India's rise in global university rankings

India's presence in the QS World University Rankings has grown considerably over the past decade. But what, specifically, are they improving?

The QS World University Rankings 2027 feature 52 Indian institutions, up from 14 in 2017. IIT Delhi leads the country at 118th globally, followed by IIT Bombay (134th) and IIT Madras (170th).

But progress extends beyond the overall rankings.

In 2027, 11 Indian universities feature in the global top 100 for Citations per Faculty, up from four in 2017. Employer Reputation tells a similar story. Six Indian universities now rank in the global top 100, compared with just one in 2017.

In QS Insights Magazine, Dr Ashwin Fernandes, Chair of QS India and Vice President, Strategic and International Engagement, argues that this progress reflects wider changes in Indian higher education, including research investment, stronger industry partnerships and policy reform.

As he concludes:

“The challenge now is to sustain momentum.”

The next priority for Indian universities will be to build on these gains through research collaboration, faculty investment and international partnerships.