NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) has retained its position as India’s highest-ranked university in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027, despite slipping seven places to 66th from 59th last year. Meanwhile, the University of Delhi (DU) has fallen out of the regional top 100, dropping from 95th to 106th, highlighting the growing competition among Asian higher education institutions.
According to the latest rankings released by international higher education experts QS Quacquarelli Symonds on Tuesday, all six of India’s highest-ranked universities have recorded a decline in their positions this year. The results come in an expanded edition featuring 1,722 universities across 26 higher education systems, including 195 new entrants.
IIT Delhi continues to lead India’s higher education institutions in the regional rankings, although its seven-place decline reflects the increasingly competitive academic environment across Asia. The institute, however, remains among the country’s strongest performers in employer reputation, securing the seventh position in Asia.
The University of Delhi’s slide to 106th from 95th last year marks another development for the national capital’s higher education landscape. Its exit from the top 100 comes amid stronger competition from universities across the region and an increase in the number of institutions included in the rankings.
While IIT Delhi and DU have slipped, other Indian institutions have shown improvements. Chandigarh University climbed to 104th from 109th, while Lovely Professional University made a notable jump to 154th from 187th. Jamia Millia Islamia also improved its position, moving to 183rd from 197th last year.
At the national level, India remains Asia’s second-most represented higher education system, with 325 ranked universities, including 34 new entrants. This represents a more than thirteen fold increase since 2016, when only 24 Indian institutions featured in the rankings.
IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay have also emerged as India’s leading institutions in employer reputation, ranking seventh and 10th respectively across Asia.
However, research impact and internationalisation remain key challenges. India has only three universities among Asia’s top 50 for Citations per Paper, while its performance in international faculty, international students and student exchange indicators remains below the regional average.
QS officials in its official statement said that India must now focus on translating its strong research output into greater global research impact, international partnerships and academic recognition.