Which is the top Research college in Karnataka as per NIRF 2025?
Indian Institute of Science is the top Karnataka entry, ranked #1 with a score of 85.01.
Top Research Colleges in Karnataka@elseTop Research colleges in Karnataka: NIRF ranking 2025
3 Karnataka institutions appear in the NIRF 2025 Research list, with national ranks, scores and cities. Use the list to explore college profiles and compare options.
Indian Institute of Science leads the Karnataka entries in 2025 at national rank 1 with a score of 85.01.
Karnataka colleges featured across NIRF Research editions
These institutions appeared in the available Karnataka lists from 2021 to 2025. Ownership uses our current classification; each entry shows its latest listed year and national rank.
Top Government Research colleges in Karnataka
- Indian Institute of Science 2025 · National rank 1 · Listed this year
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research 2025 · National rank 44 · Listed this year
- National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal 2024 · National rank 42 · Historical entry
- National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore 2024 · National rank 43 · Historical entry
Top Private Research colleges in Karnataka
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education 2025 · National rank 19 · Listed this year
This page covers published NIRF entries, not every good institution in Karnataka offering programmes in this category. An institution's absence does not mean it is a poor choice. Ranks are national Research ranks, not positions within Karnataka.
Karnataka Research ranking history
Explore Karnataka institutions in the published NIRF Research lists by year. Every rank below is a national category rank, not a position within Karnataka. A lower rank number is better.
Comparisons use the preceding available Research edition and the state recorded in each year's list. Newly listed means absent from the previous Karnataka 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 2025
3 Karnataka institutions appear in the 2025 published Research list. Indian Institute of Science is the highest-ranked Karnataka entry at national rank 1 with a score of 85.01.
View full Karnataka 2025 ranking with scores and college profiles
Major changes from 2024 to 2025
Manipal Academy of Higher Education recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 23 to 19, an improvement of 4 places. Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 34 to 44. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Karnataka ranking changes from 2024
2| 2025 rank | Institution | 2024 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | 23 | ↑ 4 places |
| 44 | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research | 34 | ↓ 10 places |
Changes to the published list — 0 newly listed and 2 no longer listed
Newly present Karnataka institutions in 2025
0No newly listed Karnataka institutions in this comparison.
Karnataka institutions not present in 2025
2| 2024 rank | Institution | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | Not present in 2025 |
| 43 | National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore | Not present in 2025 |
Karnataka NIRF Research rankings 2024
5 Karnataka institutions appear in the 2024 published Research list. Indian Institute of Science is the highest-ranked Karnataka entry at national rank 1 with a score of 84.98.
Karnataka institutions in NIRF Research 2024
5| 2024 rank | Institution | 2023 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Institute of Science | 1 | 84.98 |
| 23 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | 25 | 54.31 |
| 34 | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research | 30 | 50.06 |
| 42 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | 41 | 45.41 |
| 43 | National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore | 48 | 45.18 |
Major changes from 2023 to 2024
National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 48 to 43, an improvement of 5 places. Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 30 to 34. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Karnataka ranking changes from 2023
4| 2024 rank | Institution | 2023 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 | National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore | 48 | ↑ 5 places |
| 23 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | 25 | ↑ 2 places |
| 34 | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research | 30 | ↓ 4 places |
| 42 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | 41 | ↓ 1 place |
Changes to the published list — 0 newly listed and 0 no longer listed
Newly present Karnataka institutions in 2024
0No newly listed Karnataka institutions in this comparison.
Karnataka institutions not present in 2024
0Every Karnataka entry in the earlier list remains present.
Karnataka NIRF Research rankings 2023
5 Karnataka institutions appear in the 2023 published Research list. Indian Institute of Science is the highest-ranked Karnataka entry at national rank 1 with a score of 86.22.
Karnataka institutions in NIRF Research 2023
5| 2023 rank | Institution | 2022 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Institute of Science | 1 | 86.22 |
| 25 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | 30 | 52.48 |
| 30 | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research | — | 51.08 |
| 41 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | — | 46.89 |
| 48 | National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore | 42 | 43.35 |
Major changes from 2022 to 2023
Manipal Academy of Higher Education recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 30 to 25, an improvement of 5 places. National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 42 to 48. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Karnataka ranking changes from 2022
2| 2023 rank | Institution | 2022 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | 30 | ↑ 5 places |
| 48 | National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore | 42 | ↓ 6 places |
Changes to the published list — 2 newly listed and 0 no longer listed
Newly present Karnataka institutions in 2023
2| 2023 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research | 51.08 | Newly present |
| 41 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | 46.89 | Newly present |
Karnataka institutions not present in 2023
0Every Karnataka entry in the earlier list remains present.
Karnataka NIRF Research rankings 2022
3 Karnataka institutions appear in the 2022 published Research list. Indian Institute of Science is the highest-ranked Karnataka entry at national rank 1 with a score of 88.62.
Karnataka institutions in NIRF Research 2022
3| 2022 rank | Institution | 2021 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Institute of Science | 1 | 88.62 |
| 30 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | 27 | 49.96 |
| 42 | National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore | 42 | 41.14 |
Major changes from 2021 to 2022
Manipal Academy of Higher Education recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 27 to 30. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Karnataka ranking changes from 2021
1| 2022 rank | Institution | 2021 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | 27 | ↓ 3 places |
Changes to the published list — 0 newly listed and 2 no longer listed
Newly present Karnataka institutions in 2022
0No newly listed Karnataka institutions in this comparison.
Karnataka institutions not present in 2022
2| 2021 rank | Institution | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research | Not present in 2022 |
| 40 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | Not present in 2022 |
Karnataka NIRF Research rankings 2021
5 Karnataka institutions appear in the 2021 published Research list. Indian Institute of Science is the highest-ranked Karnataka entry at national rank 1 with a score of 86.48.
Karnataka institutions in NIRF Research 2021
5| 2021 rank | Institution | Previous rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indian Institute of Science | — | 86.48 |
| 19 | Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research | — | 52.57 |
| 27 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | — | 48.73 |
| 40 | National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal | — | 43.91 |
| 42 | National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences, Bangalore | — | 43.03 |
This is the earliest available Research edition; an earlier-year comparison is unavailable.
Karnataka Research ranking list
Avg score 62.66
#InstituteScore
1 Indian Institute of Science 85.01 0
NIRF Rank Trend (Research)
- 2021: rank 1
- 2022: rank 1
- 2023: rank 1
- 2024: rank 1
- 2025: rank 1
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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Held the #1 position for five consecutive years.
Consistently ranked among India's top research institutions.
19 MAHE Manipal 56.41 4
NIRF Rank Trend (Research)
- 2021: rank 27
- 2022: rank 30
- 2023: rank 25
- 2024: rank 23
- 2025: rank 19
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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View college profile
Improved by 8 places from #27 in 2021 to #19 in 2025.
Consistently ranked among India's top research institutions.
44 JNCASR Bengaluru 46.57 10
NIRF Rank Trend (Research)
- 2021: rank 19
- 2022: not ranked
- 2023: rank 30
- 2024: rank 34
- 2025: rank 44
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
Compare with another college
View college profile
Moved down 25 places from #19 in 2021 to #44 in 2025.
Consistently ranked among India's top research institutions.
Data source: NIRF, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Ownership labels apply only to institutions classified in the NIRFRank database.
Karnataka ranking questions
Does this include private colleges?
Yes. Private and government labels appear when the institution is resolved in NIRFRank's curated registry.
How many Karnataka colleges are in the NIRF 2025 list?
3 ranked colleges are shown across 2 cities in this state.
What does the rank trend inside each row show?
Open any row to see that college's NIRF Research rank across the latest available editions.