India has made significant strides in higher education over the past decade, with the number of Indian universities represented in the QS Asia University Rankings increasing from 24 in 2016 to 294 in 2026. This 1,125% surge is not only a marker of India’s increasing educational footprint in Asia but also an indication of the government’s committed efforts towards quality education, research, and innovation under initiatives such as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised this historic increase, noting that the government is working to ensure quality education for the youth and is enhancing institutional capacities throughout the country to develop a research-led academic environment. The percentage increase in its university representation is the largest achieved by any of the major Asian countries, at 273 percent for China over four years.
Although their numbers have grown astronomically, Indian universities are struggling to rise in the rankings. India’s No. 1 IIT Delhi, as the top-ranked institution in the country, slipped to 59th position in the rankings from its 44th spot last year, despite improved scores. IIT Bombay, too, plummeted to 71st. That its decline isn’t steeper is partly due to stronger competition from other Asian universities that are also experiencing bigger gains. However, seven Indian universities were ranked among the top 100 in Asia, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IISc Bengaluru, and the University of Delhi. Notably, Chandigarh University — the only private institution to make it to this group — saw a significant rise in its ranking.
QS rates universities according to a range of criteria, including academic reputation, employer opinion, faculty-student ratio, and the standards they apply to publish or receive citations (QS World University Rankings, 2016). India is particularly strong in research productivity, boasting the highest number of papers per faculty and staff member with PhDs in Asia. The Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology published the largest number of research articles on the continent.
The peak of 137 first-time entrants in India’s 294 ranked universities indicates an expanding base that is improving and reaching beyond. The number of Indian institutions now outperforming 90% of their Asian rivals has grown from three in 2016 to 11 over the past decade – that is, over a full decade of sustained academic progress.
Although India’s higher education system remains the basket case of Asia, struggling merely to break into the top 50 universities, the depth and breadth of its university ecosystem have expanded massively. The increasing significance of India in QS rankings reflects effective policy-making, increased internationalization, and a growing research culture – placing India as a knowledge-generative country that has the potential to make a significant contribution to driving innovation, including across Asia.
The QS Asia University Rankings 2026 evaluated 1,529 universities from 25 different higher education systems. This was the biggest group ever, and it showed that Indian institutions are slowly but surely making their mark in a competitive field.
India’s tenfold leap in the QS Asia University rankings over a decade is a powerful testament to the country’s intellectual rise, driven by governmental efforts and an increased focus on research and innovation. With the potential for upward movement through the ranks, there is much to look forward to in Indian education, as universities are becoming increasingly reputable both in Asia and worldwide.