Which is the top University college in Punjab as per NIRF 2023?
Thapar Patiala is the top Punjab entry, ranked #22 with a score of 57.32.
6 Punjab institutions appear in the NIRF 2023 University list, with national ranks, scores and cities. Use the list to explore college profiles and compare options.
Thapar Patiala leads the Punjab entries in 2023 at national rank 22 with a score of 57.32.
Punjab colleges featured across NIRF University editions
These institutions appeared in the available Punjab lists from 2016 to 2023. Ownership uses our current classification; each entry shows its latest listed year and national rank.
Top Government University colleges in Punjab
- Guru Nanak Dev University 2023 · National rank 48 · Listed this year
- Punjab Agricultural University 2023 · National rank 54 · Listed this year
- Central University of Punjab 2023 · National rank 100 · Listed this year
- Punjabi University, Patiala 2020 · National rank 64 · Historical entry
- Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 2017 · National rank 24 · Historical entry
- Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University 2017 · National rank 50 · Historical entry
- Punjab Technical University 2016 · National rank 54 · Historical entry
- Central University Of Punjab-Bathinda 2016 · National rank 65 · Historical entry
Top Private University colleges in Punjab
- Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology 2023 · National rank 22 · Listed this year
- Chandigarh University 2023 · National rank 27 · Listed this year
- Lovely Professional University 2023 · National rank 38 · Listed this year
This page covers published NIRF entries, not every good institution in Punjab offering programmes in this category. An institution's absence does not mean it is a poor choice. Ranks are national University ranks, not positions within Punjab.
Punjab University ranking history
Explore Punjab institutions in the published NIRF University lists by year. Every rank below is a national category rank, not a position within Punjab. A lower rank number is better.
Comparisons use the preceding available University edition and the state recorded in each year's list. Newly listed means absent from the previous Punjab 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 2023
6 Punjab institutions appear in the 2023 published University list. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology is the highest-ranked Punjab entry at national rank 22 with a score of 57.32.
View full Punjab 2023 ranking with scores and college profiles
Major changes from 2022 to 2023
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 31 to 22, an improvement of 9 places. Central University of Punjab recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 81 to 100. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Punjab ranking changes from 2022
5| 2023 rank | Institution | 2022 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 31 | ↑ 9 places |
| 38 | Lovely Professional University | 47 | ↑ 9 places |
| 27 | Chandigarh University | 29 | ↑ 2 places |
| 100 | Central University of Punjab | 81 | ↓ 19 places |
| 48 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 44 | ↓ 4 places |
Changes to the published list — 1 newly listed and 0 no longer listed
Newly present Punjab institutions in 2023
1| 2023 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 54 | Punjab Agricultural University | 48.74 | Newly present |
Punjab institutions not present in 2023
0Every Punjab entry in the earlier list remains present.
Punjab NIRF University rankings 2022
5 Punjab institutions appear in the 2022 published University list. Chandigarh University is the highest-ranked Punjab entry at national rank 29 with a score of 51.85.
Punjab institutions in NIRF University 2022
5| 2022 rank | Institution | 2021 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Chandigarh University | 52 | 51.85 |
| 31 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 26 | 51.56 |
| 44 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 53 | 49.01 |
| 47 | Lovely Professional University | 62 | 48.92 |
| 81 | Central University of Punjab | 84 | 42.64 |
Major changes from 2021 to 2022
Chandigarh University recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 52 to 29, an improvement of 23 places. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 26 to 31. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Punjab ranking changes from 2021
4| 2022 rank | Institution | 2021 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 | Chandigarh University | 52 | ↑ 23 places |
| 47 | Lovely Professional University | 62 | ↑ 15 places |
| 44 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 53 | ↑ 9 places |
| 31 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 26 | ↓ 5 places |
Changes to the published list — 0 newly listed and 0 no longer listed
Newly present Punjab institutions in 2022
0No newly listed Punjab institutions in this comparison.
Punjab institutions not present in 2022
0Every Punjab entry in the earlier list remains present.
Punjab NIRF University rankings 2021
5 Punjab institutions appear in the 2021 published University list. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology is the highest-ranked Punjab entry at national rank 26 with a score of 50.65.
Punjab institutions in NIRF University 2021
5| 2021 rank | Institution | 2020 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 31 | 50.65 |
| 52 | Chandigarh University | — | 46.15 |
| 53 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 51 | 45.67 |
| 62 | Lovely Professional University | 78 | 43.33 |
| 84 | Central University of Punjab | 87 | 39.99 |
Major changes from 2020 to 2021
Lovely Professional University recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 78 to 62, an improvement of 16 places. Guru Nanak Dev University recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 51 to 53. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Punjab ranking changes from 2020
4| 2021 rank | Institution | 2020 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | Lovely Professional University | 78 | ↑ 16 places |
| 26 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 31 | ↑ 5 places |
| 84 | Central University of Punjab | 87 | ↑ 3 places |
| 53 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 51 | ↓ 2 places |
Changes to the published list — 1 newly listed and 1 no longer listed
Newly present Punjab institutions in 2021
1| 2021 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 52 | Chandigarh University | 46.15 | Newly present |
Punjab institutions not present in 2021
1| 2020 rank | Institution | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 64 | Punjabi University, Patiala | Not present in 2021 |
Punjab NIRF University rankings 2020
5 Punjab institutions appear in the 2020 published University list. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology is the highest-ranked Punjab entry at national rank 31 with a score of 50.65.
Punjab institutions in NIRF University 2020
5| 2020 rank | Institution | 2019 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 27 | 50.65 |
| 51 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 55 | 46.58 |
| 64 | Punjabi University, Patiala | — | 44.07 |
| 78 | Lovely Professional University | — | 41.69 |
| 87 | Central University of Punjab | 95 | 40.93 |
Major changes from 2019 to 2020
Central University of Punjab recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 95 to 87, an improvement of 8 places. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 27 to 31. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Punjab ranking changes from 2019
3| 2020 rank | Institution | 2019 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 87 | Central University of Punjab | 95 | ↑ 8 places |
| 51 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 55 | ↑ 4 places |
| 31 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 27 | ↓ 4 places |
Changes to the published list — 2 newly listed and 1 no longer listed
Newly present Punjab institutions in 2020
2| 2020 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | Punjabi University, Patiala | 44.07 | Newly present |
| 78 | Lovely Professional University | 41.69 | Newly present |
Punjab institutions not present in 2020
1| 2019 rank | Institution | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 51 | Punjab Agricultural University | Not present in 2020 |
Punjab NIRF University rankings 2019
4 Punjab institutions appear in the 2019 published University list. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology is the highest-ranked Punjab entry at national rank 27 with a score of 49.27.
Punjab institutions in NIRF University 2019
4| 2019 rank | Institution | 2018 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 33 | 49.27 |
| 51 | Punjab Agricultural University | 38 | 44.66 |
| 55 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 59 | 43.69 |
| 95 | Central University of Punjab | — | 38.68 |
Major changes from 2018 to 2019
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 33 to 27, an improvement of 6 places. Punjab Agricultural University recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 38 to 51. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Punjab ranking changes from 2018
3| 2019 rank | Institution | 2018 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 33 | ↑ 6 places |
| 55 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 59 | ↑ 4 places |
| 51 | Punjab Agricultural University | 38 | ↓ 13 places |
Changes to the published list — 1 newly listed and 0 no longer listed
Newly present Punjab institutions in 2019
1| 2019 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95 | Central University of Punjab | 38.68 | Newly present |
Punjab institutions not present in 2019
0Every Punjab entry in the earlier list remains present.
Punjab NIRF University rankings 2018
3 Punjab institutions appear in the 2018 published University list. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology is the highest-ranked Punjab entry at national rank 33 with a score of 47.11.
Punjab institutions in NIRF University 2018
3| 2018 rank | Institution | 2017 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 33 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 46 | 47.11 |
| 38 | Punjab Agricultural University | — | 45.56 |
| 59 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 80 | 42.36 |
Major changes from 2017 to 2018
Guru Nanak Dev University recorded the largest rise, moving from national rank 80 to 59, an improvement of 21 places. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Punjab ranking changes from 2017
2| 2018 rank | Institution | 2017 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 80 | ↑ 21 places |
| 33 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 46 | ↑ 13 places |
Changes to the published list — 1 newly listed and 2 no longer listed
Newly present Punjab institutions in 2018
1| 2018 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | Punjab Agricultural University | 45.56 | Newly present |
Punjab institutions not present in 2018
2| 2017 rank | Institution | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana | Not present in 2018 |
| 50 | Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University | Not present in 2018 |
Punjab NIRF University rankings 2017
4 Punjab institutions appear in the 2017 published University list. Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana is the highest-ranked Punjab entry at national rank 24 with a score of 44.99.
Punjab institutions in NIRF University 2017
4| 2017 rank | Institution | 2016 rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana | — | 44.99 |
| 46 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | — | 40.78 |
| 50 | Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University | — | 40.10 |
| 80 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 25 | 35.83 |
Major changes from 2016 to 2017
Guru Nanak Dev University recorded the largest fall, moving from national rank 25 to 80. The table shows up to three biggest rises and three biggest falls. Equal movements are ordered by current rank.
Biggest Punjab ranking changes from 2016
1| 2017 rank | Institution | 2016 rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | Guru Nanak Dev University | 25 | ↓ 55 places |
Changes to the published list — 3 newly listed and 2 no longer listed
Newly present Punjab institutions in 2017
3| 2017 rank | Institution | Score | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24 | Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana | 44.99 | Newly present |
| 46 | Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology | 40.78 | Newly present |
| 50 | Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University | 40.10 | Newly present |
Punjab institutions not present in 2017
2| 2016 rank | Institution | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 54 | Punjab Technical University | Not present in 2017 |
| 65 | Central University Of Punjab-Bathinda | Not present in 2017 |
Punjab NIRF University rankings 2016
3 Punjab institutions appear in the 2016 published University list. Guru Nanak Dev University is the highest-ranked Punjab entry at national rank 25 with a score of 67.32.
Punjab institutions in NIRF University 2016
3| 2016 rank | Institution | Previous rank | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Guru Nanak Dev University | — | 67.32 |
| 54 | Punjab Technical University | — | 60.06 |
| 65 | Central University Of Punjab-Bathinda | — | 55.62 |
This is the earliest available University edition; an earlier-year comparison is unavailable.
Punjab University ranking list
Avg score 51.02
#InstituteScore
22 Thapar Patiala 57.32 9
NIRF Rank Trend (University)
- 2019: rank 27
- 2020: rank 31
- 2021: rank 26
- 2022: rank 31
- 2023: rank 22
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
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Improved by 5 places from #27 in 2019 to #22 in 2023.
Consistently ranked among India's top university institutions.
27 Chandigarh University 54.63 2
NIRF Rank Trend (University)
- 2019: not ranked
- 2020: not ranked
- 2021: rank 52
- 2022: rank 29
- 2023: rank 27
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
Compare with another college
View college profile
Improved by 25 places from #52 in 2021 to #27 in 2023.
Consistently ranked among India's top university institutions.
38 LPU 52.30 9
NIRF Rank Trend (University)
- 2019: not ranked
- 2020: rank 78
- 2021: rank 62
- 2022: rank 47
- 2023: rank 38
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
Compare with another college
View college profile
Improved by 40 places from #78 in 2020 to #38 in 2023.
Consistently ranked among India's top university institutions.
48 Guru Nanak Dev University 50.19 4
NIRF Rank Trend (University)
- 2019: rank 55
- 2020: rank 51
- 2021: rank 53
- 2022: rank 44
- 2023: rank 48
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
Compare with another college
View college profile
Improved by 7 places from #55 in 2019 to #48 in 2023.
Consistently ranked among India's top university institutions.
54 Punjab Agricultural University 48.74 3
NIRF Rank Trend (University)
- 2019: rank 51
- 2020: not ranked
- 2021: not ranked
- 2022: not ranked
- 2023: rank 54
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
Compare with another college
View college profile
Moved down 3 places from #51 in 2019 to #54 in 2023.
Consistently ranked among India's top university institutions.
100 Central University of Punjab 42.93 19
NIRF Rank Trend (University)
- 2019: rank 95
- 2020: rank 87
- 2021: rank 84
- 2022: rank 81
- 2023: rank 100
Lower rank is better.
Highlights
Compare with another college
View college profile
Moved down 5 places from #95 in 2019 to #100 in 2023.
Consistently ranked among India's top university institutions.
Data source: NIRF, Ministry of Education, Government of India. Ownership labels apply only to institutions classified in the NIRFRank database.
Punjab 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 Punjab colleges are in the NIRF 2023 list?
6 ranked colleges are shown across 6 cities in this state.
What does the rank trend inside each row show?
Open any row to see that college's NIRF University rank across the latest available editions.