In outcome-based assessment, certification of achievement of competencies is important. There are core and critical competencies which need to be developed in students and assessed using rubrics. A review of the literature revealed that the design and use of various types of rubrics are in vogue for achieving various purposes along with awarding grades and certification of achievement of outcomes. The current study was undertaken to study the use of different types of rubrics in higher education institutions. A descriptive study was undertaken using self-designed instruments which were responded to by 330 respondents using the rubrics for various purposes. The results indicate that the use of rubrics is low for motivating the students to learn, using the rubrics as a means of learning, diagnosing the learning problems of the students and taking corrective and preventive actions, grading and certification of outcomes and improving the quality of education. The use of different types of rubrics by teachers and students needs to be enhanced by conducting training programmes to design and use, offering mentoring, removing barriers to the use of the rubrics, giving incentives to faculty members and students for effective use of rubrics and undertaking action research and impact research of various aspects of design and use of rubrics at institute level.