India has cemented its position as the most represented country in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2025, marking the second consecutive year of this achievement. With a total of 163 ranked institutions, including 22 new additions, India has outpaced China, which secured 135 spots in the rankings. This continued dominance underscores India’s increasing stature as a global education hub, highlighting the growing prominence of its higher education system and research output.
The rankings, compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), span 25 countries and territories in Asia, analyzing 984 universities, an increase of 127 from last year. India’s performance reflects significant growth, driven in part by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which has contributed to a 61% increase in the number of institutions ranked since its introduction.
India’s Top Universities and Rankings
Among India’s top performers, the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) climbed to 44th position, surpassing IIT Bombay, which dropped from 40th to 48th. IIT Madras follows closely at 56th, IIT Kharagpur at 60th, and Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore at 62nd.
In total, India boasts 21 universities in the top 200 of Asia, demonstrating the country’s growing research capacity, academic expertise, and international academic presence. 59 Indian institutions showed improvements in their rankings, while 51 dropped, and 31 remained stable in their rankings.
Strengths in Research and Academic Reputation
India’s rise in the rankings is driven largely by its research output and the growing number of PhD-trained faculty across universities. India’s performance in the academic reputation indicator has been particularly impressive, with 75% of its ranked universities showing improvement. Similarly, 73% of institutions rose in employer reputation, reflecting the growing value of Indian graduates in the global workforce.
A key highlight is India’s strength in research productivity, with four out of the top five universities in Asia for papers per faculty being Indian institutions. Among these, Anna University claimed second place. Additionally, India’s universities excel in the staff with PhD indicator, with eight institutions tied for second place in Asia.
Challenges in Internationalization
Despite strong domestic growth, India faces challenges in the area of internationalization, particularly in attracting international students. The highest-ranked Indian university in this category, Amity University, ranked only 87th, and no other institution appeared in the top 100 for international student representation.
India’s growing outbound mobile student population is evident, but the challenge lies in attracting foreign students to study in India. According to Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, this is one of the few areas where most Indian universities showed a decline. However, Turner remains optimistic, citing that regulatory reforms and the government’s efforts to attract international universities to set up campuses in India could help reach the country’s goal of hosting half a million international students by 2047.
Government’s Role in Strengthening Education
The Indian government’s commitment to enhancing the country’s global education standing remains a critical factor in this progress. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with its focus on student-centered reforms, aims to increase India’s gross enrolment ratio (GER) to 50% by 2035, a 40% increase from current levels.
Additionally, efforts to strengthen research through global collaborations are central to India’s vision of becoming a global education superpower. This dual focus on attracting international students and fostering academic research and innovation is expected to further bolster India’s position on the global stage.
Regional and Global Context
The top four universities in Asia remained unchanged this year, with Peking University in first place, followed by The University of Hong Kong in second, and Singapore’s National University of Singapore (NUS) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU) rounding out the top four. These institutions continue to lead in various academic and research metrics, but India’s universities are closing the gap, with significant improvements across multiple indicators.
Conclusion: India’s Path to Global Education Leadership
India’s performance in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2025 underscores the country’s growing academic influence, research prowess, and teaching expertise. With a record number of universities in the rankings and an upward trajectory in research and academic reputation, India is well on its way to becoming a dominant force in global higher education.
While challenges remain in the area of international student recruitment, India’s commitment to research-driven growth, academic excellence, and international collaboration bodes well for the country’s future as a global education hub.
