Most Top Indian Institutions Drop in QS Asia 2026 Rankings, China Surpasses India in University Tally

The recent QS Asia University Rankings for 2026 have revealed a significant decline in the positions of many top Indian institutions, with China now surpassing India in the total number of universities represented in the rankings. This shift highlights the growing competition in higher education across Asia, particularly from countries such as China, Malaysia, South Korea, and Singapore.

Overview of the Rankings

According to the rankings released by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi remains the highest-ranked institution in India for the second consecutive year. However, it has fallen 15 places to the 59th position, marking its lowest rank in recent years. Notably, nine of the top ten Indian institutions, including seven IITs, have experienced a decline in their rankings.

Key Changes in Rankings

Among the top ten Indian institutions, IIT Bombay recorded the most significant drop, falling 23 ranks to 71st place. Previously, IIT Bombay had been India’s highest-ranked institution between 2021 and 2024. Other IITs, including Madras, Kanpur, and Kharagpur, also reported their lowest ranks in recent years.

Institutions Showing Improvement

Chandigarh University was the only Indian institution in the top ten to improve its position, rising from 120 to 109. This indicates that while many institutions are struggling, some are making strides in their academic standings.

Global Context

Globally, the University of Hong Kong secured the top position in the QS Asia rankings, followed closely by China’s Peking University. The National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University share the third spot. The dominance of institutions from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, South Korea, and Malaysia in the top 20 positions reflects a clear trend of eastward concentration in higher education performance.

Factors Influencing Rankings

The QS rankings methodology assesses several factors, including:

• Academic reputation
• Employer reputation
• Faculty-student ratio
• International research network
• Citations per paper
• Papers per faculty
• Percentage of staff with PhDs
• Measures of internationalisation

Performance of Indian Institutions

Indian institutions have performed well in areas such as academic and employer reputation, the percentage of staff with PhDs, and papers per faculty. However, they have lagged in critical metrics such as citations per paper, faculty-student ratio, and internationalisation.

Citations and Research Visibility

For instance, IIT Delhi scored 31.5 in citations per paper, while IIT Bombay and IIT Madras scored 20.0 and 20.3, respectively. In contrast, top Asian universities scored in the 90s, indicating that Indian institutions are facing challenges in achieving research visibility and producing highly cited outputs.

Faculty-Student Ratio

The faculty-student ratio is another area where Indian institutions are struggling. IIT Kharagpur scored 16.5, and IIT Delhi scored 40.9, reflecting large class sizes and resource constraints compared to leading Asian universities.

Internationalisation Metrics

In terms of internationalisation, IITs scored between 2.5 (IIT Kharagpur) and 12.3 (IIT Roorkee), which is significantly lower than top-ranked institutions that scored close to 100. This limited presence of international students and faculty puts IITs at a disadvantage compared to their peers in Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea.

Increasing Competition in Rankings

This year’s QS Asia rankings have expanded to include over 550 new institutions, increasing competition and volatility. The 2026 edition features a total of 1,529 institutions, with China adding 261 new institutions and India adding 137, bringing its total to 294. As a result, China has now surpassed India as the most-represented country in the rankings.

Future Outlook

Of the 157 Indian institutions featured last year, 105 (67%) saw a decline in their 2026 rank. The QS report noted that South Korean universities, such as Yonsei University and Korea University, have climbed into the top 20, while Malaysian universities have also improved their positions, driven by enhancements in faculty-student ratios and internationalisation efforts.

Note: The QS Asia University Rankings reflect the evolving landscape of higher education in Asia, indicating that Indian institutions must adapt and improve to remain competitive in the global arena.