India has strengthened its presence in global higher education, with four Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani, making it to the world’s top 50 universities in various subjects, according to the latest QS World University Rankings by Subject.
The London-based QS Quacquarelli Symonds released the 16th edition of its rankings on Wednesday. The report evaluates over 21,000 academic programs across 1,900 universities in more than 100 countries, covering 55 disciplines and five broad faculty areas.
The Indian School of Mines University, Dhanbad, led the individual charge, ranking 21st globally in Mineral and Mining Engineering. In business studies, IIM Ahmedabad earned 21st place in both Business and Management Studies and Marketing, marking India’s first appearance in the global Marketing rankings.
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Other notable entrants include IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, JNU, and BITS Pilani.
“India's rise this year is not just about scale: it's about momentum in quality and global competitiveness. The breadth of improvement across engineering, technology, and business signals a system that is accelerating with intent,” said Jessica Turner, CEO of QS Quacquarelli Symonds. She added that the next phase will depend on institutions strengthening research, building global partnerships, and sharpening their distinctiveness on the world stage.
The results reflect a growing recognition of India’s higher education system, highlighting both quality and global competitiveness across multiple disciplines.
The London-based QS Quacquarelli Symonds released the 16th edition of its rankings on Wednesday. The report evaluates over 21,000 academic programs across 1,900 universities in more than 100 countries, covering 55 disciplines and five broad faculty areas.
India Records Significant Gains
India secured 27 positions in the top 50 across subjects and broad faculty areas, more than doubling the 12 top-50 spots achieved in 2024. These positions were earned by 12 Indian institutions.The Indian School of Mines University, Dhanbad, led the individual charge, ranking 21st globally in Mineral and Mining Engineering. In business studies, IIM Ahmedabad earned 21st place in both Business and Management Studies and Marketing, marking India’s first appearance in the global Marketing rankings.
(Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates)
Other notable entrants include IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras, JNU, and BITS Pilani.
“India's rise this year is not just about scale: it's about momentum in quality and global competitiveness. The breadth of improvement across engineering, technology, and business signals a system that is accelerating with intent,” said Jessica Turner, CEO of QS Quacquarelli Symonds. She added that the next phase will depend on institutions strengthening research, building global partnerships, and sharpening their distinctiveness on the world stage.
IIT Delhi Leads Among Indian Institutions
IIT Delhi delivered the edition’s most complete single-institution performance, recording six top-50 entries. The institute leads India in four subjects: Chemical Engineering (48th, its first top-50 appearance), Electrical and Electronic Engineering (36th), Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering (44th, best in over a decade), and the Engineering and Technology broad area (36th). It also ranks second in Computer Science at 45th.The results reflect a growing recognition of India’s higher education system, highlighting both quality and global competitiveness across multiple disciplines.
