137 Indian Institutions in QS Rankings Asia 2026 | 05 Nov 2025

Why in News?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the record increase in Indian universities in the QS rankings, reiterating the government’s commitment to quality education, research, and innovation.

• Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) is a London-based global higher education analyst best known for its widely recognised QS World University Rankings. 

Key Points

• About: The QS World University Rankings: Asia 2026 reveals that no Indian university is in the top 50, but India added 137 universities, marking a 1,125% increase in representation since 2016.
  • India now has 294 universities in the QS Asia Rankings, making it the second highest after China, which added 261 universities, bringing its total to 395.
  • Indian institutions continue to perform strongly in academic reputation, research productivity, and employer reputation, but lag behind in internationalisation and research visibility.
• Top Performers in Asia:
  • University of Hong Kong: Ranked 1st.
  • Peking University: Ranked 2nd.
  • National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU): Ranked 3rd (tied).
• Top Indian Institutions:
  • IIT Delhi: 59th (down from 44th in 2025).
  • IIT Bombay: 71st (down from 48th in 2025).
  • IISc Bengaluru: 64th (down from 62nd in 2025).
  • IIT Madras: 70th (down from 56th in 2025).
  • IIT Kanpur: 77th (down from 67th in 2025).
  • Delhi University: 95th (down from 81st in 2025).
• Private Institutions’ Growth:
  • Chandigarh University improved to 109th (from 120th in 2025).
  • BITS Pilani, Shoolini University, and O.P. Jindal Global University also achieved their highest-ever rankings.