PM highlights India’s rise in QS Asia University Rankings

Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the record increase in the number of Indian universities featured in the QS Asia University Rankings over the past decade. Posting on X, he said, “Glad to see a record increase in the number of Indian universities in the QS Asia University Rankings over the last decade. Our Government is committed to ensuring quality education for our youth, with a focus on research and innovation. We are also building institutional capacities in this sector by enabling more educational institutions across India.”

The QS Asia University Rankings, compiled by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, evaluate universities across Asia on indicators such as academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, research output, citations, and internationalisation. The 2025 edition assessed 984 institutions across 25 Asian education systems.

India has made significant progress in these rankings, with two institutions in the Top 50 and seven in the Top 100. Leading Indian universities include IIT Delhi (44th), IIT Bombay (48th), IIT Madras (56th), IIT Kharagpur (60th), IISc Bangalore (62nd), and IIT Kanpur (67th). Other Indian institutions like VIT Vellore and UPES also made it into the rankings. Over the past decade, the number of Indian universities featured in QS Asia Rankings has grown substantially, reflecting improved institutional capacity and global competitiveness.

The rise in rankings is attributed to enhanced research output, better academic reputation, and stronger employability perception among graduates. IIT Delhi, for example, recorded significant improvement in research citations and faculty publications. Despite these gains, challenges remain in areas such as internationalisation, faculty-student ratios, infrastructure, and global branding.

The Prime Minister’s comment underscores the government’s focus on strengthening higher education, promoting research and innovation, and expanding institutional capacities across the country. The achievement highlights India’s growing presence in global academic rankings and the efforts to provide world-class education to its youth.