IITs and IIMs are Institutes of National Importance, so why isn’t JNU? Explained

Jawaharlal Nehru University secured the second position in the NIRF Ranking 2025 University category.

Edited By: Sumaila Zaman

Published: January 7, 2026, 3:02 PM IST

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https://www.india.com/education/iits-and-iims-are-institutes-of-national-importance-so-why-isnt-jnu-explained-8259038/ Copy

Observing that the material placed on record by the prosecution indicates key involvement of Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam to plan, mobilise and strategically direct the alleged 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy, beyond isolated or localised acts, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant the accused bail, while upholding the constitutional validity of their prolonged detention.

According to the news agency ANI report, a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria said that the material against the two men primarily accused in the conspiracy case, considered on face value as required at this stage, does not justify their enlargement on bail.

Several Left-wing student organisations raised anti-PM Modi, HM Shah slogans at JNU earlier this week at ‘Guerrilla Dhaba’, during a programme held to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the January 2020 attack on students and teachers at JNU by masked assailants. Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) chief security officer (CSO) Naveen Yadav mentioned that during the course of the programme, the Supreme Court announced the rejection of bail pleas to former university students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots case, and the “nature and tone of the gathering changed significantly”.

“Certain students began raising highly objectionable, provocative, and inflammatory slogans. It is a direct contempt of the Honourable Supreme Court of India. The raising of such slogans is wholly inconsistent with democratic dissent, violates the JNU Code of Conduct, and has the potential to seriously disturb public order, campus harmony, and the safety and security environment of the University,” the CSO was quoted as saying by IANS.

It is to be noted that Jawaharlal Nehru University secured the second position in the NIRF Ranking 2025 University category. In India, an Institute of National Importance (INI) is one that plays a key role in producing highly skilled professionals in a particular area.

According to the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Govt of India, these INIs include IITs, IIITs, AIIMS, central universities such as Aligarh Muslim University, BHU, and others. It is to be noted that JNU is also a Central University focusing broadly on social sciences and humanities. Although it’s a major national institution, but do not currently hold INI tag similar to other specialized bodies like AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, IISc, etc.