in this comparison.
Chennai institutions not present in 2020
2| 2019 rank | Institution | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 90 | Anna Adarsh College for Women | Not present in 2020 |
| 91 | Justice Basher Ahmed Sayeed College for Women | Not present in 2020 |
Chennai NIRF College rankings 2019
10 Chennai institutions appear in the 2019 published College list. Presidency College is the highest-ranked Chennai entry at national rank 3 with a score of 68.01.
Chennai institutions in NIRF College 2019
10| 2019 rank | Institution | 2018 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Presidency College | 5 | 68.01 |
| 6 | Loyola College | 6 | 66.31 |
| 13 | Madras Christian College | 10 | 63.98 |
| 32 | Women`s Christian College | 22 | 57.44 |
| 36 | Ethiraj College for Women | 38 | 55.30 |
| 40 | Queen Mary`s College | 77 | 54.65 |
| 58 | Stella Maris College for Women | 30 | 52.57 |
| 65 | Madras School of Social Work | 49 | 51.80 |
| 90 | Anna Adarsh College for Women | 95 | 49.90 |
| 91 | Justice Basher Ahmed Sayeed College for Women | — | 49.81 |
Major changes from 2018 to 2019
Queen Mary`s College recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 77 to 40, an improvement of 37 places. Stella Maris College for Women recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 30 to 58. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Chennai ranking changes from 2018
6| 2019 rank | Institution | 2018 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40 | Queen Mary`s College | 77 | ↑ 37 places |
| 90 | Anna Adarsh College for Women | 95 | ↑ 5 places |
| 3 | Presidency College | 5 | ↑ 2 places |
| 58 | Stella Maris College for Women | 30 | ↓ 28 places |
| 65 | Madras School of Social Work | 49 | ↓ 16 places |
| 32 | Women`s Christian College | 22 | ↓ 10 places |
Changes to the published list — 1 newly listed and 0 no longer listed
Newly present Chennai institutions in 2019
1| 2019 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | Justice Basher Ahmed Sayeed College for Women | 49.81 | Newly present |
Chennai institutions not present in 2019
0Every Chennai entry in the earlier list remains present.
Chennai NIRF College rankings 2018
9 Chennai institutions appear in the 2018 published College list. Presidency College is the highest-ranked Chennai entry at national rank 5 with a score of 66.21.
Chennai institutions in NIRF College 2018
9| 2018 rank | Institution | 2017 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Presidency College | — | 66.21 |
| 6 | Loyola College | — | 66.06 |
| 10 | Madras Christian College | — | 60.74 |
| 22 | Women`s Christian College | — | 57.18 |
| 30 | Stella Maris College for Women | — | 53.66 |
| 38 | Ethiraj College for Women | 16 | 52.92 |
| 49 | Madras School of Social Work | — | 50.57 |
| 77 | Queen Mary`s College | — | 47.53 |
| 95 | Anna Adarsh College for Women | — | 46.07 |
Major changes from 2017 to 2018
Ethiraj College for Women recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 16 to 38. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Chennai ranking changes from 2017
1| 2018 rank | Institution | 2017 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Ethiraj College for Women | 16 | ↓ 22 places |
Changes to the published list — 8 newly listed and 3 no longer listed
Newly present Chennai institutions in 2018
8| 2018 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Presidency College | 66.21 | Newly present |
| 6 | Loyola College | 66.06 | Newly present |
| 10 | Madras Christian College | 60.74 | Newly present |
| 22 | Women`s Christian College | 57.18 | Newly present |
| 30 | Stella Maris College for Women | 53.66 | Newly present |
| 49 | Madras School of Social Work | 50.57 | Newly present |
| 77 | Queen Mary`s College | 47.53 | Newly present |
| 95 | Anna Adarsh College for Women | 46.07 | Newly present |
Chennai institutions not present in 2018
3| 2017 rank | Institution | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | The Women's Christian College | Not present in 2018 |
| 47 | Justice Baseer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women | Not present in 2018 |
| 59 | Shri Shankarlal Sundarbai Shasun Jain College for Women | Not present in 2018 |
Chennai NIRF College rankings 2017
4 Chennai institutions appear in the 2017 published College list. The Women's Christian College is the highest-ranked Chennai entry at national rank 10 with a score of 57.37.
Chennai institutions in NIRF College 2017
4| 2017 rank | Institution | Previous rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | The Women's Christian College | — | 57.37 |
| 16 | Ethiraj College for Women | — | 52.85 |
| 47 | Justice Baseer Ahmed Sayeed College for Women | — | 43.77 |
| 59 | Shri Shankarlal Sundarbai Shasun Jain College for Women | — | 42.07 |
This is the earliest available College edition; an earlier-year comparison is unavailable.
Chennai College ranking list
Tamil Nadu#InstituteScore
3 Loyola College Chennai 69.28 3
NIRF Rank Trend (College)
- 2017: not ranked
- 2018: rank 6
- 2019: rank 6
- 2020: rank 6
- 2021: rank 3
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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Improved by 3 places from #6 in 2018 to #3 in 2021.
Consistently ranked among India's top college institutions.
7 Presidency College Chennai 66.96 2
NIRF Rank Trend (College)
- 2017: not ranked
- 2018: rank 5
- 2019: rank 3
- 2020: rank 5
- 2021: rank 7
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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Moved down 2 places from #5 in 2018 to #7 in 2021.
Consistently ranked among India's top college institutions.
18 Madras Christian College Chennai 63.90 1
NIRF Rank Trend (College)
- 2017: not ranked
- 2018: rank 10
- 2019: rank 13
- 2020: rank 17
- 2021: rank 18
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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View college profile
Moved down 8 places from #10 in 2018 to #18 in 2021.
Consistently ranked among India's top college institutions.
30 Madras School of Social Work 58.59 3
NIRF Rank Trend (College)
- 2017: not ranked
- 2018: rank 49
- 2019: rank 65
- 2020: rank 33
- 2021: rank 30
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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View college profile
Improved by 19 places from #49 in 2018 to #30 in 2021.
Consistently ranked among India's top college institutions.
40 Women's Christian College Chennai 56.18 2
NIRF Rank Trend (College)
- 2017: not ranked
- 2018: rank 22
- 2019: rank 32
- 2020: rank 38
- 2021: rank 40
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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View college profile
Moved down 18 places from #22 in 2018 to #40 in 2021.
Consistently ranked among India's top college institutions.
51 Ethiraj College for Women 54.77 5
NIRF Rank Trend (College)
- 2017: rank 16
- 2018: rank 38
- 2019: rank 36
- 2020: rank 46
- 2021: rank 51
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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View college profile
Moved down 35 places from #16 in 2017 to #51 in 2021.
Consistently ranked among India's top college institutions.
55 Queen Mary's College 54.58 14
NIRF Rank Trend (College)
- 2017: not ranked
- 2018: rank 77
- 2019: rank 40
- 2020: rank 41
- 2021: rank 55
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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View college profile
Improved by 22 places from #77 in 2018 to #55 in 2021.
Consistently ranked among India's top college institutions.
58 Stella Maris College 54.27 6
NIRF Rank Trend (College)
- 2017: not ranked
- 2018: rank 30
- 2019: rank 58
- 2020: rank 64
- 2021: rank 58
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
Compare with another college
View college profile
Moved down 28 places from #30 in 2018 to #58 in 2021.
Consistently ranked among India's top college institutions.
Data source: NIRF, Ministry of Education, Government of India. This page filters the official 2021 ranking by published city and state.
Chennai ranking questions
How many ranked colleges are shown for Chennai?
8 colleges from Chennai appear in the official 2021 list.
Can I compare these colleges?
Yes. Open any expanded row and use the comparison action to review ranks, scores and historical performance.
How is the city filter created?
The page uses the city published for each institution in the selected NIRF ranking edition.