IIRF 2026: Kozhikode Govt Medical College tops Kerala, ranks 20th nationally
Government Medical College (GMC), Kozhikode, has been ranked first among medical institutions in Kerala and 20th nationally in the Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) 2026. The ranking covers 144 government medical institutions across the country.
The IIRF, a private organisation established in 2015, publishes annual rankings of higher education institutions based on nine broad parameters. These include academic reputation, graduate outcomes and employability, research outcomes, demand ratio and student profile, employer reputation and international outlook, well-being and institutional development, peer perception and alumni feedback, public perception and data verification, and impact and value addition.
According to the ranking data, GMC Kozhikode scored 156.03 in teaching, learning resources and pedagogy, 156.67 in research outcomes, 153.75 in innovative medical infrastructure, 153.93 in social inclusion, 151.10 in future orientation, and 149.07 in external perception. The overall weighted index was 926.74 out of 1,000.
Among other government medical colleges in Kerala, GMC Thiruvananthapuram was ranked 41st nationally and second in the state. GMC Kottayam secured the 66th position nationally and third in Kerala, while T.D. Medical College, Alappuzha, was placed 86th nationally and fourth in the state. No private medical college from the state appeared in the list.
The achievement comes as GMC Kozhikode enters its 70th year. The institution was founded on August 5, 1957, during the tenure of the first Communist-led government in Kerala, and was the second medical college established in the state. K.N. Pisharoty served as its first principal.
Initially, classes were conducted at the present Government General Hospital near the beach before shifting to the current campus near Chevayur. From a 200-bed facility, the hospital has grown to over 3,000 beds. It handles around 30,000 deliveries annually, one of the highest numbers in Asia.
Each batch currently has 250 graduate students. The Institute for Maternal and Child Health was established in 1975, followed by the Savithri Saboo Memorial Cancer Institute and the Institute of Chest Diseases. The college, earlier affiliated to the University of Calicut, is now affiliated to the Kerala University of Health Sciences.
These rankings reflect the institution's sustained focus on education, research, and healthcare delivery. However, it is important to note that IIRF is a private ranking body and not an official government assessment. Prospective students and stakeholders may consider multiple sources while evaluating institutions.
