Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS) has registered a significant upward movement in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2027, entering the 1201-1400 global band, up from the 1501+ band in 2026.
The advancement marks a notable strengthening of MRIIRS's global position in one of the world's widely recognised university ranking frameworks. Its position among ranked Indian institutions has also moved from 98th among 128 ranked institutions in 2026 to 63rd among 170 institutions in 2027, as per the analysis of data available on the official ranking website.
The achievement comes as Manav Rachna celebrates 30 years of its educational journey, adding another significant milestone to three decades of institution building.
A key contributor to MRIIRS's performance this year has been Research Quality, which emerged as the University's strongest pillar. The development reflects sustained institutional efforts to strengthen the entire research ecosystem — spanning research funding and infrastructure to intellectual property, prototyping, incubation and translation of research into applications.
Dr. Prashant Bhalla, President, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, said, “This upward movement is deeply meaningful for us because it reflects progress built steadily over time. As we celebrate 30 years of Manav Rachna, our aspiration is not simply to move higher in rankings, but to build an institution whose teaching, research and innovation create lasting value. This recognition belongs to our faculty, researchers, students and every member of the Manav Rachna family who continues to raise the bar. It strengthens our resolve to keep investing in academic excellence and research that can make a meaningful difference to society.”
MRIIRS has attracted more than Rs. 850 lakh in research funding, with support from organisations including the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS), Haryana State Council for Science, Innovation & Technology (HSCSIT), and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research–Indian Institute of Millets Research (ICAR-IIMR), among others. Its research portfolio also includes participation in the European Union-funded ERASMUS+ Capacity Building in Higher Education programme.
The University's research priorities encompass Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Sustainable Materials and Green Technologies, Health Sciences and Clinical Research, and Management, Economics and Policy.
Dr. Amit Bhalla, Vice President, Manav Rachna Educational Institutions, said, “Global recognition is an outcome of what happens within a university every day - in its laboratories, classrooms, collaborations and the ideas its people pursue. Our focus has been on creating an environment where research is supported by the right infrastructure, funding, partnerships and pathways for innovation. The improvement in THE World University Rankings is encouraging, but more importantly, it tells us that the direction we have chosen is yielding results.”
The research ecosystem at MRIIRS has reported more than 6,000 research publications and over 300 patents published. Its areas of innovation include biomedical devices, agricultural technologies, environmental sustainability solutions, smart systems and automation, while prototyping extends to medical devices, sustainable packaging, agri-tech solutions and smart IoT systems.
Prof. (Dr.) Sanjay Srivastava, Vice Chancellor, MRIIRS, said, “A university's global standing is ultimately strengthened by the quality, relevance and impact of the knowledge it creates. The improvement in our THE World University Rankings position, with Research Quality emerging as our strongest pillar, is particularly encouraging because it reflects years of sustained work towards building a more rigorous and enabling research culture. Our endeavour now is to deepen this culture and take more research from knowledge creation to meaningful application.”
An important component of the University's innovation ecosystem is the Manav Rachna Innovation and Incubation Foundation (MRIIF), a Section 8 company established to foster innovation and entrepreneurship. The Foundation reports having supported 110+ startups, providing innovators with access to mentorship, infrastructure, skill development, incubation and acceleration, funding support and industry linkages.
For MRIIRS, the latest ranking represents an important external marker of progress while reinforcing its longer-term direction: strengthening research quality, expanding global and industry collaborations, supporting innovation and increasing the societal impact of academic work.
As Manav Rachna celebrates its 30th year, the movement in THE World University Rankings 2027 signals both progress achieved and the ambition ahead.
