IIT-Bombay among top 150 universities in QS world university rankings (2024)

New Delhi/ Mumbai: In the latest edition of the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world university ranking released early Wednesday morning, 61% of Indian universities’ ranking has seen a sharp improvement, with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) gaining the top spot in India. Globally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA, retained the ‘best institute in the world’ position for the 13th time this year.

While the IIT-B has climbed from 149 in 2024 to 118 in the 2025 rankings, which is a climb of 31 ranks, the IIT-Delhi improved its rank by 47 points to bag the 150th position globally.

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QS World University Rankings is an annual publication that ranks universities based on various indicators such as academic reputation, employer reputation, faculty/student ratio, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.

It is the first time since its 13 years of participation that IIT-B has been ranked within the top 150 in QS rankings. The director of the institute, professor Shireesh Kedare, said, “It is my pleasure that IIT Bombay has risen by 31 places. This is the achievement of the team of faculty, students and staff all together. We aspire to improve ourselves further.”

The Delhi University (DU) stood out for the employability of its graduates and has been ranked 44th globally in the category of employment outcomes.

With 46 ranked universities, India has the third-largest representation in Asia trailing only Japan (49 universities) and China (Mainland) (71 universities).

As per the statement, 61% of Indian universities have risen in rank, 24% have maintained their positions, 9% have dropped in rank, and three universities are new entries to the rankings. As many as 37 Indian universities have shown improved performance in Citations per Faculty, indicating a growing impact of research output.

However, Indian universities still lag behind in terms of internationalisation and global engagement, the QS said. “The University of Delhi has made the most significant improvement nationally, climbing 79 places to reach the 328th position.

Out of the eleven Institutes of Eminence featured in the rankings, eight have risen, one remains stable, and one has dropped.

“The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (118th) stands out as the national leader. IIT Bombay’s consistent improvements in research quality and reputation have driven its rise to prominence. Over the past six years, it has significantly advanced its Employer Reputation ranking from 102nd to 63rd and improved its Citations per Faculty rank from 226th to 116th. However, the institution’s internationalisation metrics still require enhancement to fully realise its potential as a globally diverse institution. IIT Bombay also leads nationally in Academic Reputation, placing 131st in this key indicator,” the statement said.

It further said from 2018 to 2022, IIT- Bombay generated 143,800 citations from 15,905 academic papers, reflecting a research growth of approximately 17%. Its research primarily focuses on Engineering & Technology and Natural Sciences, with particularly impactful collaborative work in Astrophysics. “The quality of IIT Bombay’s research is further demonstrated by the fact that 30% of its output is published in the top 10% of academic journals by impact, surpassing the global average by 6% and the Indian average by 15%, ” the statement added.

In the case of IIT-Delhi, the performance improved in the research impact and research network indicators. “From 2018 to 2022, IIT Delhi published 16,439 academic papers, generating 221,496 citations and achieving a research growth of approximately 47%. This output makes it India’s fifth most productive research institution…The quality of its research is highlighted by the fact that 29% of its output is published in the top 10% of academic journals by impact, as defined by CiteScore, surpassing the global average by 5% and the Indian average by 15%,” the QS said.

Among other institutes whose ranks have improved, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) from 225 to 211, IIT-Kharagpur from 271 to 222, and IIT-Madras from 285 to 227. Whereas the rank of Banaras Hindu University remained the same as last year (1001-1200), it has decreased for OP Jindal University to 1001-1200 from 951-1001.

Jessica Turner, QS Chief Executive, said that the bold implementation of India’s National Education Policy (NEP) demonstrates the nation’s commitment to modernising its education system addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities. “Taking this significant step towards fostering a learning environment that prepares students for future challenges is crucial. Emphasising sustainability, global engagement, and employability will be vital in shaping India’s higher education landscape. These elements will define future institutions and ensure their relevance and success.”

“With the release of the 21st edition of the QS World University Rankings, we reaffirm our role as a trusted partner to the global higher education community. We are honoured to support India’s higher education sector as it takes bold strides towards a future defined by academic excellence, impactful innovation, and global influence,” she said.