India’s higher education sector has seen a major boost, achieving a significant milestone by surpassing China in the QS Asia University Rankings 2025. With 162 institutions featured in the rankings, India now boasts the most represented higher education system in Asia, showcasing its commitment to strengthening research, innovation, and learning.
The latest QS Asia University Rankings, conducted by the London-based Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), evaluated 6,278 universities across Asia using 11 performance indicators, including Employer Reputation, International Faculty Ratio, Research Network, Academic Reputation, and more. India saw the largest increase in university representation, with 162 institutions in the rankings, including 21 new entrants, outpacing China’s 135 universities and Japan’s 115 universities.
Continuing its top-tier performance, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi emerged as the highest-ranking institution in India, securing the 44th spot in Asia. This shift saw IIT Bombay, previously India’s top-ranked institution, slip to the second spot domestically. Other prominent Indian universities within the top 100 include IIT Bombay, University of Delhi, IISc Bangalore, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Kanpur, totaling seven Indian institutions in Asia’s top 100.
Among private institutions, Chandigarh University (CU) outperformed its peers, climbing to the 120th position from 149th last year, establishing itself as the top private university in India and placing in the top 2 percent of universities in Asia. Chancellor Satnam Singh Sandhu attributed this success to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on elevating educational quality and accessibility. “The global standing of Indian higher educational institutions has undergone a massive transformation over the last decade,” he stated, highlighting the government’s push for quality education and affordability.
India’s dominance in the QS Asia University Rankings marks the second consecutive year it has outpaced China, strengthening its position in Asia’s academic landscape. The number of Indian universities in the top ranks has surged by 40 percent over the last three years, increasing from 116 in 2022 to 162 in 2025. This growth is attributed to the emphasis on extensive research and innovation under India’s New Education Policy, which has propelled the country to 39th in the Global Innovation Index, up from 81st in 2014. The number of patents filed has also increased by 31 percent, reaching 83,000 in 2023, positioning India as fourth globally in academic research publications with 1.3 million contributions.
Chandigarh University not only surpassed numerous domestic institutions, including IITs and NITs, but also outperformed several international universities from China, Japan, and South Korea. Its score improved from 32.3 in 2024 to 52.5 in 2025, marking a substantial 62 percent increase. CU also climbed in various ranking indicators, achieving 56th place in Employer Reputation, 119th in Academic Reputation, and impressive improvements in International Faculty Ratio, International Student Ratio, and Faculty-Student Ratio.
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Other private universities showed notable progress as well. Amity University improved to 183rd place, while Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani rose to 171st. SRM Institute of Science and Technology in Chennai, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Lovely Professional University (LPU), Panjab University, and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham also saw significant improvements in their ranks.
Several Indian institutions, like Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, VIT Vellore, and Manipal Academy of Higher Education, continued to climb in the rankings. Shoolini University moved from 213th to 160th, VIT Vellore from 163rd to 150th, and Manipal Academy from 210th to 180th. Conversely, IIT Ropar faced a setback, dropping to the 521-540 bracket from its previous 351-400 position.
India’s ascent in the QS Asia University Rankings underscores the progress of its higher education sector and its ambition to compete on a global scale. The improvements reflect India’s growing appeal as an academic destination, attracting international students and enhancing its reputation across Asia and beyond. As the nation’s universities continue to make strides, India is establishing itself as a formidable player in the global academic landscape, driven by a vision of accessible, high-quality education that meets international standards.
