QS World University Rankings 2026, List of Top Universities, Indian Universities Rank
Deeksha Dixit23 Jun, 2025
Share
QS World University Rankings 2026 have been officially released in their latest edition. This annual global ranking evaluates over 1,500 universities across 106 countries. In the 2026 edition, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has retained the top spot for the 14th consecutive year. Notably, a total of 54 Indian universities have secured positions in the QS World University Rankings 2026, a 5-fold increase since 2015.
QS World University Rankings 2026
QS World University Rankings 2026 is a comprehensive annual assessment of global higher education institutions. Published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the rankings are based on a range of indicators including academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, internationalization, research impact, and sustainability. Here is an overview:
| QS World University Rankings 2026 Overview | |
| Scope | Over 1,500 universities across 106 countries |
| Purpose | Provide a multi-dimensional, globally comparative evaluation of university quality and impact |
| Data Sources | 16+ million academic papers, 151,000+ academic responses, and 100,000+ employer responses |
| New in 2026 | International Student Diversity indicator, which measures both the number and variety of countries |
| Key Methodology Lenses |
|
| Metric Definition | Detailed calculations within indicators used to assign scores |
| Lens Definition | Groupings of related indicators (e.g., Research or Employability) |
| Indicator Definition | Measurable performance areas contributing to a university's overall score and rank |
| Website | www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings |
QS World University Rankings 2026 List
In the QS World University Rankings 2026, around 1,501 universities from 106 countries were evaluated based on a comprehensive set of indicators such as academic quality, research impact, employability, etc. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) of the USA has been ranked No. 1 for the 14th consecutive year with a perfect score of 100.
Here is the list of the top 20 World universities in QS Rankings 2026:
| Rank | University | Location | Overall Score |
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Cambridge, United States | 100 |
| 2 | Imperial College London | London, United Kingdom | 99.4 |
| 3 | Stanford University | Stanford, United States | 98.9 |
| 4 | University of Oxford | Oxford, United Kingdom | 97.9 |
| 5 | Harvard University | Cambridge, United States | 97.7 |
| 6 | University of Cambridge | Cambridge, United Kingdom | 97.2 |
| 7 | ETH Zurich | Zürich, Switzerland | 96.7 |
| 8 | National University of Singapore (NUS) | Singapore, Singapore | 95.9 |
| 9 | University College London (UCL) | London, United Kingdom | 95.8 |
| 10 | California Institute of Technology (Caltech) | Pasadena, United States | 94.3 |
| 11 | The University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR | 94.2 |
| 12 | Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore) | Singapore, Singapore | 93.7 |
| 13 | University of Chicago | Chicago, United States | 93 |
| 14 | Peking University | Beijing, China (Mainland) | 92.6 |
| 15 | University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, United States | 92.5 |
| 16 | Cornell University | Ithaca, United States | 91.6 |
| =17 | Tsinghua University | Beijing, China (Mainland) | 91.2 |
| =17 | University of California, Berkeley (UCB) | Berkeley, United States | 91.2 |
| 19 | The University of Melbourne | Parkville, Australia | 90.8 |
| 20 | The University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) | Sydney, Australia | 90.7 |
Also Read, Global Gender Gap Index 2025
QS World University Rankings 2026 India List
India has shown significant progress in the QS World University Rankings 2026. This year, a total of 54 institutions featured in the QS ranking, which is the highest number to date. It represents a five-fold increase since 2015, making India the fourth most represented country after the United States, the United Kingdom, and China.
Credit: PIB
The list includes 12 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and eight new entrants such as IIT Gandhinagar, Ashoka University, and Lovely Professional University. Here is the complete QS World University Rankings 2026 India list:
| S No. | Institution | QS World University Rank 2026 |
| 1 | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) | 123 |
| 2 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) | 129 |
| 3 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) | 180 |
| 4 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IITKGP) | 215 |
| 5 | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore | 219 |
| 6 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) | 222 |
| 7 | University of Delhi | 328 |
| 8 | Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) | 334 |
| 9 | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) | 339 |
| 10 | Anna University | 465 |
| 11 | Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences | 503 |
| 12 | Indian Institute of Technology Indore | 556 |
| 13 | Jawaharlal Nehru University | 558 |
| 14 | Indian Institute of Technology BHU Varanasi (IIT BHU Varanasi) | 566 |
| 15 | Savitribai Phule Pune University | 566 |
| 16 | Chandigarh University | 575 |
| 17 | Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IITH) | 664 |
| 18 | University of Mumbai | 664 |
| 19 | Birla Institute of Technology and Science | 668 |
| 20 | Jadavpur University | 676 |
| 21 | Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India | 691 |
| 22 | Symbiosis International (Deemed University) | 696 |
| 23 | National Institute of Technology Tiruchirappalli | 731-740 |
| 24 | Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi | 761-770 |
| 25 | Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology | 771-780 |
| 26 | University of Calcutta | 771-780 |
| 27 | IIT Gandhinagar | 801-850 |
| 28 | University of Hyderabad | 801-850 |
| 29 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education - Manipal University (MAHE) | 851-900 |
| 30 | O. P. Jindal Global University (JGU) | 851-900 |
| 31 | Lovely Professional University (LPU) | 901-950 |
| 32 | Panjab University | 901-950 |
| 33 | Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS) | 901-950 |
| 34 | University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES) | 901-950 |
| 35 | Amity University | 951-1000 |
| 36 | Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University | 951-1000 |
| 37 | Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar (IIT BBS) | 951-1000 |
| 38 | Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh | 1001-1200 |
| 39 | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | 1001-1200 |
| 40 | Banaras Hindu University | 1001-1200 |
| 41 | Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology | 1001-1200 |
| 42 | SRM Institute of Science and Technology | 1001-1200 |
| 43 | Ashoka University | 1201-1400 |
| 44 | Chitkara University | 1201-1400 |
| 45 | Galgotias University | 1201-1400 |
| 46 | Osmania University, Hyderabad | 1201-1400 |
| 47 | Pondicherry University | 1201-1400 |
| 48 | Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology | 1201-1400 |
| 49 | Shiv Nadar University | 1201-1400 |
| 50 | Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (Deemed to be University), SOA | 1201-1400 |
| 51 | CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bengaluru | 1401+ |
| 52 | Indian Institute of Information Technology - Allahabad | 1401+ |
| 53 | Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi | 1401+ |
| 54 | Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies (MRIIRS) | 1401+ |
Top 10 Indian Universities in World Ranking
India’s top universities have made strong progress in the QS World University Rankings 2026, with IIT Delhi ranking first in India. This list shows the top 10 Indian universities that ranked highest in the QS world ranking this year, following the National Education Policy 2020 and other ongoing reforms:
| India Rank | Institution | World Rank 2026 | World Rank 2025 |
| 1 | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) | 123 | 150 |
| 2 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) | 129 | 118 |
| 3 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) | 180 | 227 |
| 4 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IITKGP) | 215 | 222 |
| 5 | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore | 219 | 211 |
| 6 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) | 222 | 263 |
| 7 | University of Delhi | 328 | 328 |
| 8 | Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) | 334 | 344 |
| 9 | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) | 339 | 335 |
| 10 | Anna University | 465 | 383 |
QS World University Ranking 2026 Key Highlights
The QS World University Rankings 2026 reveal important trends and changes in global higher education. In this year’s edition, around 478 universities moved up while 573 moved down. Here are the key highlights of the QS World University Rankings 2026:
-
New Entrants: Eight Indian universities debuted, the highest for any country.
-
Rapid Growth: A Fivefold increase in Indian universities ranked since 2015.
-
Improved Performance: 48% of Indian institutions rose in rankings this year.
-
Top 250 Presence: Six Indian universities rank within the global top 250.
-
Leading Institution: IIT Delhi ranks highest among Indian universities at 123rd.
-
Biggest Climber: IIT Madras jumped 47 places to 180th.
-
IIT Strength: Twelve IITs feature in the rankings, showing a strong global presence.
-
Diverse Representation: India’s ranked universities include public, private, central, and technical institutes.
Overall, QS World University Rankings 2026 displayed a significant rise in India’s presence on the global higher education map.
To learn more about global reports and indexes, explore PW's UPSC courses and scale up your preparation!
QS World University Rankings 2026 FAQs
What is the rank of India in the QS World University Rankings 2026?
What rank is IIT in the world?
Which is the World No. 1 university?
Which university is ranked 1 in India?
How many Indian universities entered the QS World Rankings for the first time in 2026?
UPSC Coaching
Live & recorded classes available at easeDashboard for progress trackingMillions of practice questions at your fingertips
