QS World Rankings 2026 list: IIT Delhi tops among Indian universities

QS World Rankings 2026: India shines in the QS World Rankings 2026 list with 54 universities featured, and IIT Delhi leads the country by achieving its highest-ever global rank. While India shows strong growth, challenges remain in attracting international students and improving faculty ratios.

India has made a strong mark in the QS World Rankings 2026. This year, a total of 54 Indian universities made it to the list ¡ª the highest ever. This is a major jump from 46 in 2025 and 45 in 2024. Back in 2014, only 11 Indian institutions were ranked. That means there's been a 390% increase in just over a decade.

With this impressive growth, India is now the fourth most represented country in the QS global rankings, behind only the USA, UK, and China. This shows how India¡¯s higher education sector is quickly growing on the world stage.

IIT Delhi Leads the Pack in QS World Rankings 2026

The highlight of the QS World Rankings 2026 list is the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi). It has reached its best-ever global rank ¡ª joint 123rd alongside Georgia Institute of Technology, USA. This is a huge leap from its 150th position in 2025 and 197th in 2024.

IIT Delhi¡¯s rise is mainly due to its strong scores in:

• Employer reputation ¨C ranked 50th globally
• Citations per faculty ¨C ranked 86th
• Academic reputation ¨C ranked 142nd

These numbers reflect IIT Delhi's increasing global recognition among employers and academics alike.

Other Top-Performing Indian Institutions in 2026

Apart from IIT Delhi, other Indian universities also performed well in the QS World Rankings 2026:

• IIT Bombay is ranked 129th, slightly down from its best of 118 last year. However, it still holds an impressive employer reputation rank of 39th worldwide.
• IIT Madras made a big move, jumping 47 places to reach 180th rank, entering the global top 200 for the first time.
• IIT Kharagpur is at 215th, IISc Bangalore at 219th, and IIT Kanpur at 222nd.
• Non-IIT universities like Delhi University (328) and Anna University (465) also retained strong positions in the list.

Check the full list of Indian universities:

Internationalisation Still a Challenge

Even though India¡¯s presence in the QS World Rankings 2026 list has grown, some challenges remain. One key issue is the International Students Ratio. Around 78% of Indian universities saw a drop in this area. No Indian university is ranked in the top 500 for attracting international students.

This affects campus diversity and limits global learning exposure for Indian students.

Faculty-Student Ratio Needs Improvement

Another area that needs attention is the Faculty-Student Ratio. Most Indian universities score low on this metric. OP Jindal Global University is the only one from India that made it to the global top 350 for this indicator.

To compete globally, Indian institutions need to invest more in hiring qualified faculty and improving educational infrastructure.

Global Leaders in QS World Rankings 2026

On the global front, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has again secured the top position for the 14th consecutive year. It is followed by:

• Imperial College London
• Stanford University
• University of Oxford
• Harvard University

India¡¯s growing presence in this prestigious list shows its potential in shaping the future of global higher education.

The QS World Rankings 2026 list proves that Indian universities, especially IIT Delhi, are making steady progress in the global academic landscape. While there are challenges in areas like faculty numbers and international outreach, the overall trend is promising. With focused efforts, India can soon rise even higher in global rankings and become a major hub for quality education.

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