India’s top universities have again failed to make the QS World University Rankings: Asia’s top 50 for 2027, reflecting a decline amid growing regional competition.
New Delhi: In a notable setback for India’s higher education sector, the latest QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027 reveals that no Indian institution has made it into the top 50 for the second consecutive year. This decline highlights the increasing competition among universities in Asia, as new entrants have reshaped the rankings landscape.
All six of India’s highest-ranked institutions, including the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have experienced a drop in their rankings. Factors contributing to this decline include issues related to academic and employer reputation, internationalization, and research impact.
Despite the downturn in rankings, India has expanded its representation in the QS Asia rankings, adding 34 institutions this year, bringing the total to 325. This increase positions India as the second-largest contributor to the rankings, following Mainland China.
Ranking Details and Performance
Among the Indian institutions, IIT Delhi remains the highest-ranked, falling to 66th from 59th last year. IISc Bengaluru saw a significant drop from 64th to 79th, while IIT Bombay slipped from 71st to 83rd. Other IITs, including IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Kanpur, also recorded declines, with IIT Madras moving from 70th to 85th and IIT Kanpur from 77th to 97th.
The last appearance of an Indian institution in the top 50 was in 2024, when IIT Delhi ranked 44th and IIT Bombay 48th. The current analysis indicates a troubling trend for Indian universities, as they not only fail to maintain their standings but also see significant drops across the board.
Competition and Relative Performance
The QS office noted that rankings are relative; an institution can fall in the rankings even if its overall score improves, provided that its peers progress at a faster pace. In fact, the office reported that two-thirds of Indian universities that dropped in rank improved their overall scores, while leading institutions like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IISc broadly maintained them.
Specifically, in 2027, seven Indian institutions achieved scores above 90 in the Academic Reputation indicator, an improvement from six the previous year. Notably, three years ago, in 2024, no Indian institution had exceeded a score of 90.
The total number of universities participating in the QS Asia rankings has surged to 1,722 this year, with 195 new entrants contributing to a more competitive environment across 26 countries and territories.
Weaknesses in Reputation and Internationalization
Analysis of the QS rankings reveals declining scores in both academic and employer reputation among Indian institutions. Academic Reputation, which accounts for 30% of the QS Asia rankings, is determined through a global survey where academics identify the institutions they consider most robust in research and teaching. Employer Reputation constitutes 20% of the rankings and reflects employers’ opinions on which institutions produce the best graduates.
Among those Indian universities with comparable rankings, approximately 76% experienced a decrease in their Academic Reputation scores, while 83% saw declines in their Employer Reputation scores. However, IIT Bombay ranked seventh in Asia for Employer Reputation, with IIT Delhi close behind at tenth, indicating that reputation remains a relative strength for some leading institutions.
Challenges in Internationalization and Research Impact
Internationalization is assessed through metrics such as the proportion of international faculty and students, as well as student exchange rates. Unfortunately, Indian universities have performed below the regional average in these areas. Only 15% of Indian universities improved their International Students scores, while 85% reported declines. In terms of inbound and outbound exchange, 91% and 89% of institutions, respectively, saw their scores fall.
Research impact is gauged through the Citations per Paper indicator, which assesses the frequency with which a university’s research papers are cited. Alarmingly, only three Indian universities ranked among Asia’s top 50 in this regard, with 77% of comparable institutions reporting declines in their Citations per Paper scores. The QS report indicates that national expenditure on research and development is stagnant at approximately 0.64% of GDP.
Looking Ahead: Building on Strengths
Ben Sowter, Senior Vice President of QS, remarked that while India has established considerable research capacity, translating this strength into consistent research impact and international recognition remains a challenge. He emphasized the need for strategic investment in research quality, international partnerships, and global visibility as critical factors for sustaining progress.
The competitive landscape in Asia is evolving, with universities from Mainland China and Hong Kong SAR now occupying all top five positions in the overall rankings. Institutions from Bangladesh and Pakistan have shown improvement in their Citations per Paper scores, while Malaysia has achieved record-high positions for 16 of its universities in the 2027 edition.
Inje University in South Korea experienced the most significant improvement, rising 337 places to rank 366th. The QS office notes that competition among both new and established universities is intensifying across the region.
Despite the immediate challenges, QS highlighted the long-term expansion of Indian institutions in the rankings, which have increased from 24 universities in 2016 to 325 in 2027. India now accounts for nearly one in five universities ranked in Asia, compared to one in twelve in 2018, suggesting a positive long-term trend for the country’s higher education landscape.
