Indian institutions have made significant strides in global academic rankings, with 79 universities securing spots in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. This is an improvement over last year, yet challenges remain. While some institutions have climbed the rankings, others have slipped, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to evaluating India’s academic progress beyond rankings.
How Did Indian Institutes Perform in QS Rankings 2025?
The latest QS subject-wise rankings saw an increase in Indian institutions, with nine securing a place in the top 50 globally. Some of the notable performances include:
IIT (ISM) Dhanbad ranked 20th in Engineering – Mineral and Mining, making it the highest-ranked Indian institution in its category.
IIT Mumbai and IIT Kharagpur secured the 28th and 45th spots, respectively.
IIT Delhi and IIT Mumbai improved their positions in Engineering and Technology, now ranking 26th and 28th, up from a shared 45th place last year.
IIM Ahmedabad and IIM Bangalore experienced a drop in rankings in Business and Management Studies, moving from 22nd to 27th and 32nd to 40th, respectively.
Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University showed positive growth in broad subject categories, but experienced declines in specific subjects.
How Do Indian Institutions Compare Globally?
Indian universities made 533 appearances across different subject rankings, reflecting a 25.7% increase from the previous year. Additionally, India secured the fifth-highest number of new subject entries (10), behind China, the US, the UK, and Korea.
However, Asian counterparts, particularly China, South Korea, and Hong Kong, are progressing at a faster pace. For instance:
China led in new subject entries, with Sun Yat-sen University and Xiamen University adding 13 subjects each.
Peking University saw 43 of its 50 subjects improve, making it one of the fastest-growing universities globally.
Meanwhile, US universities still dominate the rankings, with Harvard University ranking first in 15 subjects and MIT leading in 11 disciplines.
Why Are Indian Universities Rising in Rankings?
The QS rankings evaluate institutions based on five key factors:
- Academic Reputation
- Employer Reputation
- Research Citations per Paper
- H-index (a measure of research impact and productivity)
- International Research Network
Many Indian institutions improved their rankings due to better scores in these metrics. For example, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, which was ranked 41st last year, moved up to 20th this year due to an increase in employer reputation scores from 53.7 to 67, indicating better industry recognition.
Challenges & Areas for Improvement
Despite overall progress, India still lags behind other Asian countries in global rankings. Key areas that require attention include:
Research Quality & Impact: The H-index scores indicate that Indian institutions need to enhance research output and global impact.
Higher Education Funding: Increasing GDP allocation for higher education is crucial, especially for research & development initiatives.
Skill Development: Institutes and policymakers should focus on enhancing employability through industry-relevant training programs.
Do Rankings Give the Full Picture?
While global rankings offer valuable insights, they do not fully capture an institute’s overall performance. Different ranking systems use varied methodologies and criteria, leading to discrepancies.
For instance, IIT Delhi ranked 26th globally in the QS rankings for engineering, but according to India’s National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), IIT Madras holds the top spot in the same category. This discrepancy arises because NIRF evaluates institutions on different parameters, including:
- Teaching, Learning, and Resources
- Research and Professional Practice
- Graduation Outcomes
- Outreach and Inclusivity
- Peer Perception
Thus, relying solely on one ranking system does not provide a complete assessment of an institution’s quality.
