Global Affairs
India Rises in QS World Rankings 2026
54 institutions ranked, 5-fold increase since 2015
Posted On: 19 JUN 2025 3:43PM
Introduction
India’s higher education institutions have achieved their best-ever performance in the QS World University Rankings 2026. A total of 54 universities are featured this year, including 12 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Eight universities have made their debut. India is now the fourth most represented country, after the United States, the United Kingdom and China. The full list of ranked Indian institutions is provided in the Annexure.
The rise has been swift and steady. From just 11 ranked institutions in 2015, India has recorded a remarkable five-fold increase over the decade. This makes India the fastest-rising G20 nation in the rankings.
New Indian Entrants in QS World University Rankings 2026:
- IIT Gandhinagar
- Lovely Professional University (LPU)
- Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
- Ashoka University
- Galgotias University
- Shiv Nadar University
- CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru
- Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS)
This year’s results reflect a growing global appreciation for India’s academic strength. Indian universities are earning recognition for their quality, research output and contribution to global knowledge.
Key Insights from QS World University Ranking 2026
- India has 54 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026, making it the fourth most represented country.
- Only the United States (192), the United Kingdom (90), and Mainland China (72) have more universities ranked than India.
- Eight Indian institutions have entered the rankings for the first time. This is the highest number of new entrants from any country this year.
- The number of Indian universities in the rankings has grown from 11 in 2015 to 54 in 2026. This marks a five-fold increase in just over a decade.
- 48 percent of India’s ranked universities improved their positions compared to the previous year.
- Six Indian institutions feature in the global top 250.
- IIT Delhi leads the Indian contingent. It is ranked 123rd globally, rising from 150th in 2025.
- IIT Madras recorded one of the biggest jumps, rising 47 places from 227 in 2025 to 180 in 2026.
- A total of 12 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) feature in the list, highlighting their strong presence in global academia.
- Five Indian institutions feature in the global top 100 for Employer Reputation. This reflects strong industry confidence in Indian graduates.
- Eight Indian universities rank among the world’s top 100 for Citations per Faculty. Their average score of 43.7 is higher than that of Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States.
- India now has a diverse mix of public and private institutions represented, including central universities, deemed-to-be universities, and technical institutes.
Overview of the QS World University Rankings 2026
The QS World University Rankings are among the most trusted and wide-reaching assessments of higher education worldwide. The 2026 edition is based on data from over 16 million academic papers and insights from more than 151,000 academics and 100,000 employers. The rankings consider a broad mix of factors such as faculty qualifications, research strength, partnerships, and student outcomes.
For this cycle, a new indicator called International Student Diversity has been introduced. It looks at both the number of international students and the variety of countries they come from. This complements the existing International Student Ratio, which continues to be a weighted factor.
QS has also fine-tuned its scoring method. This adjustment gives a more accurate picture of each institution's performance. Some scores may appear different from past years even if the rank has stayed the same.
Methodology
The QS World University Rankings use a structured approach to assess institutions across the globe. Each ranking is built on a set of measurements that help evaluate different aspects of university performance. These measurements are grouped as follows:
- Lens: A collection of indicators linked by a common theme, such as research or employability.
- Indicator: A specific area of performance, such as Citations per Faculty or Employer Reputation. Institutions are scored and ranked on each indicator, which contributes to their overall rank.
- Metric: A detailed calculation within an indicator, used to generate precise scores.
Weightings for each performance lens and indicator:
|
Lens
|
Weightage
|
Indicator
|
Weightage
|
|
Research and Discovery
|
50%
|
Academic Reputation
|
30%
|
|
Citations per Faculty
|
20%
|
|
Employability and Outcomes
|
20%
|
Employer Reputation
|
15%
|
|
Employment Outcomes
|
5%
|
|
Global Engagement
|
15%
|
International Faculty Ratio
|
5%
|
|
International Research Network
|
5%
|
|
International Student Diversity
|
0%
|
|
International Student Ratio
|
5%
|
|
Learning Experience
|
10%
|
Faculty Student Ratio
|
10%
|
|
Sustainability
|
5%
|
Sustainability
|
5%
|
Conclusion
The QS World University Rankings 2026 highlight a growing global trust in India’s education ecosystem. More universities are featured than ever before. Many are moving up the list. This consistent rise reflects the momentum created by the National Education Policy 2020 and other ongoing reforms. With a stronger focus on research, quality, and global collaboration, India’s universities are steadily earning their place on the world stage.
Annexure:
|
S No.
|
Institution
|
Rank (2026)
|
Previous Rank (2025)
|
|
1
|
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD)
|
123
|
150
|
|
2
|
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
|
129
|
118
|
|
3
|
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
|
180
|
227
|
|
4
|
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IITKGP)
|
215
|
222
|
|
5
|
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore
|
219
|
211
|
|
6
|
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)
|
222
|
263
|
|
7
|
University of Delhi
|
328
|
328
|
|
8
|
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG)
|
334
|
344
|
|
9
|
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR)
|
339
|
335
|
|
10
|
Anna University
|
465
|
383
|
|
11
|
Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences
|
503
|
587
|
|
12
|
Indian Institute of Technology Indore
|
556
|
477
|
|
13
|
Jawaharlal Nehru University
|
558
|
580
|
|
14
|
Indian Institute of Technology BHU Varanasi (IIT BHU Varanasi)
|
566
|
531
|
|
15
|
Savitribai Phule Pune University
|
566
|
631-640
|
|
16
|
Chandigarh University
|
575
|
691-700
|
|
17
|
Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH)
|
664
|
681-690
|
|
18
|
University of Mumbai
|
664
|
711-720
|
|
19
|
Birla Institute of Technology and Science
|
668
|
801-850
|
|
20
|
Jadavpur University
|
676
|
721-730
|
|
21
|
Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India
|
691
|
791-800
|
|
22
|
Symbiosis International (Deemed University)
|
696
|
641-650
|
|
23
|
National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli
|
731-740
|
701-710
|
|
24
|
Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
|
761-770
|
851-900
|
|
25
|
Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology
|
771-780
|
851-900
|
|
26
|
University of Calcutta
|
771-780
|
751-760
|
|
27
|
IIT Gandhinagar
|
801-850
|
--
|
|
28
|
University of Hyderabad
|
801-850
|
801-850
|
|
29
|
Manipal Academy of Higher Education - Manipal University (MAHE)
|
851-900
|
901-950
|
|
30
|
O. P. Jindal Global University (JGU)
|
851-900
|
1001-1200
|
|
31
|
Lovely Professional University (LPU)
|
901-950
|
--
|
|
32
|
Panjab University
|
901-950
|
1001-1200
|
|
33
|
Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS)
|
901-950
|
951-1000
|
|
34
|
University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES)
|
901-950
|
801-850
|
|
35
|
Amity University
|
951-1000
|
1001-1200
|
|
36
|
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University
|
951-1000
|
1001-1200
|
|
37
|
Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (IIT BBS)
|
951-1000
|
951-1000
|
|
38
|
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh
|
1001-1200
|
1001-1200
|
|
39
|
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham
|
1001-1200
|
1001-1200
|
|
40
|
Banaras Hindu University
|
1001-1200
|
1001-1200
|
|
41
|
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
|
1001-1200
|
--
|
|
42
|
SRM Institute of Science and Technology
|
1001-1200
|
1001-1200
|
|
43
|
Ashoka University
|
1201-1400
|
--
|
|
44
|
Chitkara University
|
1201-1400
|
1201-1400
|
|
45
|
Galgotias University
|
1201-1400
|
--
|
|
46
|
Osmania University, Hyderabad
|
1201-1400
|
1201-1400
|
|
47
|
Pondicherry University
|
1201-1400
|
1201-1400
|
|
48
|
Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology
|
1201-1400
|
1201-1400
|
|
49
|
Shiv Nadar University
|
1201-1400
|
--
|
|
50
|
Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), SOA
|
1201-1400
|
1201-1400
|
|
51
|
CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru
|
1401+
|
--
|
|
52
|
Indian Institute of Information Technology - Allahabad
|
1401+
|
1401+
|
|
53
|
Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi
|
1401+
|
1201-1400
|
|
54
|
Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS)
|
1401+
|
--
|
References:
Ministry of Education:
PIB Backgrounders:
QS World University Rankings:
Click here to see in PDF
Santosh Kumar/ Ritu Kataria/ Saurabh Kalia
(Backgrounder ID: 154694)
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