QS World University Rankings 2027
Why in News?
The QS World University Rankings 2027 included 52 Indian higher education institutions, compared with just 11 institutions in the 2015 edition. The rankings were released on 18 June 2026. The Indian government attributed the growth partly to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), which was launched in 2015.
India’s increased representation indicates the expanding global visibility of its higher education institutions. The latest rankings also showed improvements across several Indian universities and institutes.
What is the QS World University Rankings?
The QS World University Rankings is an annual global ranking published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). It evaluates universities using several indicators related to academic quality, research, employability, and internationalisation.
Major indicators include:
- Academic reputation
- Employer reputation
- Faculty-student ratio
- Citations per faculty
- International faculty
- International students
These indicators help compare universities across countries and assess their global academic standing.
Read Here: QS Asia Universities Ranking 2026
How did Indian institutions perform?
The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) emerged as India’s highest-ranked institution in the QS World University Rankings 2027. It secured 118th position globally, improving by five places from the previous edition. This position matches the highest-ever global position achieved by an Indian institution in the QS rankings. Other leading Indian institutions included:
| Institution | Global Rank |
|---|---|
| IIT Delhi | 118 |
| IIT Bombay | 134 |
| IIT Madras | 170 |
| IIT Kharagpur | 205 |
| IISc Bengaluru | 221 |
| IIT Kanpur | 221 |
| University of Delhi | 322 |
The University of Delhi remained India’s highest-ranked non-STEM institution in the ranking.
Among the 52 Indian institutions, 26 improved their positions, while nine remained unchanged. Fifteen institutions declined, and two institutions entered the rankings for the first time. Overall, 18 Indian institutions recorded their best-ever QS positions.
Related Information
The growth in India’s representation coincides with the expansion of the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). Launched by the Ministry of Education in 2015, NIRF provides a domestic framework for ranking higher education institutions.
The number of institutions participating in the NIRF framework reportedly increased from 4,030 in 2021 to 7,692 in 2025. The expansion reflects the increasing emphasis on institutional benchmarking, research performance, teaching quality, graduation outcomes, and perception.
The government has also promoted internationalisation, research, innovation, multidisciplinary education, and global collaborations through reforms associated with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
QS World University Rankings 2027 Exam-Oriented Facts
- Ranking: QS World University Rankings 2027.
- Publisher: Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
- Release Date: 18 June 2026.
- Indian Institutions: 52.
- Indian Institutions in 2015: 11.
- India’s Highest-Ranked Institution: IIT Delhi.
- IIT Delhi’s Global Rank: 118th.
- IIT Bombay: 134th.
- IIT Madras: 170th.
- IIT Kharagpur: 205th.
- IISc Bengaluru: 221st.
- IIT Kanpur: 221st.
- University of Delhi: 322nd.
- Institutions Improving: 26.
- Institutions Unchanged: 9.
- Institutions Declining: 15.
- New Entrants: 2.
- Best-ever QS positions: 18 Indian institutions.
- NIRF: National Institutional Ranking Framework.
- NIRF Launched: 2015 by the Ministry of Education.
- NIRF Institutions: Increased from 4,030 in 2021 to 7,692 in 2025.
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