IIT Delhi retains top spot among Indian universities in QS world rankings 2027; India expands presence to 52 institutions

New Delhi [India], June 18 (ANI): The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) has retained its position as India's highest-ranked university in the QS World University Rankings 2027, climbing to 118th globally and equalling the best-ever ranking achieved by an Indian institution in the prestigious global index.
The latest rankings, released by QS Quacquarelli Symonds on Thursday, feature 52 Indian universities, making India the world's fifth most represented higher education system. India's representation has grown by 271 per cent since 2017, rising from 14 institutions to 52, the fastest proportional increase among G20 nations.
According to the rankings, 26 Indian universities improved their positions, nine maintained their standing, 15 witnessed a decline, while two institutions entered the rankings for the first time. More than half of India's previously ranked universities improved their performance this year.
Welcoming the performance, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said the results reflected the impact of reforms introduced under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
"India's strong performance in the latest global university rankings reflects the transformative impact of NEP 2020, with 52 universities across 19 states and union territories now represented and more than half improving their positions. As institutions such as IIT Delhi achieve record-high rankings, India is emerging as a leading global knowledge hub, driven by research, innovation and the talent of its youth," Pradhan said.
He added that the broad-based progress across public and private institutions underscores the rise of a diverse, decentralised and globally competitive higher education system that is helping build a Viksit Bharat.
Among Indian institutions, IIT Bombay ranked 134th globally, followed by IIT Madras at 170th, IIT Kharagpur at 205th and IIT Kanpur at 221st. The University of Delhi improved to 322nd rank, while Jamia Millia Islamia reached 686th position in the global rankings.
The rankings highlighted that India's progress is increasingly broad-based, extending beyond the IIT ecosystem. A total of 18 Indian universities achieved their highest-ever ranking, including Jamia Millia Islamia, Jawaharlal Nehru University, BITS Pilani, VIT, Chandigarh University and Shoolini University. Thirteen of these institutions are non-IITs, indicating a wider distribution of academic excellence across regions and institution types.
India also strengthened its standing in research and employability metrics. Eleven Indian universities are now among the world's top 100 institutions for Citations per Faculty, while six rank in the global top 100 for Employer Reputation. The report noted that India now possesses the world's third-largest research output base.
Among the biggest gainers, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) climbed 94 places to 597th globally, BITS Pilani rose 93 places to 575th, while Jamia Millia Islamia gained more than 75 places to reach 686th position.
The report, however, noted that Indian universities continue to face challenges in attracting international students and faculty, despite making significant gains in research impact and graduate employability. Academic reputation and internationalisation remain areas requiring further improvement.
Highlighting the significance of the results, Jessica Turner said Indian universities would play a critical role in shaping the country's future.
"As India advances towards its Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, its universities will be among the institutions that shape the country's future most profoundly. Their contribution extends beyond classrooms and campuses. They are developing talent, ideas and discoveries that will underpin economic growth, technological leadership and social progress," Turner said.
She added that the rankings indicate India's investments in talent, research and innovation are increasingly translating into stronger global performance and visibility.
The QS World University Rankings 2027 evaluated more than 1,500 institutions across 106 countries and territories, reflecting growing global competition in higher education. (ANI)