Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) Rankings & Recognitions 2025 Details

The ICAR – Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi—popularly known as the Pusa Institute—is India’s premier seat of higher agricultural research, education, and extension. Established in 1905 in Pusa, Bihar, and relocated to New Delhi in 1936, IARI was granted Deemed-to-be-University status under the UGC Act in 1958.

As the architect of India’s Green Revolution and the nation's principal driver of agricultural innovation, IARI holds a dominant position across national institutional rankings, international subject evaluations, scientific accreditations, and research honors.

National & International Rankings

IARI maintains an undisputed position at the top of national agricultural education while expanding its footprint on international university league tables.

• NIRF Rankings (Ministry of Education, Govt. of India):
  • Agriculture & Allied Sectors Category: IARI has held the #1 Rank nationwide consecutively. In the 2025 NIRF evaluation, it scored 23 out of 100, maintaining a significant lead over all other agricultural universities in India.
  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Category: IARI ranked #2 nationally in the institutional SDG category, highlighting its pioneering research in climate-resilient agriculture, resource management, and rural sustainability.
  • University Category: Ranked #16 overall among all public and private universities across India.
  • Overall & Research Categories: Ranked #24 in the Overall category and #29 among Research Institutions.
• QS World University Rankings by Subject:
  • Agriculture & Forestry Category: IARI made a historic global debut in the QS World University Rankings, securing a place in the 151–200 global band. It stands alongside premier institutions such as IIT Kharagpur, Banaras Hindu University, and the University of Delhi within this bracket.

Key Rankings & Institutional Recognition Summary

Accreditations, Faculty Awards & Institutional Honors

1. UGC Category-I Autonomy: IARI operates with full academic and operational autonomy as a premier Deemed University under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
2. Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO): Formally recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science and Technology, granting duty and tariff concessions for advanced research imports.
3. Pioneering Crop Variety Releases: IARI scientists have earned national civilian honors (including Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards) for breakthrough agricultural innovations. The institute is globally credited with breeding high-yielding Basmati rice varieties (e.g., Pusa Basmati 1121, Pusa Basmati 1509) and biofortified wheat cultivars that generate billions in export revenue for India.
4. World Food Prize Legacy: Legendary agricultural scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan served as Director of IARI, laying the scientific groundwork for the Green Revolution that earned him the first World Food Prize in 1987.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: What is the current NIRF ranking of ICAR-IARI New Delhi in Agriculture?

ICAR-IARI holds the #1 Rank in the NIRF Agriculture and Allied Sectors category with an institutional score of 89.23.

Q2: Is ICAR-IARI recognized in global university rankings?

Yes, ICAR-IARI debuted in the QS World University Rankings by Subject under the Agriculture & Forestry category, placed in the 151–200 global band.

Q3: Does IARI offer undergraduate programs alongside PG and Ph.D. courses?

While historically focused on postgraduate (M.Sc./M.Tech) and doctoral (Ph.D.) research, IARI introduced selective Undergraduate (B.Sc. Hons Agriculture) degree programs under the ICAR national admission framework.

Q4: How does IARI rank among general Indian universities in NIRF?

In addition to holding the top spot in Agriculture, IARI ranks #16 among all Indian universities and #24 overall across all higher education institutions in India.

Q5: Who grants degrees to students graduating from IARI New Delhi?

IARI is a statutory Deemed-to-be-University under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, and awards its own M.Sc., M.Tech., and Ph.D. degrees independently.