IIT Delhi Tops QS World University Rankings 2026 Among Indian Institutions, Surpassing IIT Bombay

For the first time in eight years, IIT Delhi has emerged as India’s highest-ranked institution in the QS World University Rankings 2026, surpassing IIT Bombay, which had dominated the national charts for six out of the last ten years. This marks a significant achievement for IIT Delhi, as it climbed 27 places to secure the 123rd global rank, improving from 150 last year. Meanwhile, IIT Bombay slipped 11 spots, settling at 129th rank.

India’s Top Performers and Global Context

Despite this remarkable progress, no Indian university has yet entered the coveted top 100 globally. The closest was IIT Bombay at 118th rank in 2025. On the global stage, the rankings were led once again by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), followed by Imperial College London, Stanford University, University of Oxford, and Harvard University.

India showcased a robust presence in the 2026 rankings, with 54 institutions making the list—placing the country fourth globally in terms of representation, after the USA (192), UK (90), and China (72).

Key Highlights for IIT Delhi

IIT Delhi’s rise was fueled by improvements across several QS metrics:

• Employer Reputation: +23 places
• Citations per Faculty: +40 places
• Employer Outcomes: +21 places
• Sustainability: +252 places

The university outshone IIT Bombay in citations per faculty (93.1 vs 82.9), international student diversity (6.3 vs 1.5), international research network (66.9 vs 46.6), and sustainability (79.9 vs 75.2). However, IIT Bombay still led in academic reputation, employer reputation, and employment outcomes.

Other Indian Institutions in the Top 200

Joining IIT Delhi and Bombay in the top 200 globally is IIT Madras, which made a significant leap from 227 to 180—its first appearance in the top 200. The top 10 Indian institutions also include:

• IIT Kharagpur (215)
• IISc Bangalore (219)
• IIT Kanpur (222)
• Delhi University (328)
• IIT Guwahati (334)
• IIT Roorkee (339)
• Anna University (465)

Notably, IISc Bangalore saw a slight dip from 211 to 219.

Rise in Indian Representation

India saw a 390% rise in the number of institutions featured in QS rankings over the past decade—from 11 in 2015 to 54 in 2026. With eight new Indian entrants this year, India added more institutions than any other country.

Among the new entrants:

• Ashoka University (1201-1400)
• Shiv Nadar University (1201-1400)
• Christ University, Bengaluru (1401+)
• Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (1001-1200)
• Lovely Professional University (901-950)
• IIT Gandhinagar (801-850)

Performance by Metrics

Some Indian institutions achieved top 100 ranks in specific indicators:

• Citations per Faculty: IISc Bangalore (15th globally), Anna University (23rd), IIT BHU (47th)
• Employer Reputation: IIT Bombay (39th globally)
• Employment Outcomes: University of Delhi and University of Mumbai (top 100)

Conclusion

The QS World University Rankings 2026 showcase India’s growing footprint in global higher education. IIT Delhi’s rise underscores the impact of focused improvements in research, sustainability, and internationalization. As Indian universities continue to refine their strategies, the ambition of breaking into the global top 100 looks increasingly achievable.

Read Also: List of State Governments that Grant Educational Loans for Study Abroad

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Hemesh Choudhary

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