India’s presence in the rankings has surged by 318% over the last decade, marking the most substantial growth among the G20 countries.
Modi highlighted the concerted efforts of students, educators, and academic institutions on Friday, stating, “Over the last decade, we have focused on qualitative changes in the education sector. This is reflected in the QS World University Rankings. Compliments to the students, faculty and institutions for their hard work and dedication. In this term, we want to do even more to boost research and innovation,” said PM Modi in a post on X.
This recognition comes as India continues to advance its higher education system and international academic reputation. The QS World University Rankings are a crucial measure of university quality and prestige globally.
The 2025 QS World University Rankings, unveiled by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) on Wednesday, show that the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Bombay and Delhi have ascended to the top 150 universities worldwide. IIT Bombay has climbed from 149th to 118th place, while IIT Delhi has risen 47 spots to rank 150th globally.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) remains the global leader in the QS rankings for the 13th year running. Delhi University (DU) has earned recognition for its graduates’ employability, ranking 44th worldwide in this category.
With the third-highest number of ranked institutions in Asia, India follows Japan, which has 49 universities, and China (Mainland), with 71. According to the QS report, 61% of Indian universities have improved their rankings, 24% have held steady, 9% have seen a decline, and three have made their debut in the rankings.
Moreover, 37 Indian universities have demonstrated stronger performance in Citations per Faculty, reflecting an increased impact of their research contributions.
