The recent National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF-Ministry of Education) for 2025 provides a clear picture of the academic performance of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states. Telangana keeps up its good performance, with numerous establishments ranking among the best 100 at the national level. While the bifurcated state of Andhra Pradesh is facing troubles.

Telangana's Victory Lap

The power of the Telangana state is in its major institutions, such as the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad, which not only reached a top position in the overall category but also in engineering. The University of Hyderabad, likewise, accomplished good results and ranked among the leading universities. Besides, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad, and the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, are in the top-ranked institutions in their respective areas. The performance is interpreted as a signal lamp, indicating a sustained focus on research, quality faculty, and global collaboration.

Andhra Pradesh's Wake-up Call

A performance of Andhra Pradesh is more limited; however, it has several institutions in the top 100. Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, is a flagship performer, dominating the state in various sectors and achieving a high rank among state public universities. Besides, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation (KL University) and Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology & Research also gained places in the rankings. Although these are good developments, the overall rankings indicate a "wake-up call" for the state to better its position, particularly to establish a strong national academic identity and solve issues, such as low perception scores for many of its rural and semi-urban institutions.

State Funded Academic Research

State-funded schemes that promote academic research, university-based start-ups, and interdisciplinary collaboration can go a long way in improving institutional performance. Simultaneously, a greater connection with the industry and a deeper focus on inclusion and accessibility, especially in tribal and rural areas, can facilitate the fulfillment of educational and social objectives._

It is an era where data-driven decisions are prevalent in the discourse on higher education. The ranking National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), initiated by the Ministry of Education back in 2015, is a hallmark of academic credibility and institutional performance in India. With parameters ranging from teaching, learning, and resources to research and professional practice, graduation outcomes, outreach, inclusivity, and perception, NIRF attempts to depict a holistic view of the quality of higher education institutions all over the country.

Gaps Which Must Not Be Ignored!

After the release of the 2025 NIRF rankings, states such as Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are at a crossroads. Besides that, there are also moments of pride; there are also glaring gaps that must not be ignored. The NIRF results are not only applause but also caution for the two states that have shown great ambition in the education sector post-bifurcation.

Telangana and more specifically Hyderabad, a developing center for technology and education, is very well represented in the NIRF lists, especially in categories like engineering, pharmacy, and overall university rankings. The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H), University of Hyderabad, and NALSAR University of Law maintain very high standards and continue to be in the top 10 or 20 in their respective areas. Private universities and deemed-to-be institutions like the International Institute of Information Technology (IIIT-H) and BITS Pilani (Hyderabad campus) are also contributing to the state’s intellectual capital.

Such results are not coincidental; they are the outcome of the sustained emphasis on quality faculty, research culture, and global collaborations.

On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh depicts a less bright scenario. Although institutions like Andhra University and Sri Venkateswara University are ranked, they are not among the leading positions. The state, despite the establishment of state-run universities and the development of new institutions post-bifurcation in 2014, is struggling to stand out in the national academic landscape. The absence of an IIT or IIM from the top tiers in AP should be a concern for policymakers.

NIRF Ranks to Reflect Underlying Issues

NIRF rankings are not just numbers; they reflect the underlying issues. For instance, in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, rural and semi-urban institutions have low perception scores, which indicate reputation among peers and employers.

This indicates the need for strategic branding, industry engagement, and alumni involvement, which are traditionally neglected areas in state-run institutions. Besides this, research output and citations, which are major elements in the rankings, are largely dominated by a few elite institutions. The remaining ones suffer due to a lack of funding, few industry tie-ups, and no incentives for faculty to publish quality research.

Both states ' boltholes are teacher recruitment, infrastructure improvement, staff retention, and research and innovation culture augmentation. State-funded schemes that promote academic research, university-based startups, and interdisciplinary collaboration can go a long way in improving institutional performance. Simultaneously, more industry connections and a stronger focus on inclusivity, especially in tribal and rural areas, can make educational and social goals easier to achieve. Although Telangana has achieved some success in opening up education through welfare schemes and residential institutions, Andhra Pradesh needs to increase its efforts in order to bring about real educational inclusion in the state.

Just as important is the case for transparency and accountability in the operations of higher education institutions. Universities must be given autonomy, but at the same time, mechanisms must be in place that ensure merit-based hiring, efficient administration, and student-centric learning environments. Transition to outcome-based education and digitized governance will be among the factors leading to long-term benefits for institutional credibility.

Although NIRF rankings are not the ultimate judgment of the quality of the institution, they serve as an important diagnostic tool. For Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which have young populations, emerging industries, and aspirations to become knowledge economies, these rankings should be seen not only as report cards but also as roadmaps. The point is straightforward: potential is enormous, but the way to the future needs to be envisioned, invested in, and reformed.

It is high time the two states ceased their competition and joined forces to become academically excellent, thus setting not only regional but also national benchmarks. At the end of the day, in the race for educational leadership, good intentions are not enough; only measurable outcomes matter.