Fourteen full-time MBA programs from India have been featured in the newly released Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) global rankings for 2025. Among them, IIM Bangalore stands out as the top Indian performer, although it has fallen out of the world’s top 50. Three other Indian institutions — IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Calcutta, and the Indian School of Business (ISB) — have secured positions in the global top 100.
In addition, the rankings highlight three new Indian entries: IIM Kozhikode, debuting in the 151-200 band, and the Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad and Somaiya Vidyavihar University, both placed in the 251+ band.
Three Indian MBA programs are recognized among the world’s top 50 for the employability indicator, with a fourth program ranked within the top 100. IIM Ahmedabad, India’s top management school as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), leads nationally in the QS Entrepreneurship & Alumni Impact category. Two other Indian MBA programs also rank in the global top 100 in this category.
IIM Bangalore’s full-time MBA offers the highest return on investment among Indian programs, with two other Indian MBA courses also ranking in the global top 100. Furthermore, IIM Bangalore leads the country in faculty thought leadership, and three more Indian MBA programs feature in the global top 100 for this indicator.
However, none of the 14 Indian programs rank in the world’s top 250 for student and faculty diversity, signaling a significant gender gap in Indian classrooms. Despite efforts by Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) to attract more female students, prominent schools like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta still have work to do in this area. This metric also takes into account the proportion of international students and faculty, where Indian business schools continue to face challenges, according to the QS report.
Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, commented: “India’s presence in the QS Global MBA and Business Master’s Rankings 2025 reflects its growing role in global business education. Indian institutions are producing leaders capable of addressing today’s complex business challenges. The strong performance of IIM Bangalore, IIM Ahmedabad, and IIM Calcutta, particularly in employability and alumni impact, shows that India is fostering world-class talent. However, issues related to internationalization and gender diversity are areas that need improvement. Addressing these gaps is crucial to boosting the global standing of India’s top business schools and fostering more inclusive leadership environments.”
The United States and the United Kingdom continue to lead the rankings, with Stanford Graduate School of Business topping the list for the fifth consecutive year, followed by The Wharton School and Harvard Business School. Stanford’s dominance is supported by its exceptional alumni impact and graduate employability, according to QS.
Across Asia, QS ranked 60 full-time MBA programs, with India emerging as the most represented country, boasting 14 ranked programs, surpassing China. Mainland China follows with 10, while Japan rounds out the top three with six ranked programs. IIM Bangalore and IIM Ahmedabad rank among Asia’s top 10 MBA programs, while IIM Calcutta just missed the top 10 this year. The Indian School of Business remains in the top 15 in the region.