The QS World University Rankings 2026 reveals a mixed bag for India. While 54 Indian universities made the global list, a significant jump from 11 in 2014, only three secured positions in the top 200.
QS World University Rankings 2026: The QS World University Rankings 2026 are out, presenting a mixed picture for India. 54 Indian universities are featured in the global rankings, a substantial increase from just 11 in 2014, placing India fourth globally in terms of participation, following the US, UK, and China. However, only three of these institutions made it to the top 200.
IIT Delhi Ranks 123rd, Jumps 74 Places in Two Years
IIT Delhi delivered a stellar performance, securing the 123rd rank. This is a significant jump from its 150th rank in 2025 and 197th in 2024, a remarkable 74-place leap in just two years. IIT Delhi now holds the highest rank among Indian institutions. Its strong performance is attributed to high scores in several parameters, including:
- Employer Reputation: Global Rank 50
- Citations per Faculty: Rank 86
- Academic Reputation: Rank 142
IIT Bombay Slips to 129th, IIT Madras Leaps 47 Ranks
Last year's top-ranked Indian institution, IIT Bombay (Rank 118), slipped to 129th place. Meanwhile, IIT Madras surprised everyone by jumping 47 ranks to reach 180th place, marking one of the biggest leaps for India this year.
8 New Indian Institutions Debut in QS Rankings
Eight Indian institutions made their debut in the QS rankings this year, the highest number from any country, indicating the growing global recognition of Indian universities.
India's Top 20 Universities: QS Rankings 2026
MIT maintained its top spot for the 14th consecutive year. Imperial College London surpassed Stanford to claim the second position.
India Rank | Global Rank | University | State |
1 | 123 | IIT Delhi | Delhi |
2 | 129 | IIT Bombay | Maharashtra |
3 | 180 | IIT Madras | Tamil Nadu |
4 | =215 | IIT Kharagpur | West Bengal |
5 | =219 | IISc Bangalore | Karnataka |
6 | 222 | IIT Kanpur | Uttar Pradesh |
7 | =328 | Delhi University | Delhi |
8 | =334 | IIT Guwahati | Assam |
9 | =339 | IIT Roorkee | Uttarakhand |
10 | =465 | Anna University | Tamil Nadu |
11 | 503 | Shoolini University | Himachal Pradesh |
12 | =556 | IIT Indore | Madhya Pradesh |
13 | =558 | JNU | Delhi |
14 | =566 | IIT BHU Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh |
15 | =566 | Savitribai Phule Pune University | Maharashtra |
16 | =575 | Chandigarh University | Punjab |
17 | =664 | IIT Hyderabad | Telangana |
18 | =664 | University of Mumbai | Maharashtra |
19 | =668 i | BITS Pilani | Rajasthan |
20 | =676 | Jadavpur University | West Bengal |
Note: "=" indicates a shared rank with other institutions.
World's Top 10 Universities: QS Rankings 2026
Rank | University | Country |
1 | MIT | USA |
2 | Imperial College London | UK |
3 | Stanford University | USA |
4 | University of Oxford | UK |
5 | Harvard University | USA |
6 | University of Cambridge | UK |
7 | ETH Zurich | Switzerland |
8 | National University of Singapore (NUS) | Singapore |
9 | University College London (UCL) | UK |
10 | Caltech | USA |
What's New in the QS Rankings This Year?
QS introduced a new category: International Student Diversity, assessing the number and diversity of international students at each university. While not yet included in the scoring, it could become a significant factor in future rankings.