India's Position in 2026 QS World University Rankings for Asia
India lost its top position as the most represented higher education system in Asia to China in the 2026 QS World University Rankings. It now ranks second after China in terms of representation.
University Representation
- India: 137 new universities entered the list, totaling 294 institutions.
- China: Added 261 institutions, totaling 395 universities.
- Total: 1,529 universities featured in the rankings.
Top Performing Institutions
Hong Kong, China, and Singapore dominated the top 10 rankings.
- Top Indian University: IIT Delhi, ranked 59th, a drop from 44th.
- IIT Bombay: Dropped from 48th to 71st.
Top Indian Institutions
- Seven out of India's top 10 institutions are IITs: Delhi, Madras, Bombay, Kanpur, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Guwahati.
- Other top Indian institutions include the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, Delhi University, and Chandigarh University.
- Chandigarh University improved its ranking from 120th to 109th.
- Seven Indian universities ranked in the top 100, 20 in the top 200, and 66 in the top 500.
Shift in Rankings
India's representation increased from 24 institutions in 2016 to 249 in 2026, marking a 1,125% rise, compared to China's 273% increase.
"Five years after the National Education Policy (NEP), India has enhanced its system-level capacity," said Jessica Turner, CEO of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
Research Indicators
- India excelled in the 'papers per faculty' indicator with five universities in Asia's top 10 and 28 in the top 50.
- India had 45 institutions in Asia's top 100 for staff with doctorates.
- Turner highlighted India's growing role as a study destination and global knowledge leader.
QS Asia Rankings Parameters
- Based on 11 indicators including research impact, academic reputation, employer reputation, internationalization, and faculty qualifications.
- Aim to highlight unique characteristics of Asian higher education systems.
