India Makes Record Strides in QS World University Rankings 2026 with 54 Institutions Featured
New Delhi, June 19, 2025 — India has recorded a major leap in global higher education with 54 Indian institutions featured in the QS World University Rankings 2026 — the country’s highest-ever representation. This marks a five-fold increase from just 11 institutions in 2014.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hailed the achievement as a testament to the educational reforms implemented over the last decade.
“With a record 54 HEIs featuring among the global best, India hits a new high in the QS World University 2026 Rankings. From just 11 universities in 2014 to 54 in the latest rankings, this five-fold jump is a testament to the transformative educational reforms ushered in by PM @narendramodi ji’s govt. in the last decade. NEP 2020 is not just changing our educational landscape, it is revolutionising it,” Pradhan said in a post on X.
India is now the fourth most represented country in the QS rankings, following the United States, the United Kingdom, and China. It is also the fastest-growing education system among G20 nations.
“Matter of immense pride that India is also the fastest growing education system among G20 countries and the fourth most represented… Confident that with NEP’s thrust on research, innovation and internationalisation, more Indian HEIs will scale global excellence in the times ahead,” Pradhan added.
The rise is largely credited to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes quality, research, global collaboration, and innovation. Top performers include IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IISc Bangalore, among others.
Experts say India’s growing global footprint in higher education is a clear indicator of the country’s academic and research potential being increasingly recognized worldwide.