QS World University Rankings 2026: The QS World University Rankings 2026, which were released earlier today, June 19, rank Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi as India's top university. The institute received an overall score of 65.5 and was placed 123rd in the world rankings.
IIT Delhi, which ranked 123rd this year after rising more than 70 spots in just two years, was ranked 197th in 2024 and 150th in 2025. IIT Bombay, which topped the 2025 rankings, is ranked second among Indian universities in the QS World University rankings. This year, it is placed 129th in the world. It was ranked 118th last year. One of the biggest improvements has been made by the IIT Madras which jumped from 227 in 2025 QS World University Rankings to 180 in 2026 – a jump of 47 ranks.
QS World University Rankings 2026: How did India perform
| Rank in India | 2026 Rank | 2025 Rank | Change | Institution |
| 1 | 123 | 150 | 27 | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) |
| 2 | 129 | 118 | -11 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) |
| 3 | 180 | 227 | 47 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) |
| 4 | 215 | 222 | 7 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) |
| 5 | 219 | 211 | -8 | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore |
| 7 | 328 | 328 | 0 | University of Delhi |
| 19 | 668 | 801-850 | 14 | Birla Institute of Technology and Science |
| 27= | 801-850 | 801-850 | 0 | University of Hyderabad |
| 29= | 851-900 | 901-950 | 1 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education – Manipal University (MAHE) |
| 29= | 851-900 | 1001-1200 | 3 | O. P. Jindal Global University (JGU) |
| 38= | 1001-1200 | 1001-1200 | 0 | Banaras Hindu University (BHU) |
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QS World University Rankings 2026: Global rankings
For fourteen consecutive years, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) holds the top spot. Stanford University comes in third, followed by Imperial College London in second. With 192 universities included in the rankings, the United States remains the most represented nation, and more of its schools are rising in rank than falling in this edition.
Reversing a previous negative trend, Germany also sees a positive turn, with more universities increasing their positions than dropping. With Politecnico di Milano securing the 98th spot, Italy achieves a historic first by breaking into the world's top 100.
India's position within the Asia-pacific context and its place globally
India's rise must be considered against the regional and global contrasting backdrop, especially when considering the growing global pre-eminence of the Asia-pacific region, now with 565 ranked universities, compared with Europe (487) and the Americas (358). Additionally, India has added eight new universities - more than any other country - again suggesting a widening of institutional momentum and a commitment towards increased research capacity and global legitimacy.
