Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), a deemed to be university in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar, on Tuesday bagged the top spot among self-financing institutions in the Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievements (ARIIA) 2020, the institute said in a statement.

The ranking report for 2020 was announced by Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu in the presence of Union education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, minister of state for education Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, AICTE chairman Anil D. Sahasrabudhe, higher education secretary Amit Khare and others at a ceremony in New Delhi, a statement said.

ARIIA is an initiative of the human resource development ministry to systematically rank all major higher educational institutions and universities in India on indicators related to “innovation and entrepreneurship development” amongst students and faculties.

KIIT, recognised as an Institution of Eminence by the government, has achieved the top place in the rankings due to its innovation and entrepreneurship centres, advanced laboratories, centres of excellence and collaborations with industries and international institutions, the statement said. Known for its student-friendly culture, KIIT lays high emphasis on involving students in research, development and innovation activities, it said. KIIT, which came second in the 2019 rankings.

“I congratulate KIIT on this achievement. We have moved to the first position this year from second place last year. It is the story of our growth in the realm of research and innovation. I thank Hon’ble Minister of HRD (education) Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank ji for recognising our efforts,” said Achyuta Samanta, founder of KIIT and Kandhamal MP.