India has significantly strengthened its position in global higher education, with the QS World University Rankings 2027 showing a sharp rise in the number of Indian universities featured. The count has increased from just 14 institutions in 2017 to 52 this year, making India the fifth most represented country in the world. According to QS Quacquarelli Symonds, this marks a 271% growth in Indian representation over the past decade, the fastest proportional increase among G20 nations. The expansion reflects a growing global presence of Indian higher education institutions across research and academic performance metrics.
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has retained its position as the country’s top-ranked institution, climbing to 118th globally—its best-ever ranking and the highest achieved by any Indian university so far. IIT Bombay followed at 134th place, IIT Madras at 170th, IIT Kharagpur at 205th, and IIT Kanpur at 221st. Beyond the IITs, several universities also showed strong performance. Delhi University improved its position to 322nd, while Jamia Millia Islamia ranked 686th. Other institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, BITS Pilani, VIT Vellore, Chandigarh University, and Shoolini University also achieved their best-ever global rankings.
The data shows that 26 Indian universities improved their rankings, 9 retained their positions, while 15 saw a decline. Notably, two new institutions entered the rankings this year, and more than half of the previously ranked universities improved their performance. Among the biggest movers, VIT Vellore jumped 94 places to 597th, while BITS Pilani rose 93 positions to 575th. Jamia Millia Islamia also recorded a strong rise of over 75 places. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan welcomed the development, stating that India’s improved performance reflects the transformative impact of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He noted that India is emerging as a global knowledge hub driven by research, innovation, and youth talent across 19 states and union territories.
