In the QS World University Rankings (QSWUR) 2026, IIT Delhi rose from its previous 150th place to an impressive 123rd place worldwide. The results, which were made public on Thursday, also name IIT Delhi the top university in India and give it its highest-ever QS worldwide position. More than 8,400 schools throughout the world were evaluated by the QSWUR 2026, which looked at performance on important metrics like sustainability, citations per teacher, employer reputation, and academic reputation.
Prof. Vivek Buwa, Head of the Rankings Cell and Dean of Planning at IIT Delhi, hailed the achievement, stating, “This milestone reflects the dedication of our faculty, students, over 64,000 alumni, and the Ministry of Education. These rankings guide us to refine our strengths and target further growth, positioning IIT Delhi to potentially break into the global top 100.”
IIT Delhi performed exceptionally well in a number of QS metrics, placing in the top 50 worldwide for Employer Reputation, a metric that measures how companies throughout the world perceive universities that produce graduates who are prepared for the workforce. It was ranked in the top 150 for Academic Reputation, demonstrating its academic excellence, and in the top 90 for Citations per Faculty, demonstrating the significant influence of its research. The institute's dedication to social and environmental responsibility is further evidenced by its ranking in the top 175 for sustainability. IIT Delhi is ranked in the top two nationally in terms of sustainability, employer reputation, and academic reputation.
IIT Delhi's increasing trend was previously indicated by the QSWUR 2025, which ranked it among India's top universities and at 150 worldwide. It had high rankings in academic reputation (top 160) and sustainability (top 200) in 2025, placing it 44th globally for Employer Reputation and 94th for Citations per Faculty. These improvements are maintained in the 2026 rankings, which are fueled by IIT Delhi's emphasis on innovative research, industrial cooperation, and sustainable practices.
This achievement aligns with India’s growing presence in global higher education, with 46 Indian institutions featured in the QSWUR 2026, up from 44 in 2025. IIT Delhi’s rise reinforces its role as a leader in innovation and education, contributing to India’s ambition to become a global knowledge hub.
