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Retracted Papers Prompt Stricter Scrutiny in NIRF Rankings
India’s annual college and university rankings look at research papers and citations.
This year, many papers listed as retracted were flagged during the ranking process.
A retracted paper is one that a journal has formally removed from the scientific record because it may be unreliable or its publication process was compromised.
Papers can be withdrawn for reasons such as errors, plagiarism, or manipulated data, so a retraction does not always mean someone deliberately did something wrong.
Under the 2025 ranking rules, institutions can lose marks for retracted papers and citations.
Officials say institutions are being scrutinized and warned.
The National Board of Accreditation is considering excluding repeat offenders from future rankings.
The rankings are delayed, and officials have not said how many institutions were affected.
A large number of retracted research papers were flagged in the ongoing 2025 NIRF assessment, prompting government scrutiny of higher education institutions.
The 2025 NIRF framework deducts marks from institutions’ publication and citation scores based on retracted papers and citations.
The National Board of Accreditation is considering barring repeat offenders from future NIRF rankings, according to sources cited by ThePrint.
Retraction Watch recorded 887 Indian research-paper retractions in 2025, second to China’s 1,701.
This year’s rankings have been delayed; NIRF has not disclosed how many institutions or papers were affected by penalties.
- Who
- Higher education institutions, the National Board of Accreditation, and the National Institutional Ranking Framework.
- What
- Retracted research papers are being flagged in the NIRF assessment, with mark deductions and possible future exclusion for repeat offenders.
- Where
- India.
- When
- During the ongoing 2025 NIRF assessment; rankings are delayed from their usual August–September release period.
- Why
- The assessment applies penalties for retracted publications and citations amid scrutiny of research integrity.
Ranking penalties
Caution in interpreting retractions
How institutions should be held accountable
Ranking penalties
A senior government official said institutions are being warned, negative marking will apply, and repeat offenders may be barred from future rankings.
Caution in interpreting retractions
The article notes that not every retraction reflects deliberate misconduct; papers may also be withdrawn because of genuine errors or flaws.
Key facts
- 2025 India retractions
- 887, according to Retraction Watch
- China retractions in 2025
- 1,701, the highest figure cited
- Ranking body
- National Board of Accreditation (NBA), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education
- New assessment measure
- The 2025 NIRF framework deducts marks from publication and citation scores for retracted papers and citations.
- Possible further measure
- The NBA is considering debarring repeat offenders from future NIRF rankings, according to sources.
- Usual ranking release period
- August–September
- Disclosure
- NIRF has not publicly stated how many institutions were negatively marked or how many retractions were counted.
Quotes
A senior government official
A senior government official commenting to ThePrint on the NIRF assessment.
“A clear message was sent last year that there is no space for plagiarism, research misconduct, or fake or manipulated peer review. This year, the NIRF ranking process is very strict on this and is planning to debar repeated offenders from next year.”
theprint.in
“There are a large number of cases of retracted research papers flagged this year, and the NBA is scrutinising them. Institutions are being warned, and negative marking will be applied in the assessment process and the rankings.”
theprint.in
Sources
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