Indian universities are making waves in global education, climbing steadily in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, signalling their growing academic influence on the world stage.
While rankings have long been a global benchmark for academic excellence, they have also faced increasing scrutiny. Many believe that rankings oversimplify institutional performance, favor historical prestige, and reinforce inequalities. Rankings are a critical tool for universities, students, policymakers and faculties. They provide a structured way to assess research impact, academic reputation, and global competitiveness. For emerging education hubs like India, rankings offer a tangible measure of progress, signaling areas of strength and improvement. Moreover, in a world where international collaboration and mobility are vital, a strong presence in rankings universities attract global partnerships, students, faculty and funding.
The QS World University Rankings by Subject has allowed institutions to showcase excellence at a discipline-specific level, giving a more granular and dynamic perspective than overall rankings. By leveraging this system effectively, Indian universities are not only enhancing their global reputation but are also driving strategic improvements that align with national and industry priorities.
In the latest QS World University Rankings: Asia Region, nearly one-third of the positions held by Indian institutions improved on their performance from the previous year – the highest year-on-year improvement among all G20 nations. In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, India saw a remarkable 65% improvement across broad faculty areas, making it the most improved country globally among those with more than 100 entries in the rankings.
The latest results also show more Indian universities appearing across a wider array of subjects, with several making debut entries into the rankings. Yet, this progress is tempered by a few dips for some top institutions, reflecting the highly competitive global arena. Overall, India’s performance paints a picture of a system on the rise, eager to close the gap with the world’s best.
Broad gains: More subjects and new entries
India’s representation in the QS World University Rankings by Subject has expanded significantly in recent years. The latest edition features over 500 entries from Indian universities – up sharply from the previous year’s total. Indian universities now appear prominently in most subject categories evaluated by QS, a breadth that underscores a growing academic footprint across science, technology, humanities, and professional fields. Importantly, many more Indian programmes are breaking into elite tiers. Indian universities increasingly feature in the global top 100 of at least one subject – a sign that targeted investments are paying off.
Not all trends are upward, however. While new entries and improvements are notable, some leading Indian institutions have seen minor ranking declines. For example, prestigious institutions in management studies and development studies experienced slight positional drops compared to the previous year. These fluctuations illustrate that competition remains fierce – gains are hard-won and maintaining a top rank can be as challenging as achieving one.
Stacking up globally: India vs. China, UK, and the US
Despite India’s improvements, the upper echelons of subject rankings are still dominated by traditional powerhouses. American and British universities lead a majority of disciplines. China, meanwhile, has firmly established itself as the rising giant in academia, significantly increasing its global representation. As noted in our analysis, Eastern Asia has seen serious improvements this year.
However, India is positioning itself as the next major player. Across Asia, India now boasts the second-highest number of ranked universities, second only to China. Given the year-on-year progress, observers suggest India could catch up with China’s scale of representation in the coming years. Still, in absolute terms, India’s presence remains behind its peers, with fewer total entries and far fewer top 50 positions than the US, UK, or China. The challenge ahead will be for Indian universities not just to increase their numbers, but to crack into the very top tier of programmes globally.
Strengths in tech and engineering fuel industry alignment
India’s strongest showings in the QS World University Rankings by Subject neatly align with the country’s industrial and economic strengths – particularly in technology and engineering. A standout example is Computer Science. India now ranks fourth globally for the number of ranked programmes in Computer Science & Information Systems. This surge mirrors India’s role as an IT powerhouse, feeding the talent pipeline for a booming tech industry. Indian tech graduates are highly valued domestically and worldwide, indicating that industry leaders view Indian programmes as top-tier training grounds for talent.
Engineering disciplines broadly remain a cornerstone of India’s academic prestige. Several IITs and specialised institutes are world-renowned in areas that dovetail with India’s development priorities – from civil and electrical engineering to space science. Achievements in areas such as aeronautical and mechanical engineering are not merely academic; they reflect real-world impact, as evidenced by alumni involvement in prestigious national projects such as the Chandrayaan lunar missions.
Gaps in emerging areas: Sustainability and pharma
While India shines in IT and engineering, the Rankings also spotlight areas where its universities lag behind emerging global needs, notably in sustainability and pharmaceuticals. Experts observing the latest rankings pointed out that while India excels in AI and digital skills, it needs to strengthen sustainability and entrepreneurial capabilities. This is crucial as the world pivots towards challenges like climate change and green innovation. Indian universities are beginning to introduce more programmes in sustainability, but these efforts have not yet translated into high global rankings.
Similarly, in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, India’s industry produces large volumes of affordable medicines, yet its universities still have room to grow in pharmaceutical research output and medical innovation. Bridging this gap could help Indian institutions climb in these rankings and better support emerging sectors like healthcare and sustainability.
Research output and collaboration on the rise
Underpinning India’s improved performance is a concerted push on research. Over the past decade, Indian universities have significantly ramped up their research output, now ranking among the world’s largest producers of research literature. The quality and impact of Indian research are also climbing, contributing to better academic reputation and citations metrics.
Collaboration is another evolving facet of India’s research landscape. Traditionally somewhat insular, Indian academia is now actively pursuing international partnerships. Such collaborations elevate research output and improve the visibility of Indian science globally.
Universities’ drive: Pressures and strategic responses
The race to climb global rankings has intensified strategic efforts among Indian universities, many now explicitly targeting improvements in QS indicators as part of their roadmaps. Programmes like Institutes of Eminence (IoE) have provided autonomy and additional funding to hire international faculty, improve facilities, and build world-class research infrastructure. These investments have begun paying off, with significant ranking improvements observed across multiple subjects.
University leaders increasingly view rankings as validations of their reforms, leveraging them to attract talent and build stronger industry partnerships. There’s a growing recognition within academia that with the right strategies, Indian institutions can compete globally.
Policy push: NEP 2020 and investment in excellence
India’s strides in rankings coincide with deliberate policy measures and increased investment. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 set ambitious goals, driving reforms that have already shown measurable impact. Initiatives under NEP have significantly boosted India’s global profile, with greater internationalisation and targeted funding translating directly into higher rankings.
Toward a global education powerhouse
The emerging narrative from India’s QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 performance points to an upward trajectory. Supported by grassroots academic effort and top-down policy impetus, India is poised to continue its ascent, cementing its status as a global education powerhouse in the coming years.
With continued investment in research and strategic international collaborations, India could soon rival the best in not just numbers but also academic prestige. The trajectory is clear, and the world is watching with renewed interest as Indian universities rise through the ranks.
