The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has surpassed IIT Bombay to secure the position of India’s top-ranked institution in the recently released QS Asia University Rankings. Moving up 18 places, IIT Delhi now holds the 22nd position in Asia, while IIT Bombay has slipped to 26th. This advancement marks a milestone for IIT Delhi, showcasing its efforts in academic excellence, research, and global partnerships.
The QS Asia University Rankings, an influential metric for academic institutions, evaluated 760 universities from 18 countries based on academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty-student ratio, research citations per paper, and international diversity.
IIT Delhi’s achievement was not the only highlight for India. With 96 institutions featured in this year’s rankings, up from 75 last year, India has improved its overall representation. This year, several Indian institutions made it into the top 50, underscoring the country’s progress in higher education. Following IIT Delhi and IIT Bombay are IIT Kanpur at 36th, IIT Madras at 44th, and the University of Delhi at 46th.
Despite these gains, Indian institutions continue to lag behind major Asian competitors like China, Japan, and South Korea, which lead in research output and international collaborations. Leading the Asian rankings are institutions known for their world-class education and research capabilities, with the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), and the University of Hong Kong occupying the top three spots. China’s Tsinghua University and Peking University also made it to the top five, further showcasing Asia’s academic dominance in the global arena.
The rankings are expected to enhance IIT Delhi’s international reputation, attracting top talent from India and abroad. In line with this, the institute aims to intensify its focus on interdisciplinary research, build stronger industry partnerships, and promote faculty development to maintain its upward trajectory. As a leading institution, IIT Delhi’s progress could have far-reaching implications for India’s standing in global education, inspiring other Indian universities to adopt similar strategies for growth and recognition on the international stage.
This recent achievement is poised to reinforce India’s footprint in higher education while setting new benchmarks for academic and research excellence within the country.