Amid the headlines dominated by the Iran-Israel conflict, a historic achievement by India in the field of education went largely unnoticed last week. Unfortunately, even under normal circumstances, education seldom becomes a subject of public discourse in our country. Not only the general public but even those directly involved in the education sector often show little interest in policy reforms, new initiatives, or institutional achievements. This apathy is particularly worrisome for a country where 65 per cent of the population is young. For a nation that was once revered as the Vishwaguru and whose rich intellectual traditions still captivate the world, it is deeply troubling that public discourse has narrowed to politics, cinema, and cricket. This trend must surely be disheartening for every thoughtful citizen. In recent times, this discourse has been further diluted by debates surrounding war, sloganeering, baseless or genuine accusations and counter-accusations, as well as sensational stories about romantic relationships. People engage in these discussions like experts, while education—the very force that shapes the nation’s future—continues to be neglected.
Against this backdrop, India’s recent achievement in the education sector becomes even more significant. On June 19, the QS World University Rankings 2026 were released, marking India’s best performance to date. This year, out of a total of 8,000 institutions and universities from 106 countries, 1,501 institutions were ranked, including 112 making their debut. India had 54 institutions featured in this prestigious list—a record high for the country. This not only places India ahead of developed nations like Germany (48) and Japan (47) but also makes it the fourth most represented country, after the USA, the UK, and China. Notably, in 2014, only 11 Indian institutions were included in the QS rankings. In other words, India has seen an impressive 390 per cent growth—almost fivefold—over the past decade. This growth has been driven not only by India’s premier public institutions such as the 12 IITs in Delhi, Mumbai, Madras, Kharagpur, Kanpur, Guwahati, Roorkee, BHU, etc., and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, Delhi University, Anna University, and Jawaharlal Nehru University, but also by several private universities that have made a strong impact. This is not just a quantitative milestone but a reflection of the improving quality of Indian higher education and its increasing competitiveness on the global stage. Undoubtedly, this success was not achieved overnight. It has been propelled by consistent reforms over the past decade and significantly boosted by the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) – 2020. This year, about 48 per cent of Indian institutions in the QS rankings improved their positions, while only 20 per cent saw a decline. Remarkably, eight Indian institutions entered the list for the first time—the highest number for any country. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, entered the top 125 for the first time, rising 27 places since last year and 70 places in just two years, securing the 123rd rank.
Meanwhile, IIT Bombay was ranked 129th, and IIT Madras jumped 47 spots from its previous 227th position to enter the top 200 universities in the QS World University Rankings 2026. On this occasion, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan rightly stated that the NEP 2020 is not only transforming the academic landscape but doing so in a revolutionary way. He emphasised that India now has the fastest-growing education system among the G-20 nations. In this context, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement also appears apt and relevant, “The QS World University Rankings have brought excellent news for our education system. Our government is committed to strengthening the ecosystem of research and innovation for the benefit of India’s youth.”
It is noteworthy that the QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) World University Rankings are considered one of the most prestigious and widely referenced rankings in the realm of higher education. Institutions are evaluated based on nine indicators, which include:
Academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty and student ratio, employment outcomes, international research network, and sustainability. Several decisive and well-organised efforts have driven the recent reforms in India’s higher education landscape. The recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) – 2020 have been implemented in a structured manner. Alongside promoting research, innovation, entrepreneurship, and global competitiveness, international collaborations have also been prioritised. According to Professor V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, “We have focused on interdisciplinary research, education, and culture. This approach has been strongly endorsed in the new education policy. That’s why IITs such as Madras, Kanpur, and Kharagpur have now initiated research and teaching programs in the fields of medical science and technology.” He further added that international research networking has also been given high importance, leading to enhanced collaborations with foreign universities and industrial institutions. Thanks to focused efforts on innovation and entrepreneurship, IIT Madras filed 417 patents and launched 103 startups in the past year alone. He stated, “We have adopted a strategy that integrates research, education, and service, aligning national priorities with global needs.” This coordinated approach has positively impacted global benchmarks, including academic excellence, employer reputation, citations per faculty member, and international networking.
Significant steps have also been taken to strengthen technical proficiency and vocational skills in higher education. Meaningful initiatives have been undertaken to reduce the gap between academia and industry, promote collaboration between public and private universities, and introduce greater flexibility in admissions, faculty recruitment, and curriculum design. Most IITs have now launched high-quality online courses. School-level achievements in arts & culture, skills, sports, and Olympiads are now being duly considered during admissions to IITs and universities. This approach is helping to reduce the blind race for marks and promote a more holistic and balanced form of education. Efforts are also being made to promote diversity and inclusion within university campuses while developing an ecosystem conducive to interdisciplinary research. Decisive steps have been taken to strengthen employment-oriented education. Students now have access to multidisciplinary and contemporary study options that combine STEM fields with humanities, as well as subjects such as artificial intelligence, data science, and drone technology. The option to pursue two academic programs simultaneously has made learning more flexible, engaging, and practical. Remarkable progress has also been made in international networking. Indian scholars and students who have returned from studying abroad are now actively engaged in teaching and research in Indian universities. This has led to improvements in research quality, publications, and their impact. As a result of these collective efforts, eight Indian institutions are now ranked among the top 100 in the world in the “citations per faculty” category, outperforming countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom on this parameter. Similarly, five Indian universities have entered the global top 100 in terms of “employer reputation,” reflecting the growing acceptance of Indian graduates in the global job market. Institutions such as IIT Delhi, Mumbai, and Madras have also delivered excellent performances in terms of academic reputation, as per global ratings. On the important QS indicator of “sustainability,” several IITs and private universities have undertaken concrete initiatives on their campuses. Indian institutions are actively and consciously engaged in promoting cleanliness, effective waste management, the utilisation of renewable resources, and environmental conservation. It is worth noting that sensitivity towards nature and the environment has always been an integral part of the Indian way of life, and this perspective is now being systematically incorporated into education policy.
Although on the newly added parameter of international student diversity, most Indian institutions—except IIT Madras—could not achieve expected ranks, leading to a partially adverse impact on the overall ranking, it is important to understand that diversity is not limited to students coming from different countries. In a vast and culturally rich country like India, immense diversity exists within states themselves—in terms of language, clothing, cuisine, skin tone, traditions, and festivals. Our universities, in this sense, are living celebrations of diversity. This very characteristic makes our education system unique, and it deserves to be understood with sensitivity by global ranking agencies. Even in this regard, by embracing a culture of improvement and learning, many premier Indian institutions have become active on the global stage. Several IITs and private universities have begun establishing campuses or expanding their presence in other countries through partnerships. For example, IIT Madras has launched campuses in Zanzibar and Africa; IIT Delhi has opened a campus in Abu Dhabi; IIT Bombay, in collaboration with Tohoku University in Japan, is establishing a new international academic centre; and IIM Ahmedabad and IIFT have announced their campuses in Dubai. Meanwhile, several reputable foreign universities are also in the process of establishing academic centres in India.
Undoubtedly, India’s achievements in the QS World University Rankings – 2026 are inspiring, and the efforts made in the direction of reform are commendable. These accomplishments reinforce both national and international confidence in India’s higher education system. However, we must also acknowledge that this success is still largely limited to IITs, central universities, and a few select institutions. A majority of the country’s universities continue to struggle with numerous challenges, including limited financial resources, low research output, a shortage of qualified faculty, a lack of state-of-the-art laboratories, insufficient interest in innovation, and restricted international collaborations. In this context, it is concerning to note that approximately 1.8 million Indian students are currently enrolled in foreign universities, with an estimated annual expenditure of Rs 5 lakh crore (Rs 5 trillion) on their education. This reflects the fact that a significant number of students still prefer to go abroad in pursuit of high-quality, globally benchmarked education. What is needed now is to instil confidence in such students that Indian universities, too, are capable of offering education of global standards. In essence, we must not treat global rankings, such as those by QS, as our ultimate goal but rather as a mirror—one that encourages self-evaluation, continuous improvement, and innovation.
True excellence lies beyond rankings—in building a global model of education rooted in India’s cultural soul, selfhood, and educational philosophy. While this is undoubtedly a challenging task, it is not impossible. It is worth remembering that in 1947, India had only 17 universities and a literacy rate of 14%. Today, the country has 495 state universities and more than 46,000 affiliated institutions, enrolling 81 per cent of the eligible student population. This transformation is a testament to our potential, aspirations, and unwavering will to progress. The time has come to build upon this foundation a world-class, inclusive, and self-reliant education system—one that is in tune with contemporary needs yet nourished by India’s timeless knowledge system.
