Belagavi’s higher education institutions have secured notable positions in the latest International Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) India Rankings 2026, with KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research, Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), KLS Gogte Institute of Technology and several other institutions earning national recognition across university, engineering, management, medical and allied health disciplines.
The International Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) is an India-based organisation that publishes annual rankings of higher education institutions. According to IIRF, its India Rankings evaluate more than 2,500 institutions across universities, engineering, management, law, architecture, medicine and allied health sciences using multiple performance indicators including academic reputation, research, graduate outcomes, employability and institutional development.
Belagavi institutions in IIRF India Rankings 2026
Among the institutions from Belagavi that featured in the rankings are:
| Category | Institution | All India Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Deemed Universities | KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research | 66 |
| Government Engineering Universities | Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) | 51 |
| Business Schools | VTU Centre for Post Graduate Studies | 59 |
| Autonomous/Affiliated Engineering Colleges | KLS Gogte Institute of Technology | 34 |
| Architecture | KLS Gogte Institute of Technology – Department of Architecture | 39 |
| Medical Colleges | Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College | 22 |
| Dental Colleges | KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital | 27 |
| Pharmacy Colleges | KLE College of Pharmacy | 36 |
| Physiotherapy Colleges | KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research Institute of Physiotherapy | 18 |
| Nursing Colleges | KLE Society’s Institute of Nursing Sciences | 58 |
Among these, KLE Academy of Higher Education and Research emerged as the highest-ranked comprehensive university from Belagavi, securing 66th place nationally among deemed universities and 8th in Karnataka.
VTU also maintained a strong presence, ranking 51st nationally among government engineering institutions while its Centre for Post Graduate Studies secured 59th place in the business school category.
KLS Gogte Institute of Technology continued its performance in engineering education by securing 34th rank among autonomous and affiliated engineering colleges, while its Department of Architecture ranked 39th nationally.
In the healthcare sector, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College achieved an impressive 22nd national rank, while KLE Vishwanath Katti Institute of Dental Sciences & Hospital, KLE College of Pharmacy, KLE Institute of Physiotherapy, and KLE Society’s Institute of Nursing Sciences also figured prominently in their respective categories.
What is IIRF?
The International Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) is a private ranking organisation, registered under the Companies Act, 2013. It states that it evaluates institutions using eight broad parameters including:
- Academic Reputation
- Graduate Outcomes & Employability
- Research Output
- Demand Ratio
- Employer Reputation & International Outlook
- Institutional Development
- Peer & Alumni Feedback
- Public Perception and Data Verification
The rankings are published annually and cover universities as well as discipline-specific institutions across India.
How significant are IIRF rankings?
While the IIRF rankings have gained visibility in higher education circles and are widely publicised by participating institutions, they do not carry the same official standing as the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), which is published by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. NIRF remains the country’s most widely recognised government-backed ranking system for higher education.
Education experts generally advise students to use IIRF rankings as one of several reference points when evaluating colleges, alongside NIRF rankings, accreditation status, faculty strength, placements, research output, infrastructure and alumni outcomes.
Disclaimer: The above list has been compiled from the IIRF India Rankings 2026 using “Belagavi/Belgaum” as the search criteria. There may be additional institutions from the district that feature in other categories or under different institutional names but were not identified during this compilation.