New Delhi: Four Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Jawaharlal Nehru University, and Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani have secured positions among the world's top 50 universities by subject, according to the latest QS Quacquarelli Symonds rankings released on Wednesday.
The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026, in its 16th edition, evaluated more than 21,000 academic programmes across 1,900 universities in over 100 countries, covering 55 disciplines and five broad faculty areas.
India doubles top 50 presence in global rankings
India has recorded 27 top-50 positions across subjects and faculty areas in 2026, more than doubling its tally from 12 in 2024, with 12 Indian institutions contributing to the achievement.
Among the standout performers, the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, ranked 21st globally in Mineral and Mining Engineering, while the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad secured 21st position in both Business and Management Studies and Marketing. Notably, this marks India's debut in the global Marketing rankings, signalling growing strength in business education.
IITs lead India's engineering and technology performance
Top-performing IITs, including IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Madras, featured prominently among the top 50 engineering institutions globally, alongside JNU and BITS Pilani.
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi delivered the most comprehensive performance among Indian institutions, with six top-50 rankings. It led India in four key subjects:
- Chemical Engineering (48th, first-ever top-50 entry)
- Electrical and Electronic Engineering (36th)
- Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering (44th, best in over a decade)
- Engineering and Technology broad category (36th)
It also ranked second in India for Computer Science, securing the 45th position globally.
India's growing global competitiveness in higher education
Commenting on the rankings, Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, said India's progress reflects both scale and improving quality.
"India's rise this year is not just about scale: it's about momentum in quality and global competitiveness. The breadth of improvement across engineering, technology and business signals a system that is accelerating with intent. The next phase will be defined by how effectively institutions deepen research strength, build global partnerships, and sharpen their distinctiveness on the world stage," she said.
Outlook for Indian universities in global rankings
The latest QS rankings 2026 underline India's growing presence in global higher education, particularly in engineering, technology, and management studies. Experts note that sustained investment in research, innovation, and international collaboration will be key to maintaining this upward trajectory.
PTI