QS Asia Rankings: 71% Of Indian Universities Slip Despite Growing Representation | Education and Career News

Last Updated:November 04, 2026, 15:52 IST

QS Asia Rankings 2027: Some of India’s leading institutions, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras and IISc Bengaluru, have seen their positions decline.

IIT Delhi remains India’s highest-ranked institution, but has slipped from 59th position last year to 66th this year. (Image: PTI)

The number of Indian institutions featured in the QS Asia University Rankings has increased, but a majority have slipped in the latest edition. According to the QS Asia University Rankings 2027, around 71% of Indian universities included in the list have fallen in rank compared to last year.

A total of 325 Indian institutions have featured in the 2027 rankings, making India the second-most represented country in Asia. However, this does not translate into better rankings for most institutions. Even some of India’s leading institutions, including IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, have seen their positions decline.

According to a report by the Indian Express, IIT Delhi remains India’s highest-ranked institution, but has slipped from 59th position last year to 66th this year. IISc Bengaluru has fallen from 64th to 79th, while IIT Bombay has dropped from 71st to 83rd.

IIT Madras has moved from 70th to 85th position. IIT Kharagpur and IIT Kanpur have also declined, falling from 77th to 90th and 97th, respectively. The University of Delhi has dropped out of the top 100, moving from 95th to 106th position.

A decline in ranking does not necessarily indicate that an institution’s academic performance or education quality has deteriorated. The 71% figure represents the proportion of Indian institutions whose positions have fallen, not a 71% decline in India’s overall performance, QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter told the news agency.

Nearly two-thirds of the Indian institutions that slipped in the rankings have improved their overall scores. Major institutions such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and IISc have also maintained their overall scores, according to the report.

One of the reasons behind the decline is increasing competition among Asian universities. The QS Asia University Rankings 2027 include 1,722 institutions, with 195 new entrants this year. Improvements by other universities can affect the relative positions of Indian institutions, even when their own scores remain stable or improve.

Among Indian institutions ranked in the top 200, IIT Kanpur and UPES recorded some of the biggest drops. IIT Kanpur moved from 77th to 97th position, while UPES slipped from 163rd to 183rd. Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, fell from 495th to 697th, a drop of 202 places. Osmania University moved from 470th to 650th, while Madurai Kamaraj University slipped from 458th to 631st.

However, several Indian institutions improved their positions in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027. Chandigarh University rose from 109th to 104th, achieving its highest position so far. Lovely Professional University moved up from 187th to 154th.

Symbiosis International University improved from 200th to 175th. Jamia Millia Islamia climbed from 197th to 183rd, while Jawaharlal Nehru University moved from 130th to 128th.

Among technical institutions, IIT Hyderabad improved from 270th to 251st, while IIT BHU Varanasi rose from 237th to 219th. IIT ISM Dhanbad gained 51 places to reach 373rd. Delhi Technological University also improved its position by 116 places, reaching 584th.

A total of 21 Indian institutions have secured places among Asia’s top 200 universities in the 2027 rankings. IIT Delhi leads the Indian institutions at 66th position, followed by IISc Bengaluru at 79th and IIT Bombay at 83rd.

Other Indian institutions in the top 200 include Lovely Professional University, VIT Vellore, BITS Pilani, OP Jindal Global University, Shoolini University, Amity University, Symbiosis International University, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

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What caused Indian universities to slip in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027 despite growing representation?

Despite having 325 Indian institutions featured in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027, about 71% of them slipped in rank. This decline primarily stems from increasing competition among Asian universities, including 195 new entrants, where improvements by other institutions affected relative positions even when Indian universities maintained or improved their overall scores.

Which institution is ranked as India’s highest-performing university in the 2027 QS Asia Rankings?

IIT Delhi remains India’s highest-ranked institution in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027, placing 66th overall despite slipping from its 59th position last year. It is followed by IISc Bengaluru at 79th and IIT Bombay at the 83rd position.

Does a drop in rank in the QS Asia University Rankings mean an Indian institution’s education quality worsened?

No, a decline in ranking does not indicate a drop in educational quality or academic performance. Nearly two-thirds of the Indian institutions that slipped actually improved their overall scores, while major institutions like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IISc maintained their scores.

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