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India has achieved its strongest-ever performance in the QS World University Rankings 2026, with 54 institutions making it to the global list -- a 390 per cent increase over the past decade and the highest growth among G20 countries.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has emerged as the country's top-ranked institution, securing the 123rd spot globally -- a jump of 27 places from last year's position of 150. IIT Bombay and IIT Madras followed at 129th and 180th, respectively. Notably, IIT Madras entered the global top 200 for the first time. The rankings, released by global higher education analysts QS (Quacquarelli Symonds), cover over 1,500 universities from 106 countries and territories. India is now the fourth most represented country, behind only the United States (192), the United Kingdom (90), and Mainland China (72). "This year, India has added the most new universities to the QS rankings, with eight fresh entrants. It's a clear sign of a system evolving at both speed and scale," said Jessica Turner, CEO of QS. "India is rewriting the global higher education map." Turner noted that the progress is driven by improvements in key areas like Employer Reputation, Citations per Faculty, and Sustainability. "The push to improve access and quality is not just an education agenda -- it is a national imperative," she added. IIT Delhi performed strongly in several indicators, ranking 50th globally in Employer Reputation, 86th in Citations per Faculty, and 142nd in Academic Reputation. Five Indian universities are now among the global top 100 in Employer Reputation, including IIT Bombay and IIT Kanpur. In research impact, India also showed strong gains. Eight Indian institutions made it to the global top 100 for Citations per Faculty, including IISc Bangalore (15th), IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Guwahati. However, challenges remain. The International Student Ratio continues to be a weak area for India, with 78 per cent of Indian institutions witnessing a drop in this indicator. No Indian university features among the top 500 globally for attracting foreign students, highlighting a significant gap in internationalisation. Amity University in Noida ranks highest among Indian institutions in this metric at 540th, while even top-performing IITs and IISc fall outside the top 1,200. Faculty-Student Ratio is another area of concern, with 63 per cent of Indian universities showing a decline. Only OP Jindal Global University figures among the top 350 globally in this category. Among the Institutes of Eminence, six -- including IIT Madras and the University of Delhi -- improved their positions. All three private IoEs -- Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani), Manipal Academy of Higher Education, and O.P. Jindal Global University -- either improved or maintained their global ranks. Turner said India's goal of achieving a 50% Gross Enrollment Ratio by 2035 would require building the equivalent of 14 new universities every week, adding "Transnational education and research partnerships will play a critical role in helping India meet this ambitious goal." (ANI)
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