World University Rankings 2026 - India Sets Record with 54 Institutions in QS

The topics of the QS World University Rankings in India usually belong to the list of QS World University Rankings in general under the Education and Social Sector/A /A/A service disciplines. In particular, the rankings apply to General Studies Paper 2, which encompasses issues related to developing and managing social sectors/services, including education. Such rankings also touch broader themes of growth, human resources, and global competitiveness, which are relevant in the UPSC exam. 

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The QS World University Rankings 2026 hold relevance for UPSC GS Paper II under Governance, Education and Social Justice in Polity & Governance. They highlight India's performance in global higher education, policy initiatives, institutional quality, and reforms, which are crucial for analysis. Join the UPSC coaching today and boost your preparation.

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What are QS World University Rankings?

The QS World University Rankings is a yearly publication of university rankings compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a higher education analytics firm. These rankings are among the most influential and widely read university rankings globally. They evaluate and compare institutions based on various factors to provide a comprehensive overview of university performance. 

History

Nunzio Quacquarelli established QS in 1990 to provide information and guidance for students wishing to study in other countries. Since its inception, the company has diversified to incorporate a wider variety of higher education-related products and services before partnering with THE in 2004 to develop THE--QS World University Rankings.

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A perceived need for an international ranking of universities was highlighted in December 2003 in Richard Lambert's review of university-industry collaboration in Great Britain for HM Treasury, the finance ministry of the United Kingdom. Amongst its recommendations were world university rankings, which Lambert said would help the UK gauge the global standing of its universities. Between 2004 and 2009, QS produced the rankings in partnership with THE. In 2009, THE announced they would make their rankings, the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, in collaboration with Thomson Reuters.

QS World University Rankings 2026: Top 10 Universities

India Rises in QS World Rankings 2026: University of Mumbai Shines

Such is the excellent academic performance of the University of Mumbai that it has attained the 17th position in the prestigious QS World University Rankings 2026, remarkably above its 20th rank in the rankings last year. This achievement is an element of the general academic expansion in India, as higher education has increased as an international concern. The QS World University Rankings 2026 have shown how Indian institutions are leaving their mark globally.

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, is the best-ranked Indian institution in QS World University Rankings for 2026, climbing up to the 123rd spot with a record 54 universities and institutions from the country making it to the coveted list.
• IIT Delhi has climbed more than 70 places in two years, ranking 123rd this year compared with 197 and 150 in the previous two years. This has been down to outstanding results in Employer Reputation (where it now ranks 50th), Citations (86th), Sustainability (172nd), and Academic Reputation (142nd). IIT Delhi has jointly bagged the rank alongside Georgia Institute of Technology, U.S.
• While IIT Bombay slipped to 129th this year from its all-time best rank of 118 in 2025, it remains in the global top 130 and continues to score highly on Employer Reputation, ranking 39th in that indicator.
• The coveted QS World University Rankings, published annually by London-based global higher education analytics firm Quacquarelli Symonds, assess universities based on a variety of performance indicators, including academic reputation, faculty-student ratio, research impact, international student diversity, and graduate employability.
• With eight new institutions added to the ranking this year, India now has 54 institutions included, making it the fourth most represented country behind only the U.S. (192 institutions), the U.K. (90 institutions), and Mainland China (72 institutions).
• No other country or territory has seen many universities added to this year's ranking. Jordan and Azerbaijan are the second most improved and have seen six added in the 2026 rankings.
• "India is rewriting the global higher education map. No other country has seen more universities debut in this edition of the QS World University Rankings — a clear sign of a system evolving at speed and scale," said Jessica Turner, CEO of QS.
• "In the world's most populous nation — with more than 40% of its people under 25 — the drive to expand both access and quality is not just an education agenda; it is a national imperative. Delivering on India's 50% Gross Enrolment Ratio target by 2035 will require growth on an extraordinary scale — equivalent to building 14 new universities every week, according to QS estimates," she added.
• Nearly half of the 46 Indian universities featured in last year's ranking improved their positions this year. Overall, 54 universities from 106 countries and territories featured in the 2026 ranking are from India.
• QS officials noted that in just a decade, India's ranked universities have grown from 11 to 54 — a 390% increase, the strongest performance across the G20, and a testament to the growing global recognition of India's higher education excellence.

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Mumbai University's Climb in Global Rankings

The QS ranking 2026 reveals that the University of Mumbai has advanced globally from the 711–720 band to an impressive 664th rank. This continued progress is remarkable—especially considering that the university ranked beyond 1000 five years ago in 2021. This upward trajectory showcases focused development and consistent academic improvement.

Top Spot in Maharashtra Among Traditional Universities

Within Maharashtra, the University of Mumbai is now the second-highest-ranked traditional university, following Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU), which stands at the 14th position nationally. This reinforces Mumbai University's commitment to quality education and robust academic infrastructure.

Scores and Performance Areas

Mumbai University fared very well across various parameters as indicated by the QS World University Rankings report:

• Employment Results: 91 (best result)
• Faculty-per-Citation: 53.7
• Sustainability:41.3
• Employer Reputation: 31.5
• International Research Network 27.6

It also demonstrated excellent progress in Academic Reputation, Faculty-Student Ratio, and International Student Diversity, aligning with global higher education standards.

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New Indian Entrants in QS World University Rankings 2026:

• IIT Gandhinagar
• Lovely Professional University (LPU)
• Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology
• Ashoka University
• Galgotias University
• Shiv Nadar University
• CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru
• Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS)

This year's results reflect a growing global appreciation for India's academic strength. Indian universities are recognized for their quality, research output, and contribution to international knowledge.

Key Insights from QS World University Ranking 2026

Overview of the QS World University Rankings 2026

The QS World University Rankings is one of the most reliable and extensive college evaluations globally. The version of 2026 relies on the information of more than 16 million scholarly articles, experiences of more than 151,000 scholars, and 100,000 employers. The rankings consider a wide range of considerations, including the quality of the faculty, the research quality, collaborations, and the performance of students.

A new indicator called International Student Diversity has been introduced for this cycle. It looks at the number of international students and the variety of countries they come from. This complements the existing International Student Ratio, which is a weighted factor.

QS has also fine-tuned its scoring method. This adjustment gives a more accurate picture of each institution's performance. Some scores may appear different from past years, even if the rank has stayed the same.

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Methodology

The QS World University Rankings use a structured approach to assess institutions across the globe. Each ranking is built on measurements that help evaluate university performance. These measurements are grouped as follows:

• Lens: A collection of indicators linked by a common theme, such as research or employability.
• Indicator: A specific performance area, such as Citations per Faculty or Employer Reputation. Institutions are scored and ranked on each indicator, contributing to their overall rank.
• Metric: A detailed calculation within an indicator used to generate precise scores.

Conclusion

The QS World University Rankings 2026 emphasise an increasing worldwide confidence in the Indian education system. This is part of India's increasing QS world rankings 2026 story and demonstrates that strategic changes, international collaborations, and innovation focus can put Indian universities into the world elite. The number of universities featured is the highest ever. A significant number are working their way up in the list. This steady increase is synonymous with the impetus of the National Education Policy 2020 and other reforms that are currently in progress. Focusing more on research, quality and global collaboration is helping India universities gradually gain their position in the international arena.