Choosing the right university after Class 12 is a life-changing decision, and with so many options available, it can be overwhelming to pick the one that best suits your goals. Whether you’re aiming for academic excellence, strong alumni networks, outstanding placement opportunities, or holistic development, this list will guide you through the top 10 universities in India that offer all of this and more.
“12th ke baad toh maze hi maze” is true when you get admitted to your dream college that too with the course you love. But honestly, choosing the best course and university is a difficult task especially when you have incomplete information. That’s why I have created a complete list of top 10 universities in India covering the detailed aspects of each university. Read this blog till the end to get the relevant updates and latest information.
Why choose the top 10 universities?
Why choose the top university for your higher education? Because why not. When it comes to career, every student wants the best course and college because the very foundation of their success depends on the college exposure they get. It is not just the curriculum or faculty that makes a university or institution the best one, but a lot of other factors are also at work. The top 10 universities stands out because of the following benefits and opportunities it offers to its students:-
Academic excellence and curriculum
These institutions have well defined curriculum in line with the current changes and market scenarios. For ex- Delhi University has recently changed their syllabus in line with AI.
Faculty and mentorship
Top 10 universities offer the best learning experience to its students thanks to its reputed subject experts and excellent faculty. Most of the teachers and professors at these institutes are qualified specialist and Phd holders.
World class resources and Vibrant Exposure
Hi-tech resources, advanced competitions and groupings help the student get excellent exposure in the college. College experience should be full of learning from academic teaching to practical experience to vocational training. Just the academic resources are not enough, students need to gain on field experience as well team work through internships and societies for better development and growth.
Global Opportunities
Not only these institutions rank good at Indian rankings but they also hold significant standing on world rankings and hold global reputations. While some universities are providing abroad exposure through exchange programs, some are opening their abroad campuses.
For example-
- IIT Madras campus in Tanzania.
- Delhi University has tied up with Oxford and Harvard for joint research in history
Alumni Network
A strong alumni network reflects the quality of education, clinical exposure, and professional success the university can foster. These also serve as potential recruiters, mentors and collaborators for research and innovation.
Better Placements and Internships
Top-tier institutions have dedicated placement cells with excellent industry connections. Regular campus visits from Big Four companies, MNCs, startups, and PSUs can be expected with high average salary packages.
“Read about the CUET UG exam for getting admissions in top colleges in India”
Top 10 universities in India for Arts
Most of the Delhi University colleges rank at the top positions in NIRF ranking for Arts courses. Apart from the University of Delhi, there are other notable institutions in India which offer excellent academic exposure, robust infrastructure, best faculties and placement opportunities. Following is the list of top 10 universities in India for Art courses such as BA, BA hons etc:-
| Rank | University Name | Location | NIRF 2024 Rank | Key Arts Courses Offered | Notable Alumni |
| 1 | University of Delhi (DU) | Delhi | 11 (Overall) | History, Political Science, English, Sociology, Psychology | Amitabh Bachchan, Shashi Tharoor |
| 2 | Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) | New Delhi | 2 (University) | International Relations, Philosophy, Linguistics, Political Science | Nirmala Sitharaman, Prakash Javadekar |
| 3 | Banaras Hindu University (BHU) | Varanasi | 5 (University) | Philosophy, Hindi, Sanskrit, Performing Arts | Harivansh Rai Bachchan |
| 4 | University of Calcutta | Kolkata | 12 (University) | History, English, Philosophy, Journalism | Subhas Chandra Bose, Amartya Sen |
| 5 | Jadavpur University | Kolkata | 4 (University) | Comparative Literature, Film Studies, History, Political Science | Ritwik Ghatak |
| 6 | University of Hyderabad | Hyderabad | 10 (University) | English, Political Science, Sociology, Performing Arts | Kancha Ilaiah |
| 7 | Jamia Millia Islamia | New Delhi | 3 (University) | Mass Communication, Sociology, Political Science, English | Shah Rukh Khan |
| 8 | Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) | Aligarh | 9 (University) | Urdu, Philosophy, Islamic Studies, History | Zakir Hussain |
| 9 | Christ University | Bangalore | NAAC A+ | Psychology, English, Communication, Economics | Gautham Vasudev Menon |
| 10 | Panjab University | Chandigarh | 25 (University) | Public Administration, History, Sociology, Fine Arts | Kalpana Chawla |
Latest News: DU has fully transitioned to the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP)
Top 10 universities in India for Commerce
Commerce courses mainly include B.com, B.com hons, BBA, BBE and BMS. These courses are the foundational degree courses and includes subjects like accountancy, business laws, company laws, mathematics, economics business studies etc. If you are someone who is planning to take up commerce, check the following list of top 10 universities in India for commerce:-
| Rank | University Name | Location | NIRF 2024 Rank | Popular Commerce Courses | Notable Alumni |
| 1 | University of Delhi (DU) | Delhi | 11 (Overall) | B.Com (Hons), Economics, Finance, Business Studies | Arun Jaitley, Raghuram Rajan |
| 2 | Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), DU | Delhi | Part of DU | B.Com (Hons), Economics (Hons) | Arun Jaitley, Rajat Sharma |
| 3 | Loyola College | Chennai | 7 (Colleges) | B.Com (General/Hons), Corporate Secretaryship, Economics | Viswanathan Anand |
| 4 | Christ University | Bangalore | NAAC A+ | B.Com (Hons), Finance, Economics, CA-integrated courses | Rahul Dravid |
| 5 | St. Xavier’s College | Mumbai | NAAC A++ | B.Com, BMS, Economics | Mukesh Ambani, Ratan Tata (Board) |
| 6 | Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics | Mumbai | NAAC A | B.Com, BAF, BFM, BMS | Nita Ambani, Anil Ambani |
| 7 | Symbiosis College of Arts and Commerce | Pune | NAAC A+ | B.Com, M.Com, Finance | Ajay Devgn (Affiliated) |
| 8 | Hansraj College, DU | Delhi | Part of DU | B.Com (Hons), Economics | Shah Rukh Khan |
| 9 | Presidency University | Kolkata | 12 (University) | B.Sc. Economics, Business Studies | Amartya Sen |
| 10 | Jain University | Bangalore | NAAC A++ | B.Com (Hons), ACCA, Finance & Investment Analysis | Pankaj Advani |
Best universities in India for Science
| Rank | University Name | Location | NIRF 2024 Rank | Popular Science Courses | Notable Alumni |
| 1 | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) | Bangalore | 1 (Overall) | Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Mathematics, Data Science | C.N.R. Rao, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan |
| 2 | Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) | New Delhi | 2 (University) | Life Sciences, Environmental Science, Biotechnology | Nirmala Sitharaman |
| 3 | University of Delhi (DU) | Delhi | 11 (Overall) | B.Sc. (Hons) in Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Maths | Raghuram Rajan |
| 4 | Banaras Hindu University (BHU) | Varanasi | 5 (University) | B.Sc., M.Sc. in Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Maths | Harivansh Rai Bachchan |
| 5 | Jadavpur University | Kolkata | 4 (University) | Physics, Chemistry, Geography, Electronics | Ritwik Ghatak |
| 6 | University of Hyderabad | Hyderabad | 10 (University) | Applied Sciences, Life Sciences, Mathematics | Kancha Ilaiah |
| 7 | Anna University | Chennai | 8 (University) | Physics, Chemistry, Applied Sciences, Nanotechnology | Verghese Kurien (AMUL) |
| 8 | University of Calcutta | Kolkata | 12 (University) | B.Sc. in Physics, Chemistry, Microbiology, Environmental Science | Subhas Chandra Bose |
| 9 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) | Manipal | 6 (University) | B.Sc. in Biotechnology, Physics, Forensic Science | Satya Nadella (studied at MAHE) |
| 10 | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | Coimbatore | 7 (University) | Data Science, Physics, Chemistry, Artificial Intelligence | Recognized for research & innovation |
Latest News: JNU introduced a new AI-based Research Center for Social Sciences
IITs: Top 10 Institutes in India for Engineering
When it comes to engineering, each one of us is aware of the reputation that IITs hold. You get a seat in top IITs by clearing the cut off of JEE exams- Mains and Advance. Here is the list of top ranking IITS:-
| Rank | University/Institute | Location | NIRF 2024 Engineering Rank | Popular Engineering Branches | Notable Alumni |
| 1 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras | Chennai | 1 | CSE, EEE, Mechanical, AI & Data Science | Sundar Pichai (Google CEO) |
| 2 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi | New Delhi | 2 | CSE, Civil, ECE, Chemical, Energy Studies | Raghuram Rajan, Sachin Bansal |
| 3 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay | Mumbai | 3 | CSE, Electrical, Aerospace, Metallurgy | Nandan Nilekani, Jairam Ramesh |
| 4 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur | Kanpur | 4 | Mechanical, Computer Science, Aerospace | Narayana Murthy |
| 5 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur | Kharagpur | 5 | Civil, Mining, Architecture, AI | Arvind Kejriwal |
| 6 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee | Roorkee | 6 | Civil, Biotechnology, ECE, Data Science | Amitabh Bhattacharya |
| 7 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati | Guwahati | 7 | Chemical, CSE, Mechanical, ECE | Parag Agrawal (ex-Twitter CEO) |
| 8 | National Institute of Technology (NIT) Trichy | Tiruchirappalli | 8 | Electrical, Mechanical, Production, Instrumentation | K. Radhakrishnan (ISRO) |
| 9 | Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad | Hyderabad | 9 | AI, ML, Biomedical, CSE | Rapidly rising in AI research |
| 10 | Jadavpur University | Kolkata | 10 | Electrical, Civil, Computer Science, Production | Ritwik Ghatak |
“Read about the top engineering colleges in Jaipur“
Top 10 Institutes in India for Medical
Done with the NEET? Now it is time to choose the best medical college for you and hence here is the list of top medical institutes in India for our future doctors like you:-
| Rank | University/Institution | Location | NIRF 2024 Rank | Popular Courses | Notable Alumni |
| 1 | AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences) | New Delhi | 1 | MBBS, MD/MS, Nursing, Paramedical | Dr. Randeep Guleria (Former Director, AIIMS), Dr. Deepak Chopra (Alternative medicine advocate) |
| 2 | PGIMER (Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research) | Chandigarh | 2 | MD, MS, MDS, B.Sc. Nursing | Dr. Jagat Ram (Ex-Director, PGIMER), Dr. Rakesh Aggarwal (Virologist) |
| 3 | Christian Medical College (CMC) | Vellore | 3 | MBBS, B.Sc. Nursing, Allied Health Sciences | Dr. Ida Scudder (Founder), Dr. Abraham Verghese (Author, Stanford Prof.) |
| 4 | NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences) | Bengaluru | 4 | Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Clinical Psychology | Dr. Shekhar Seshadri (Child Psychiatrist), Dr. B.N. Gangadhar (Ex-Director) |
| 5 | BHU – Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS-BHU) | Varanasi | 5 | MBBS, Ayurveda, Nursing | Dr. K.K. Aggarwal (Padma Shri awardee), Dr. Surya Kant Tripathi (Pulmonologist) |
| 6 | JIPMER (Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research) | Puducherry | 6 | MBBS, MD/MS, Nursing | Dr. Soumya Swaminathan (Former Chief Scientist, WHO) |
| 7 | SGPGIMS (Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences) | Lucknow | 7 | MD, DM, Nursing | Dr. Rakesh Kapoor (Urologist), Dr. Arvind Rajwanshi (Pathologist) |
| 8 | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham – School of Medicine | Kochi | 8 | MBBS, MD, B.Sc. Nursing | Dr. Bipin Nair (Biotech Researcher), Known for alumni in international hospitals |
| 9 | KGMU (King George’s Medical University) | Lucknow | 9 | MBBS, MD, B.Sc. Nursing | Dr. Ramakant (Padma Shri Surgeon), Dr. U.S. Sharma (Dean, AIIMS Bhopal) |
| 10 | St. John’s Medical College | Bengaluru | 10 | MBBS, B.Sc. Nursing, Allied Health | Dr. Vinod Paul (NITI Aayog), Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty (Founder, Narayana Health)* |
“Read about the upcoming government exams in 2025- Click here“
Top Colleges in India for Nursing
| Rank | Nursing Institution | Notable Alumni |
| 1 | AIIMS Nursing College, Delhi | Alumni working as Chief Nursing Officers in AIIMS, NHS (UK), and UAE |
| 2 | CMC Vellore – College of Nursing | Many graduates serve in WHO, UNICEF, and NGOs globally |
| 3 | PGIMER – Nursing College, Chandigarh | Leading nurses in military hospitals, NHS, and medical universities abroad |
| 4 | Rajkumari Amrit Kaur College of Nursing | Public health leaders and professors at AIIMS, DU, and Columbia University |
| 5 | St. John’s College of Nursing | Senior staff nurses and administrators in international hospitals and NGOs |
Conclusion
After having the comprehensive list of the top tier colleges and universities, you can now enroll in the best college that suits your need and is best for your desired course. These Top 10 Universities in India aren’t just any campuses; these are launchpads for global changemakers be it as leaders, scientists, writers, entrepreneurs, or any other field. Whether you’re into tech, medicine, politics, or literature, there’s a university here that fits your dreams.
FAQs
- How to choose the top universities?
The best universities are the one with better rankings (NIRF, NAAC, etc.), superb infrastructure, global reputations etc.
- What rank is IIT in the world?
In the 2025 QS World University Rankings, IIT Bombay is ranked 118th globally.
- What are the top 3 university in India?
Top 3 universities differ on the subject rankings and course you are opting for. Overall, 3 top universities mostly ranking
- Which college gives 100% placement in India?
Colleges like are IITs, NITs, IIMs etc are said to give almost 100% placement to its students.
