Gather it once from departments, reuse it for NIRF, AISHE and NAAC
This NIRF data collection checklist is for IQAC coordinators, NIRF and AISHE nodal officers and registrars who compile institutional data every year from departments that each keep it differently. It lists what the NIRF parameters and the AISHE data capture format typically ask for, and shows how Bharat Survey forms can collect it from departments in a fixed structure, with review and Excel exports. Submission itself always happens on the official portals.
- Checklist by NIRF parameter group
- AISHE data capture sections in plain words
- Department forms with validation and review
- Excel exports arranged for the data cell
- Comes regularly
- Comes sometimes
- Rarely / never
- Don't know
NIRF groups its metrics into five parameters. The fields below are what institutions typically need to gather internally; the exact metrics and formats change by year and category, so confirm against the current NIRF methodology.
Teaching, Learning and Resources
- Sanctioned and actual student intake by programme
- Faculty list with qualifications and experience
- Student-faculty ratio inputs
- Capital and operational expenditure
- Library, lab and sports facility spend
Research and Graduation Outcomes
- Publications and citations (from databases NIRF uses)
- Sponsored research and consultancy amounts
- Patents published and granted
- Students graduating in minimum time
- Placement, higher studies and median salary
Outreach, Inclusivity, Perception
- Students from other states and countries
- Women students and faculty
- Economically and socially challenged students
- Facilities for differently abled students
- Perception is collected by NIRF, not by the institution
Our view
The All India Survey on Higher Education collects data through a data capture format for universities, colleges and standalone institutions. Broadly, it covers these areas.
Basic institution details
Address, type, management, affiliation, year of establishment and location details.
- Checked once a year
- Owned by the registrar's office
Programmes and enrolment
Programmes offered, intake and enrolment by level, gender and category, including persons with disabilities and minority students.
- Collected from each department
- Must match admission records
- Comes regularly
- Comes sometimes
- Rarely / never
- Don't know
Examination results
Students appeared and passed by programme, gender and category.
Teaching and non-teaching staff
Staff counts and details by designation, gender, category and qualification.
Finance and infrastructure
Income and expenditure heads, and infrastructure such as hostels and facilities, as the format specifies.
One structured form per department
Each department fills the same form with enrolment, results, staff, research and placement fields. Validation catches totals that do not add up, percentages above 100 and missing mandatory fields while the department is still filling it.
Forms are versioned each academic year, so last year's data keeps last year's definitions.
- Totals and range checks
- Required fields
- Yearly form versions
- Comes regularly
- Comes sometimes
- Rarely / never
- Don't know
Review before anything is used
The data cell sees which departments have submitted, sends corrections back and approves each return. Only approved returns go into the institution-level export.
- Submission status per department
- Corrections with comments
- Approved-only exports
Graduate outcome tracer surveys
Placement and higher-studies status of recent graduates can be collected by staff through calls or alumni events, using a short form with consent, and summarised by programme.
- Staff-recorded
- Consent captured
- Summary by programme
- Complete
- Partial
- Declined
- No contact
- Home locked
- Revisit
| Task | Bharat Survey | Where it happens instead |
|---|---|---|
| Collect department data in fixed formats | Yes | |
| Validate and review department returns | Yes | |
| Export institution-level Excel for the data cell | Yes | |
| Graduate outcome tracer surveys | Yes, staff-recorded | |
| Submit data to NIRF or AISHE | No | Official NIRF and AISHE portals, by the nodal officer |
| Calculate NIRF scores or predict rank | No | NIRF methodology; no tool can guarantee a rank |
| Fetch publication and citation data | No | Databases NIRF uses; library or research cell |
| Publish submitted data on the website | No | Institution website, as NIRF requires |
Not the right fit if
- You want software that files on the NIRF or AISHE portal for you
- You want a rank prediction or score optimisation service
- You need an ERP for admissions, fees and exams
- Departments must fill forms on iPhones
A good fit if
- Data cells chasing twenty departments every year
- Institutions reusing one dataset for NIRF, AISHE and NAAC
- Graduate outcome tracking by staff
- Colleges already running feedback rounds with us
Straight answers to the questions people ask most about this topic.
NIRF data submission portal deadline?
NIRF announces the data submission window for each ranking cycle on nirfindia.org, and dates change every year, sometimes with extensions. Check the current notice there. Plan internal department collection at least two months before the window opens so the data cell has time to review.
When does AISHE data collection happen?
The Ministry of Education runs AISHE annually and announces timelines on aishe.gov.in. Institutions registered on the portal fill the data capture format for the reference year. Check the portal for the current cycle rather than relying on last year's dates.
Can the same data serve NIRF, AISHE and NAAC?
Much of it overlaps: enrolment, faculty, results and placements. Definitions and reference periods differ, so keep the source data by department and year, then prepare each submission separately from it.
Do departments need a paid seat each?
Seats are for people who fill forms in the Android app. For department returns we agree the setup during quotation, depending on how many people enter data and how often.
Send last year's department template. We will turn it into a validated form and show the data cell's review screen.