JNU vs NEHU (2027): NIRF Rank, Placements, Faculty Compared

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is in New Delhi, Delhi, was set up in 1969, is ranked #2 among universities in NIRF 2025 and holds NAAC A++. North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) is in Shillong, Meghalaya, was set up in 1973, is in the NIRF 151-200 band and holds NAAC A. Both admit students through CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRF, JEE Main, so one set of scores works for both.

Quick verdict

JNU is ahead on

JNU: higher NAAC grade (A++ vs A)
JNU: more teachers (713 vs 302)
JNU: fewer students per teacher (11 vs 18)
JNU: higher median salary (2-year PG) (Rs. 9 lakh (2024-25) vs Rs. 7.1 lakh (2024-25))
JNU: more of the PG batch placed (136 of 1,363 (10%) vs 100 of 1,204 (8%))
JNU: more research funding (Rs. 182 crore (2024-25) vs Rs. 3.6 crore (2024-25))
JNU: more PhDs awarded (919 (2024-25) vs 160 (2024-25))
JNU: more courses (91+ vs 57+)

NEHU is ahead on

No clear lead on the compared figures.

JNU vs NEHU: full comparison

Parameter	JNU	NEHU
Location	New Delhi, Delhi	Shillong, Meghalaya
Established	1969	1973
NIRF rank (University list)	#2	151-200
NAAC grade	A++	A
Students (UG, PG, PhD)	7,807 (2024-25)	5,490 (2024-25)
Women students	44%	56%
From other states	95%	24%
Teachers	713	302
Students per teacher	11	18
Median salary, 2-year PG	Rs. 9 lakh (2024-25)	Rs. 7.1 lakh (2024-25)
Placed, 2-year PG	136 of 1,363 (10%)	100 of 1,204 (8%)
Higher studies, 2-year PG	89% of the batch	7% of the batch
Research grants	Rs. 182 crore (2024-25)	Rs. 3.6 crore (2024-25)
PhDs awarded	919 (2024-25)	160 (2024-25)
Courses	91+	57+
UG fee	-	Rs. 3,600 to Rs. 18,000
PG fee	-	Rs. 140 tuition and Rs. 60 lab fee a month; MBA Rs. 20,000 a semester course fee
Hostel fee	-	Room rent Rs. 300 a month; caution Rs. 1,500 and mess caution Rs. 2,000
Admission routes	CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRF, JEE Main, CAT, GATE, GAT-B	CUET UG, CUET PG, NET/JRF, NCET/ITEP, JEE Main
Vice-Chancellor	Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit	-
	JNU profile →	NEHU profile →

Sources: NIRF 2025 (Ministry of Education) and NAAC. Students, teachers, median salaries, placements and research grants are from the data each university filed with NIRF and published on its own website (open a university's profile for the PDF). Fees are compared only where they have been checked against the university's own prospectus. A tick marks the better value in a row.

Courses both offer: seats side by side

JNU and NEHU both offer 14 courses under the same name. The seats are each university's printed intake; open a course to compare its fee and entrance at every Central University that offers it.

Course	JNU seats	NEHU seats	Offered at
M.A. Sociology	96	55	33 universities
M.A. Economics	96	Not printed	36 universities
M.A. Political Science	96	Not printed	31 universities
M.A. Education	40	48	25 universities
M.Sc. Chemistry	27	45	39 universities
M.A. Philosophy	62	Not printed	18 universities
M.Sc. Physics	45	Not printed	36 universities
M.A. English	39	Not printed	38 universities
M.A. Hindi	39	Not printed	39 universities
M.Sc. Environmental Science	39	Not printed	24 universities
M.Sc. Biotechnology	39	Not printed	25 universities
M.A. Linguistics	39	Not printed	12 universities
M.Tech. Electronics and Communication Engineering	15	23	10 universities
M.Sc. Mathematics	18	Not printed	34 universities

Which one should you choose?

Choose JNU if what matters most to you is: higher NAAC grade (A++ vs A); more teachers (713 vs 302); fewer students per teacher (11 vs 18), or you want to study in New Delhi.
Choose NEHU if its location, courses or admission route suit you better, or you want to study in Shillong.

Admission at both is mostly through the national entrance tests, so check each one's JNU admission and NEHU admission pages for the courses and seats you want.