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NIRF will introduce negative marking for retracted and tainted research papers to curb malpractice, following concerns over credibility.
NIRF rankings to include penalties for research misconduct, including retractions and tainted papers. (Representational Image/Getty)
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is set to introduce negative marking for certain parameters, including retracted research papers and citations of tainted papers, officials have confirmed.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced the tenth edition of the NIRF. Since its launch, the framework has never included negative weightage.
Anil Sahashrabudhe, chairman of the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), which manages the NIRF, said the framework would now penalise institutions for research misconduct. “For the first time, penalties are being formally stitched into the ranking methodology to act against research malpractice and misrepresentation of data. The negative marking system will soon be declared and draft norms are being readied,” he said.
The NIRF evaluates institutions across five broad areas: teaching and learning, graduation outcomes, research, outreach, and perception. With over 8,700 institutions participating in the 2024 cycle, the rankings have become an important reference point for students, recruiters, and policymakers.
In several institutions, a large number of research papers have been retracted over the past two to three years, raising concerns about their credibility. “Unless we give negative marks, people will not correct it. With rankings like the QS, Times Higher Education and NIRF, not taking retractions into account for scoring, many institutes were climbing the ladder despite alarmingly high retractions from their research wings,” Sahashrabudhe added.
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The issue was also highlighted in a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in the Madras High Court in April, which questioned the transparency of ranking systems like the NIRF. The PIL stated that NIRF rankings were calculated “merely on data provided by the educational institutes on their website, without any verification or auditing”.
Following the PIL, the court initially issued an interim stay on the rankings. However, this was later lifted after the Centre intervened, saying a “scientific method” prescribed by an expert body was being followed for publication of the NIRF ranking list.
(With inputs from PTI)
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October 03, 2025, 16:56 IST
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