UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 19th June 2025
Social Justice: QS World Rankings 2025
Why in News?
For the first time in eight years, IIT Delhi emerged as the highest-ranked Indian institution in the QS World University Rankings 2026, surpassing IIT Bombay.
Introduction
- The QS World University Rankings 2026, released by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, brought a significant reshuffle among India’s top institutions.
- For the first time in eight years, IIT Delhi emerged as the highest-ranked Indian institution, overtaking IIT Bombay, which had largely dominated Indian rankings over the past decade.
Top-Ranked Indian Institutions
Institution | 2026 Rank | 2025 Rank | Rank Change |
IIT Delhi | 123 | 150 | +27 |
IIT Bombay | 129 | 118 | -11 |
IIT Madras | 180 | 227 | +47 |
IISc Bangalore | 219 | 211 | -8 |
IIT Kharagpur | 215 | – | – |
IIT Kanpur | 222 | – | – |
Delhi University | 328 | 328 | 0 |
IIT Guwahati | 334 | – | – |
IIT Roorkee | 339 | – | – |
Anna University | 465 | 383 | -82 |
- Only IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, and IIT Madras are in the global top 200.
- IIT Madras made it to the top 200 for the first time.
India’s Global Standing
- India is the 4th highest contributor to the QS rankings with 54 institutions, following:
- USA: 192 institutions
- UK: 90 institutions
- China: 72 institutions
- In 2015, only 11 Indian institutions were ranked; the figure has increased by 390% to 54 in 2026.
Performance Metrics: IIT Delhi vs. IIT Bombay
Metric | IIT Delhi | IIT Bombay |
Citations per Faculty | 93.1 | 82.9 |
International Student Ratio | 6.3 | 1.5 |
International Research Network | 66.9 | 46.6 |
Sustainability | 79.9 | 75.2 |
Academic Reputation | Lower | Higher |
Employer Reputation | +23 ranks | Higher |
Employment Outcomes | 50.5 | 72.6 |
Note: Sustainability saw a major improvement for IIT Delhi, rising by 252 places.
Emerging Trends
1. Rise of New Indian Institutions
Eight new Indian universities entered the rankings in 2026:
- IIT Gandhinagar (801–850) — the only public entrant
- Private Entrants: Ashoka University, Shiv Nadar University (1201–1400), Lovely Professional University (901–950), Christ University (1401+), KIIT (1001–1200)
2. Top Performers by Metric
- Faculty Citations: IISc ranked 15 globally, Anna University at 23, IIT BHU at 47.
- Employer Reputation: IIT Bombay ranked 39 globally (best among Indian institutions).
- Employment Outcomes: Only University of Delhi and University of Mumbai made it to the global top 100.
- Academic Reputation: No Indian institution in the global top 100.
Institutional Improvement: Case of IIT Delhi
Prof. Vivek Buwa, Dean (Planning) at IIT Delhi, attributed the rank rise to:
- Improved research facilities via the Institute of Eminence funding (₹200–300 crore for equipment).
- International collaborations and joint publications with global institutions.
- Strategic focus on citations, research network, and sustainability.
QS Ranking Methodology: Key Weightages
Metric | Weightage |
Academic Reputation | 30% |
Employer Reputation | 15% |
Faculty/Student Ratio | 10% |
Citations per Faculty | 20% |
International Faculty | 5% |
International Students | 5% |
Employment Outcomes | 5% |
International Research Network | 5% |
Sustainability | (New metric, evolving) |
Sustainability is the newest metric, involving over 50 indicators sourced from university data, public data, and bibliometric databases.
Analysis: Implications for India
Positive Trends:
- India’s global academic visibility is rising steadily.
- IIT Delhi’s rank improvement shows that targeted investment and data transparency can yield measurable improvements.
- Private universities are making inroads into global rankings.
Challenges:
- India still lacks representation in the top 100 globally.
- Poor performance in academic reputation, despite high-quality output.
- Need for greater internationalization — low foreign student/faculty ratios.
Conclusion
- The QS World University Rankings 2026 showcase both India’s progress and persistent gaps in global higher education.
- IIT Delhi’s rise to the top among Indian institutions after eight years highlights the impact of sustained funding, infrastructure development, and global partnerships.
- However, to break into the global top 100, Indian universities must strengthen their academic reputation, diversify their faculty and student body, and enhance global engagement.
3rd UN conference on landlocked countries
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 08th August 2025 Home / 3rd UN conference on landlocked countries Why in News? At the
Issue of soapstone mining in Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 08th August 2025 Home / Issue of soapstone mining in Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar Why in News? Unregulated
Groundwater Pollution in India – A Silent Public Health Emergency
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 08th August 2025 Home / Groundwater Pollution in India – A Silent Public Health Emergency Why
Universal banking- need and impact
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 08th August 2025 Home / Universal banking- need and impact Why in News? The Reserve Bank
India’s “Goldilocks” Economy: A Critical Appraisal
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 08th August 2025 Home / India’s “Goldilocks” Economy: A Critical Appraisal Why in News? The Finance
U.S.-India Trade Dispute: Trump’s 50% Tariffs and India’s Oil Imports from Russia
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 07th August 2025 Home / U.S.-India Trade Dispute: Trump’s 50% Tariffs and India’s Oil Imports from
Eco-Friendly Solution to Teak Pest Crisis: KFRI’s HpNPV Technology
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 07th August 2025 Home / Eco-Friendly Solution to Teak Pest Crisis: KFRI’s HpNPV Technology Why in
New Species of Non-Venomous Rain Snake Discovered in Mizoram
UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 07th August 2025 Home / New Species of Non-Venomous Rain Snake Discovered in Mizoram Why in
Economic Implications
For Indian Exporters
- These reforms reduce transaction costs and compliance hurdles
- Encourage a more competitive and efficient export environment
- Promote value addition in key sectors like leather
For Tamil Nadu
- The reforms particularly benefit the state’s leather industry, a major contributor to employment and exports
- Boost the marketability of GI-tagged E.I. leather, enhancing rural and traditional industries
For Trade Policy
- These decisions indicate a shift from regulatory controls to policy facilitation
Reinforce the goals of Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat, and India’s ambition to become a leading export power
Recently, BVR Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, claimed that India has overtaken Japan to become the fourth-largest economy in the world, citing data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
India’s rank as the world’s largest economy varies by measure—nominal GDP or purchasing power parity (PPP)—each with key implications for economic analysis.
