IIT Delhi becomes top-ranked Indian university in QS 2026 ranking
The QS World University Rankings 2026, which were announced on June 19, include 54 Indian universities, marking a new milestone in the recognition of higher education worldwide.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, which rose from 150th place last year to 123rd place, its highest-ever global rating, is at the top of the national chart this year.
As a result of this progress, IIT Delhi surpassed IIT Bombay, which was ranked first in India in 2025 but is currently ranked 129th, down from 118th.
IIT Madras also advanced significantly, moving up 47 spots from 2025 to 180th place.
The Ministry of Education claims that the dramatic increase in representation represents a change in India's academic status internationally.
Over the previous ten years, the number of institutions ranked by QS has increased by 390% nationwide.
In a post on X, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated, "This five-fold jump—from just 11 institutions in 2014 to 54 in 2026—is a testament to the transformative reforms brought in by the Modi government over the last ten years."
"Our educational system is being revolutionized by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020," Pradhan continued.
With eight institutions making their debut, India had more new entries than any other nation this year.
India is ranked fourth globally, after only China, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
The global rankings of about 48% of the Indian universities that were ranked last year have improved. Additionally, five Indian colleges score among the top 100 globally in terms of employer reputation, a crucial factor in the QS rankings.
Delhi University (328th), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore (219th), and IIT Kharagpur (215th) are some highly regarded Indian universities.
The increasing importance of private universities is also reflected in the rankings. While OP Jindal Global University was positioned in the 851–900 zone, BITS Pilani was ranked 668th.
For the fourteenth year in a row, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has maintained its top spot in the QS World University Rankings.
