In India, an Institution of National Importance (INI) refers to a premier public higher education institution granted special status by the constitution or an act of the Parliament of India. Such institutions are recognized for their pivotal role in developing highly skilled personnel within a specified region of the country or state. Institutes of National Importance enjoy special recognition, greater autonomy, and direct funding from the Government of India.

At the inception of the Constitution of India, the Seventh Schedule declared Banaras Hindu University and Aligarh Muslim University as institutes of national importance. Subsequently 32nd Amendment in 1973 added University of Delhi to the schedule. Other institutions are accorded as INI by legislations or statutory orders.

Common Acts

Architecture

The Schools of Planning and Architecture (SPA) are declared as Institutes of National Importance through the 'School of Planning and Architecture Act, 2014' and its subsequent amendments.

Design National Institutes of Design (NID) are declared as an Institution of National Importance through the 'National Institute of Design Act 2014' and its subsequent amendments.

Engineering and Technology Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) are declared as Institutes of National Importance through the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 and its subsequent amendments. National Institutes of Technology (NIT), IIEST Shibpur are declared as Institutes of National Importance through the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research Act, 2007 and its subsequent amendments. Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) are declared as Institutes of National Importance through the 'Indian Institute of Information Technology Act, 2014' and the 'Indian Institutes of Information Technology (Public-Private Partnership) Act, 2017' and their subsequent amendments. National Institutes of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) are declared as Institutes of National Importance through the National Institutes of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management Act, 2021'.Parliament passes bill to declare 2 food tech institutes as institutes of national importance, Outlook, 26 July 2021.

Management

Indian Institutes of Management (IIM) are declared as Institutes of National Importance through the Indian Institutes of Management Act, 2017 and its subsequent amendments.

Medicine All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) are declared as Institutes of National Importance through the 'All India Institute of Medical Sciences Act, 1956' and its subsequent amendments.

Pharmacy National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) are declared as Institutes of National Importance through the 'National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research Act, 1998' and its subsequent amendments.

Science Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISER) are Institutes of National Importance through the amendments in the National Institutes of Technology, Science Education and Research Act, 2007.

Universities Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Delhi University declared as Institutes of National Importance through Entry No. 63 union list-Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India.

Summary statistics

As of August 2026, there are 173 Institutes of National Importance under various Acts of Parliament. These INIs include: 23 IITs, 20 AIIMSs, 22 IIMs, 31 NITs, 25 IIITs, 7 IISERs, 7 NIPERs, 5 NIDs, 3 SPAs, 2 NIFTEMs, 10 central universities, 4 medical research institutes, and 14 other specialized institutes.

Indian Institute of Technology (IITs)

Institute City State Founded Type Specialization Indian Institute of Technology, Jodhpur Jodhpur Rajasthan 2008 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Tirupati Tirupati Andhra Pradesh 2015 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati Guwahati Assam 1994 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Patna Patna Bihar 2008 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Bhilai Bhilai Chhattisgarh 2016 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi South Delhi Delhi 1963 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Goa Farmagudi Goa 2016 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar Gandhinagar Gujarat 2008 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Mandi Mandi Himachal Pradesh 2009 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Jammu Jammu Jammu and Kashmir 2016 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad Dhanbad Jharkhand 1926 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad Dharwad Karnataka 2016 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad Palakkad Kerala 2015 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Indore Indore Madhya Pradesh 2009 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay Mumbai Maharashtra 1958 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, BhubaneswarBhubaneswarOdisha 2008 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad Hyderabad Telangana 2008 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar Rupnagar Punjab 2008 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Madras Chennai Tamil Nadu 1959 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur Kanpur Uttar Pradesh 1959 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), VaranasiIIT Roorkee was included in the IIT system in 2001; IIT-BHU Varanasi was included in the IIT system in 2012; IIT-ISM Dhanbad was included in the IIT system in 2016 Varanasi Uttar Pradesh 1919 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee Roorkee Uttarakhand 1847 IIT Engineering Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur Kharagpur West Bengal 1951 IIT Engineering

Indian Institute of Management (IIMs)

Institute City State Founded Type SpecializationIndian Institute of Management, AhmedabadAhmedabadGujarat 1961 IIMManagement Indian Institute of Management, AmritsarAmritsarPunjab 2015 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, BangaloreBengaluruKarnataka 1973 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, Bodh GayaBodh GayaBihar 2015 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, CalcuttaKolkataWest Bengal 1961 IIM Management Indian Institute of Management, IndoreIndoreMadhya Pradesh 1996 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, JammuJammuJammu and Kashmir 2016 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, Kashipur Kashipur Uttarakhand 2011 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, KozhikodeKozhikodeKerala 1996 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, LucknowLucknowUttar Pradesh 1984 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, NagpurNagpurMaharashtra 2015 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, RaipurRaipurChhattisgarh 2010IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, RanchiRanchiJharkhand 2010 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, RohtakRohtakHaryana 2010 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, SambalpurSambalpurOdisha 2015 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, ShilliongShillongMeghalaya 2007 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, SirmaurPaonta SahibHimachal Pradesh 2015 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, TiruchirappalliTiruchirappalliTamil Nadu 2011 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, UdaipurUdaipurRajasthan 2011 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, VisakhapatnamVisakhapatnamAndhra Pradesh 2015 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, MumbaiNational Institute for Training in Industrial Engineering was re-established as IIM, Mumbai in 2023MumbaiMaharashtra 1963 IIM ManagementIndian Institute of Management, GuwahatiGuwahatiAssam2026IIMManagement

Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIITs)

Institute City State Founded Type Specialization Atal Bihari Vajpayee Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Gwalior Gwalior Madhya Pradesh 1997 IIIT Information Technology Indian Institute of Information Technology, Agartala Agartala Tripura 2018 IIIT Information TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, AllahabadPrayagrajUttar Pradesh1999IIITInformation Technology Indian Institute of Information Technology, Bhagalpur Bhagalpur Bihar 2017 IIIT Information Technology Indian Institute of Information Technology, Bhopal Bhopal Madhya Pradesh 2017 IIIT Information Technology Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Jabalpur Jabalpur Madhya Pradesh 2005 IIIT Information Technology Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Kancheepuram Chennai Tamil Nadu 2007 IIIT Information Technology Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing, Kurnool Kurnool Andhra Pradesh 2015 IIIT Information Technology Indian Institute of Information Technology, DharwadDharwadKarnataka 2015 IIIT Information TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, GuwahatiGuwahatiAssam 2013 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, KalyaniKalyaniWest Bengal 2014 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, KotaKotaRajasthan 2013 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, KottayamKottayamKerala 2015 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, LucknowLucknowUttar Pradesh 2015 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, ManipurImphalManipur 2015 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, NagpurNagpurMaharashtra 2016 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, PunePuneMaharashtra 2016 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, RaichurRaichurKarnataka 2019 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, RanchiRanchiJharkhand2016IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, SonepatSonipatHaryana 2014 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, Sri CitySri CityAndhra Pradesh 2013 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, SuratSuratGujarat 2017 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, TiruchirappalliTiruchirappalliTamil Nadu2013IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, UnaUnaHimachal Pradesh 2014 IIITInformation TechnologyIndian Institute of Information Technology, VadodaraVadodaraGujarat 2013 IIITInformation Technology

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISERs)

Institute City State Founded Type Specialization Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Berhampur Berhampur Odisha 2016 IISER Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal Bhopal Madhya Pradesh 2008 IISER Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kolkata Kalyani West Bengal 2006 IISER Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Mohali Mohali Punjab 2007 IISER Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune Pune Maharashtra 2006 IISER Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram Kerala 2008 IISER Sciences Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Tirupati Tirupati Andhra Pradesh 2015 IISER Sciences

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMSs)