QS University Rankings: Record 54 institutions from India feature in list, IIT Delhi ranked highest
With eight new institutions added to the ranking this year, India now has 54 institutions included, making it the fourth most represented country behind only the US (192 institutions), the UK (90 institutions) and Mainland China (72 institutions).
No other country or territory has seen as many universities added to the ranking this year. Jordan and Azerbaijan are second most improved and have both seen six added in 2026 rankings.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday lauded India's performance in the rankings, saying the country has hit a new high.
IIT Delhi ranked 123rd this year compared with 197 and 150 in previous two years. This has been due to outstanding results in Employer Reputation (where it now ranks 50th), Citations (86th), Sustainability (172nd), and Academic Reputation (142nd).
IIT Delhi has jointly bagged the rank alongside Georgia Institute of Technology, US.
While IIT Bombay slipped to 129th this year from its all-time best rank of 118 in 2025, it remains in the global top 130 and continues to score highly on Employer Reputation, ranking 39th in that indicator.
The coveted QS World University Rankings, published annually by Londoon-based global higher education analytics firm Quacquarelli Symonds, assess universities based on a variety of performance indicators including academic reputation, faculty-student ratio, research impact, international student diversity and graduate employability.
"India is rewriting the global higher education map. No other country has seen more universities debut in this edition of the QS World University Rankings — a clear sign of a system evolving at speed and scale," Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, said.
"In the world's most populous nation — with more than 40 per cent of its people under 25 — the drive to expand both access and quality is not just an education agenda, it is a national imperative. Delivering on India's 50 per cent Gross Enrolment Ratio target by 2035 will require growth on an extraordinary scale — equivalent to building 14 new universities every week, according to QS estimates," she added.
Turner said, "We see clear progress. Indian universities are strengthening their global research footprint and advancing in areas such as Citations per Faculty, Sustainability, and International Research Network. But the rankings also highlight the next frontier — attracting more international students and faculty and building academic capacity to support quality at scale".
Close to half of the 46 Indian universities featured in last year's ranking improved their positions this year. Overall, 54 of over universities from 106 countries and territories featured in the 2026 ranking are from India.
QS officials noted that in just a decade, India's ranked universities have grown from 11 to 54 — a 390 per cent increase, the strongest performance across the G20, and testament to the growing global recognition of India's higher education excellence.
Six of India's 11 public and private institutes of eminence have improved their positions this year, including Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) which climbed 47 places and entered the top 200 for the first time at 180th.
All three private institutes of eminence increased their positions, with only two private universities – Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences (503rd) and Chandigarh University (575th) - ahead of Birla Institute of Technology and Science at 668.
"India's remarkable progress in this year's QS World University Rankings reflects not only the rising global stature of its leading institutions, but also the growing breadth and ambition of its higher education landscape. The addition of eight new universities to the rankings, more than any other country, signals an encouraging trajectory.
"With increasing global engagement, investment in research, and a sharp focus on employability, Indian universities are beginning to align more closely with the expectations of a rapidly evolving knowledge economy," Ashwin Fernandes, QS Regional Director – Middle East, Africa and South Asia, said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Collector Takes Governance to the Grassroots, Ensures Swift Redressal of Local Issues
Nagpur: To strengthen grassroots administration, district collector Vipin Itankar visited villages across Nagpur district to monitor and ensure the resolution of local issues through timely action by village-level offices on Wednesday. As part of this drive, Itankar visited Gram Panchayats in Pavaddona (Mauda taluka), Gumthala (Kamptee taluka), and other villages to interact directly with citizens and assess the ground situation. The initiative, part of the district's broader plan to make local governance more accessible, mandates that officials remain present at Gram Panchayat and Talathi Saja offices regularly — especially on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. "Samadhan Diwas has been started to ensure that issues are addressed right in the village. Applications received on the designated Wednesdays will be resolved within 15 days," Itankar said at a public meeting at the Gumthala Gram Panchayat office. Itankar, while encouraging villagers to make full use of Samadhan Diwas, warned against misuse of the platform. "Some villages have reported false complaints made with the intention to blackmail. Such actions will not be tolerated," he said firmly. The initiative aims to simplify grievance redressal by making govt officials more accessible and accountable at the village level. At Pavaddona, ten complaints were registered — eight related to the revenue department and two concerning agriculture. Officials initiated the resolution process. A health camp organised alongside the event received an enthusiastic response from residents. Present at the meeting were Sarpanch Shilatai Wange, sub-divisional officer Sachin Gosavi, district agriculture superintendent Ravindra Manohare, tehsildar Dattatray Nibankarkar, mandal officer Rahul Bhujade, Talathi Pratiksha Patil, and Gram Sevak Ankita Chakole. With daily progress reports now being sought from officials and a push for direct citizen engagement, the district administration hopes to make this model of localised governance more efficient, responsive, and transparent. Itankar inaugurates breakfast programme for government schools in Nagpur In a landmark step to combat childhood hunger, collector Vipin Itankar inaugurated a large-scale breakfast programme for govt school children by flagging off the first delivery truck from a newly built mass-feeding kitchen in Butibori MIDC on Wednesday. The state-of-the-art kitchen will serve over 20,000 hot, nutritious meals daily to schoolchildren across Nagpur. It was developed over nearly two years, following sustained planning, partnerships, and support from both organisations and the people of Nagpur. The initiative is the result of a collaboration between 'Share Our Strength', a US-based NGO committed to ending childhood hunger globally for over four decades, and The Akshaya Patra Foundation. Speaking at the event, representatives highlighted the critical need for nutrition in schools, especially in underserved areas. "This kitchen is not just about food — it's about giving children a fair shot at education and a better future," said Sachin Jahagirdar, India Program Director, Share Our Strength. Several prominent donors and supporters attended the launch, including Param Sancheti, Prashant Garg, Hemant Lodha, Narendra Jog, Sameer Bendre, Jeetu Nayak, Subodh Dubey, Vyompada Prabhu, and Ashish Singh of Akshaya Patra, and Rohit Choudhari and Sachin Jahagirdar of Share Our Strength.
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Indian envoy to Paraguay discusses biz opportunities with UP minister
Lucknow: Indian ambassador to the Republic of Paraguay, Piyush Singh, met Uttar Pradesh's minister of industrial development, Nand Gopal Gupta 'Nandi', on Wednesday to explore avenues for bilateral cooperation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During the meeting, the minister briefed the ambassador on the state's rapid industrial progress and its emergence as a key investment destination. The ambassador informed the minister that business community in Paraguay was particularly interested in India's agri-tech platforms. He also conveyed Paraguay's strong condemnation of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, and reaffirmed its support for India in the global fight against terrorism. The two also discussed potential collaboration in sectors such as trade, agriculture, healthcare, and information technology. Nandi extended an invitation to Paraguayan investors, entrepreneurs, and traders to participate in the five-day International Trade Show scheduled to be held in Noida in Sept 2025, highlighting the event as a platform to connect with the state's economic, social, cultural, and developmental achievements. Invest UP CEO Vijay Kiran Anand, MD of Pickup, Piyush Verma, joint export commissioner Pawan Agarwal, and other officials were also present.
Time of India
42 minutes ago
- Time of India
Bawankule warns against lapses in Koradi textile project
Nagpur: Revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday issued a stern warning over irregularities in the Koradi textile unit established under the Maharashtra Women's Economic Development Corporation, stating that any negligence in the project's execution would not be tolerated. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The project aims to empower local women through self-help groups (SHGs) by providing employment opportunities in textile production. Bawankule chaired a review meeting at Vidhan Bhavan in the presence of women and child development minister Aditi Tatkare. He expressed dissatisfaction over the poor supply of machinery by an Ichalkaranji-based company. "Despite good progress in the initial phase, the project stalled due to substandard machines. FIRs should be filed against the company," Bawankule directed. He added that while the government is open to allocating additional funds if needed, it will not tolerate inefficiency going forward. Meanwhile, Tatkare announced a conditional 3-month extension for Social Buffet, the firm managing the project. "This is the last chance. Any further lapses will result in complete termination of their involvement," she warned. Officials were directed to ensure that the project is streamlined to deliver its intended benefits to SHG women. Bawankule emphasized that the unit must operate with transparency, accountability, and timely delivery of resources. The Koradi textile project is seen as a crucial step toward rural women's economic empowerment, and both ministers signaled the government's firm resolve to ensure its success.
