India's Representation in QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026
India has maintained its position as the fourth highest globally in the 'QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026'. The country has increased its representation from 78 to 103 universities in the listing.
Key Highlights
- IIT-Delhi: Despite an improvement in overall score, its ranking slipped from 171st to 205th.
- Top Indian Universities: Nine universities received their highest rankings within the top 700.
- QS Methodology: Based on Environmental Impact (45%), Social Impact (45%), and Governance (10%).
Top Performing Indian Universities
- Vellore Institute of Technology: 352
- IIT-Roorkee: 352
- Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences: 522
Performance Indicators
Indian universities excel in specific indicators:
- Employability and Outcomes: IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kharagpur ranked 93rd and 96th respectively.
- Knowledge Exchange: University of Delhi improved by 27 places to 94th.
- Environmental Impact: IIT-Bombay ranked 100th; IIT-KGP entered the top 50 in Environmental Sustainability at 49th.
- Governance: University of Delhi improved by 31 places to 187th.
Global Comparison
The US leads with 240 universities, followed by China (163), the UK (109), India (103), and France (76). Sweden's Lund University ranked first, with the University of Toronto second, and UCL (UK) third.
Conclusion
Jessica Turner of QS emphasized the importance of Indian universities in climate change efforts, highlighting their research capabilities and commitment to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as crucial for a sustainable future.
India's Top 5 Universities in Sustainability 2026
- 205: IIT-Delhi (was 171)
- 235: IIT-Bombay (was 234)
- 236: IIT-Kharagpur (was 202)
- 241: University of Delhi (was 299)
- 305: IIT-Madras (was 277)