QS Rankings 2026: IITs Lead India’s Big Surge in Global University Rankings

The 'QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026' results are here, and Indian institutes have made a huge jump. We've seen a 44% improvement from last year, which is more than countries like the UK and Indonesia. 

India now stands fourth globally for new course entries, right behind the US, China, and the UK. A total of 99 Indian institutions made it to the list this year.

The IITs remain the backbone of India’s higher education system, with IIT Bombay topping the list by securing rankings across 30 subjects. Close behind are IIT Kharagpur, Delhi University, and IIT Madras. India has also seen a significant jump in Computer Science, with 6 institutes now in the global top 100, up from just 2 last year. Notably, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi have both made it into the top 50.

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While India is excelling in STEM and management, it still has room to improve in Arts and Humanities, where many institutes have seen a slight dip in rankings. That said, progress in Natural Sciences and Life Sciences remains steady. Leading institutions like AIIMS and IISc Bangalore continue to perform strongly on the global stage. Overall, the QS Rankings 2026 signal a promising new phase of growth for Indian higher education.

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