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 RankGlobal RankUniversityState
1123  IIT DelhiDelhi
2129  IIT BombayMaharashtra
3180IIT MadrasTamil Nadu
4=215IIT KharagpurWest Bengal
5=219 IISc BangaloreKarnataka
6222  IIT KanpurUttar Pradesh
7=328 Delhi UniversityDelhi
8=334IIT GuwahatiAssam
9=339  IIT RoorkeeUttarakhand
10=465 Anna UniversityTamil Nadu
11503  Shoolini UniversityHimachal Pradesh
12=556 IIT IndoreMadhya Pradesh
13=558JNUDelhi
14=566 IIT BHU VaranasiUttar Pradesh
15=566  Savitribai Phule Pune UniversityMaharashtra
16=575  Chandigarh UniversityPunjab
17=664 IIT HyderabadTelangana
18=664 University of MumbaiMaharashtra
19=668 i BITS PilaniRajasthan
20=676 Jadavpur UniversityWest Bengal

Note: "=" indicates a shared rank with other institutions.

World's Top 10 Universities: QS Rankings 2026

Rank  UniversityCountry
1MIT USA
2Imperial College London UK
3Stanford University USA
4University of Oxford UK
5Harvard University USA
6University of Cambridge UK
7ETH Zurich Switzerland
8National University of Singapore (NUS) Singapore
9University College London (UCL) UK
10Caltech 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.