Global higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds has released the 16th edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026 on 25 March 2026. It evaluated over 21,000 academic programs from 1,900+ universities across 55 subjects and five broad faculty areas.
Quick Insights
- India doubles its top-50 places since 2024 to 27 across 12 institutions.
- IITs dominate globally.
- Traditional universities like DU and JNU remain strong in humanities, while IITs are expanding into interdisciplinary domains.
- India’s medical education sector is growing steadily.
- Management education in India, especially IIMs, continues to gain global recognition.
Top Indian Universities by Subject Area
Arts & Humanities
- Rank 231 – University of Delhi
- Rank 260 – Jawaharlal Nehru University
- Rank 323 – O.P. Jindal Global University
- Rank 345 – Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Rank 501–550 – Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Engineering & Technology
- Rank 36 – Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
- Rank 42 – Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Rank 62 – Indian Institute of Technology Madras
- Rank 64 – Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
- Rank 86 – Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
- Rank 119 – Vellore Institute of Technology
- Rank 129 – Indian Institute of Science
- Rank 141 – Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
- Rank 166 – Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
- Rank 249 – Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani
- Rank 252 – Anna University
- Rank 269 – Chandigarh University
- Rank 273 – SRM Institute of Science and Technology
- Rank 288 – Lovely Professional University
- Rank 332 – Indian Institute of Technology BHU Varanasi
- Rank 395 – Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad
- Rank 401–450 – Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences
- Rank 451–500 – Jadavpur University
Life Sciences & Medicine
- Rank 217 – All India Institute of Medical Sciences
- Rank 286 – Manipal Academy of Higher Education
- Rank 399 – University of Delhi
- Rank 401–450 – Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences
- Rank 451–500 – Banaras Hindu University
- Rank 451–500 – Lovely Professional University
- Rank 451–500 – Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh
- Rank 501–550 – Vellore Institute of Technology
Natural Sciences
- Rank 78 – Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Rank 91 – Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
- Rank 125 – Indian Institute of Science
- Rank 151 – Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
- Rank 156 – Indian Institute of Technology Madras
- Rank 176 – Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
- Rank 232 – Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
- Rank 266 – Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
- Rank 270 – University of Delhi
- Rank 303 – Vellore Institute of Technology
- Rank 401–450 – Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani
- Rank 401–450 – Lovely Professional University
- Rank 451–500 – Aligarh Muslim University
- Rank 451–500 – Banaras Hindu University
- Rank 451–500 – Indian Institute of Technology BHU Varanasi
- Rank 451–500 – Jadavpur University
- Rank 501–550 – Anna University
- Rank 501–550 – Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad
- Rank 501–550 – Jamia Millia Islamia
- Rank 501–550 – Jawaharlal Nehru University
- Rank 501–550 – SRM Institute of Science and Technology
- Rank 501–550 – Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences
Social Sciences & Management
- Rank 66 – Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad
- Rank 84 – Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
- Rank 105 – Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Rank 177 – University of Delhi
- Rank 178 – Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
- Rank 196 – Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
- Rank 232 – O.P. Jindal Global University
- Rank 268 – Indian Institute of Technology Madras
- Rank 309 – Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
- Rank 317 – Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
- Rank 317 – Jawaharlal Nehru University
- Rank 401–450 – Chandigarh University
- Rank 401–450 – Indian Institute of Management Indore
- Rank 401–450 – Lovely Professional University
- Rank 401–450 – Symbiosis International University
- Rank 451–500 – Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
- Rank 501–550 – Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee