India has maintained a strong representation with **almost 300 institutes featured in the Asia rankings**, one of the largest contingents in the region. However, performance at the top end saw a visible shift, with premier Indian institutions losing ground to fast-advancing Asian peers.

IITs Slip in Rankings

IIT Delhi remained India’s highest-ranked institution but slipped several spots compared to last year’s position. IIT Bombay and IIT Madras, traditionally among the top Asian engineering hubs, also registered declines. While the score improvement trend continued across many metrics, the relative drop indicates that institutions in neighboring countries progressed at a faster pace.

Why the Decline ?

The decline is attributed to strengthening global research output, higher international visibility, improved citation performance, and increased academic partnerships across leading Asian universities outside India. Many institutions in China, Singapore, and Hong Kong achieved higher scores in faculty-student ratio, international faculty numbers, and research excellence.

India’s Presence Still Strong

·       Despite the slippage among the elite institutes, India continues to show upward momentum overall :

·       Nearly 300 institutions from India secured a place in the rankings.

·       Seven Indian universities made it into the Top 100

·       Numerous emerging institutions and state universities showed improved performance, particularly in academic reputation and graduate outcomes.

Key Observations

·       India’s widening participation underscores growing higher-education scale and reach.

·       Research output is rising, yet **research impact and internationalisation** remain areas for strategic development.

·       Competition in Asia is accelerating rapidly, making ranking stability increasingly challenging for traditional leaders.

Expert Insights

Education analysts suggest that India’s institutions are strengthening internal performance but must make **larger strategic investments in research funding, faculty development, global partnerships, and international student recruitment** to stay competitive.

Way Forward

To regain higher ground in future global rankings, Indian institutions are likely to focus on:

·       Boosting research quality and citation influence

·       Increasing international collaborations and student-faculty mobility

·       Enhancing campus infrastructure and student support

·       Strengthening industry-academia partnerships

Conclusion

The QS Asia University Rankings 2026 serve as a reminder that India’s higher-education sector is expanding rapidly but must accelerate innovation, research, and global engagement. While the country’s presence in the rankings remains strong, the competition within Asia is rising sharply — signalling the need for focused policy action and sustained institutional reform.