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SRINAGAR: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) has been awarded 4th rank nationally (Agriculture & Horticulture University category) in the International Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) University Rankings 2026, reinforcing its growing stature as one of India’s leading institutions in agricultural education and research.
Ranked just behind three of the country’s most prestigious agricultural universities, ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi; Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana; and Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, SKUAST-K’s achievement reflects its remarkable rise as a leading center of excellence in agricultural education, research, innovation, and rural transformation.
The recognition places SKUAST-K among the country’s top agricultural universities and reflects its expanding academic, research, and innovation footprint. The ranking is based on IIRF’s comprehensive evaluation of over 2,500 institutions nationwide, using key performance indicators such as academic reputation, student diversity, research outcomes, innovation, infrastructure, community engagement, and international outlook.
SKUAST-K registered a strong performance across multiple ranking indicators, including academic excellence, research, innovation, inclusivity, community engagement, infrastructure, and global outreach. The university currently offers 14 undergraduate programs, the highest among state agricultural universities in the country, and has nearly 30 percent of its students from outside Jammu and Kashmir.
In research and innovation, SKUAST-K’s IPR tally stands at 123 IPRs, including 117 in the last four years, holds an H-index of 115, and has over 200 extramural research projects in operation. The university has also strengthened its profile through large-scale community engagement and development initiatives, such as the Student Rural Exploration Program, which covers 400 villages, involves about 4,000 students, and is expanding its national and international collaborations with reputable institutions and industries.
Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai, said the achievement reflects the sustained efforts of the university’s faculty, scientists, students, and staff. He said SKUAST-K remains committed to strengthening research, promoting innovation, and supporting farming communities through education, community engagement, and technology transfer. Prof. Ganai said the university has repositioned its strategic focus from local to national in 2022 and from national to global in 2026, with the aim of emerging as a globally reputed institution in transdisciplinary sciences.
The achievement further strengthens SKUAST-K’s position as a center of excellence in agricultural sciences, innovation, and rural transformation.
