Indian universities have strengthened their position in the latest QS World University Rankings 2026 with 8 more domestic institutions getting into the global list this year, the highest number of new entries from any country. The new entrants include Ashoka University, Shiv Nadar University, IIT Gandhinagar,
Within the Indian cohort, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has assumed the top slot with a substantial improvement in its position from joint #150 in 2025 to #123 in 2026. IIT Delhi pipped IIT Bombay, which was the top-ranking Indian institute last year.
Of the 1500-plus ranked universities, 54 Indian universities have featured in the 2026 list, compared with 46 last year. However, none of the Indian universities featured in the QS top 100 list. Close to half of the 46 Indian universities featured in the last year’s ranking have improved their positions this year.
“India’s top two highest ranking institutions perform better than more than 91% of institutions featuring in the QS World University Rankings 2026. IIT Delhi has climbed more than 70 places in two years, ranking at #123 this year compared with #197 in 2024,” an official statement said.
In fact, Indian universities have been continuously improving their performance with total ranked universities from India now stands at 54 as compared to just 11 a decade ago, which is a 390% jump, and the strongest performance among the G20 countries. As per the latest rankings, India is the fourth most-represented country globally on the QS Rankings trailing 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,” the statement said.
Jessica Turner, CEO of QS said that 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 which is a clear sign of a system evolving at speed and scale. Delivering on India’s 50% 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 said.
Despite the broader improvement in rankings, Indian universities have performed badly on some specific indicators. This includes International Students Ratio where 78% of Indian universities saw a decline this year, reflecting the continuing challenge of attracting international students at scale. Similarly, 63% of Indian universities saw a decline in Faculty-Student Ratio, reflecting one of the most complex structural challenges facing the sector.
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has retained its top position for the 14th year in a row. The next two slots in the current year’s rankings are occupied by Imperial College London and Stanford University in that order.