Why in the News?
India has seen significant improvement of Indian institutions in QS World University Rankings 2026.
About QS World University Rankings
- Published by: QS World University Rankings are published annually by London-based global higher education analytics firm Quacquarelli Symonds.
- Five Lenses with different weightage: Research and Discovery, Employability and Outcomes, Global Engagement, Learning Experience, Sustainability.
- Indicators: These lenses are further divided into 10 indicators such as Academic Reputation etc.
- A new indicator named International Student Diversity has been added this year under Global Engagement.
Key findings of ranking
- Five-fold increase: India grew from 11 universities in 2015 to 54 in QS World Rankings 2026, making it the fourth most represented country after the US, UK, and China.
- This is India's strongest performance across the G20.
- Leading new additions: 8 Indian universities added this year, more than any other country.
- Top-tier performance: Six Indian institutions in the global top 250.
- Institutional diversity: Mix of public and private institutions, including central universities, deemed-to-be universities, and technical institutes.
- IIT dominance: 12 IITs featured, with IIT Delhi ranking highest at 123rd globally.
Why Indian University Rankings have improved?
- Academic reputation seeing slow but steady development: Eight Indian universities rank among the world's top 100 for Citations per Faculty parameter, higher than that of Germany, and the US.
- Good performance of Engineering and technology: Indian institutions excel in Engineering & Technology, with a high concentration of top 100 placements in the field.
- Infrastructure Development: Various initiatives are taken recently for infrastructure development such as Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA).
- Enhanced employability: Government initiatives like PM Internship Scheme, National Apprenticeship Training Scheme, and NATS 2.0 portal improve job readiness.
- India's higher education sustainability performance: Indian universities are currently having one of the greatest impacts in knowledge exchange, environmental research.
- Policy reform: National Education Policy 2020 is promoting high-quality, equitable, and inclusive higher education.
Other Mechanisms for Higher Institutions Rankings in India
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Challenges that still remains in higher education
- Low Accreditation Rate: Less than 39% of universities nationwide are accredited, largely due to the high costs involved in the accreditation process.
- Below Target Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER): The current GER of 28.4% (2021-22) falls significantly short of the 50% target (by 2035) under National Education Policy 2020.
- Insufficient Research Funding: Government expenditure on R&D is low (around 0.7% of GDP), leading to weaker innovation outcomes in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs).
- Gap in Entrepreneurial & Innovation Skills: A critical gap exists in workforce skills due to disconnect between academia and industry, and a lack of emphasis on soft skills training.
- Outdated Curriculum: Curricula often lack revision and updates, particularly in hands-on applications for AI and other emerging technologies.
- Fragmented Regulatory Framework: The absence of a robust framework for Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs) is hindered by multiple regulatory bodies (e.g., UGC, AICTE).
Way forward for improving Higher education in India
- Industry-academia collaboration: Incentivize partnerships like Telangana Academy for Skill and Knowledge (TASK). Strengthen university-industry collaboration through joint projects and Industry Relations Cells (IRC).
- Oxford uses labor market forecasting to increase admissions in high-demand specializations.
- Need-based education: Andhra Pradesh conducted India's first Skill Census in January 2025, identifying gaps and offering targeted technical education.
- Diversified academic brand: Invest in underrepresented disciplines and interdisciplinary degrees, merging STEM with social sciences and arts.
- Regulatory consolidation: Implement "light but tight" regulation through single regulator (Higher Education Commission of India) as outlined in National Education Policy.
- Faculty autonomy: Enable curriculum design for industry relevance, like Gujarat's Skills4Future Programme addressing critical gaps.
- Enhanced funding: Provide financing autonomy to boost Gross Enrolment Ratio, following Kerala's model.
