QS Asia University Rankings 2026: 7 Indian Universities in Top 100, IIT Delhi Leads

India has achieved a new milestone in higher education with seven of its universities featuring among the top 100 in the “QS Asia University Rankings 2026”. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi leads the national list, securing the 59th position overall, followed closely by IISc Bangalore and other IITs. The performance underscores India’s improving academic and research ecosystem, though internationalisation remains a key challenge.

India’s Top Performers in Asia 2026

According to the QS Asia University Rankings 2026, IIT Delhi emerged as India’s highest-ranked institution with an overall score of 78.6. It was recognised for its excellence in research impact, academic reputation, and employer perception. IISc Bangalore followed at rank 64 with a score of 76.5, reaffirming its position as India’s premier science research university. The list also includes IIT Madras (70th), IIT Bombay (71st), IIT Kanpur and IIT Kharagpur (both 77th), and the University of Delhi (95th), which broke into the top 100 for the first time.

Expanding Academic Strength Beyond Engineering

While the IITs continue to dominate, the inclusion of the University of Delhi signals a growing diversification in India’s higher education excellence. It reflects improvements in faculty qualifications, academic diversity, and social sciences research. Experts attribute this success to policy-driven reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which has encouraged interdisciplinary education and expanded funding for innovation and research.

Asia’s Top-Ranked Universities

The top ranks in the 2026 edition were dominated by institutions from Hong Kong, China, and Singapore. The University of Hong Kong claimed the first spot, followed by Peking University, while Singapore’s National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) shared third place. Fudan University, HKUST, CUHK, and Tsinghua University rounded out the top 10. Despite India’s progress, these institutions continue to lead the region in international faculty, research output, and academic networking.

Exam Oriented Facts

• Seven Indian universities feature in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026 top 100 list.
• IIT Delhi is India’s top performer, ranked 59th with a score of 78.6.
• IISc Bangalore (64th) leads in research excellence and citations per faculty.
• University of Delhi entered the top 100 for the first time at rank 95.
• The University of Hong Kong topped the Asia 2026 rankings.

Challenges and Future Outlook

While India’s representation and reputation have improved significantly, the report highlights persistent gaps in internationalisation, foreign faculty participation, and research funding. Faculty–student ratios and global collaborations remain below regional benchmarks set by leading Asian universities. Experts suggest that with continued emphasis on research, innovation, and global partnerships, India can further strengthen its presence among Asia’s top-tier institutions in the coming decade.