QS Asia Rankings 2026 Show IITs Falling Behind as East Asia Advances

India’s Decline Despite Improved Scores

QS Asia Rankings 2026 Show IITs Falling Behind as East Asia Advances: The QS Asia University Rankings 2026 mark a challenging year for India’s top institutions. Although several IITs improved their overall scores, their relative positions fell due to the rapid ascent of universities from China, Singapore, South Korea, and Malaysia. Out of the top ten Indian universities, nine slipped in rank, underlining the growing regional competition in research and innovation.

Static GK fact: The QS Asia University Rankings are published annually by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a UK-based analytics firm known for evaluating over 850 Asian universities on multiple indicators like academic reputation, research, and international outlook.

Key Movements in Rankings

IIT Delhi remained India’s top-ranked institution but dropped from 44th to 59th place. IIT Bombay, once among Asia’s top 50, suffered the steepest fall—down 23 places to 71st. IISc Bangalore stayed relatively stable at 64th, while Chandigarh University emerged as the only Indian university to improve, moving from 120th to 109th.

In contrast, the University of Hong Kong, Peking University, and National University of Singapore (NUS) continue to dominate Asia’s top 10. These institutions consistently excel in internationalisation and faculty quality.

Static GK Tip: The National University of Singapore (NUS) was established in 1905 and is one of Asia’s oldest and most globally recognised universities.

Causes of India’s Ranking Drop

Weak Research Impact

India’s top institutions continue to underperform in research citations. While IITs improved marginally, their citations per paper remain far below Asian leaders. For instance, IIT Delhi scored 31.5, IIT Bombay 20.0, and IIT Madras 20.3, compared to scores above 90 for top universities like Tsinghua University and NUS. This indicates limited global visibility and fewer international research collaborations.

Poor Faculty-Student Ratios

Another major factor behind the decline is the faculty-student ratio. IIT Delhi’s ratio score stands at 40.9, while IIT Kharagpur records only 16.5. Leading universities across East Asia typically score between 80 and 90, reflecting smaller class sizes and better student support systems.

Limited Internationalisation

The International Student Ratio (ISR) continues to be a weak spot for Indian universities. IIT Kharagpur records just 2.5, while IIT Roorkee fares slightly better at 12.3. In contrast, institutions in Singapore and Hong Kong have ISR scores close to 100, indicating strong foreign student intake and cross-cultural engagement.

Rising Competition from East and Southeast Asia

Asian countries are increasingly investing in higher education infrastructure and global visibility. China, Singapore, South Korea, and Malaysia are expanding research funding, attracting international faculty, and strengthening global partnerships. These countries have also made strategic policy reforms to align with international ranking frameworks, a move that continues to challenge India’s position in the region.

Static GK fact: China’s Double First Class Initiative, launched in 2017, aims to make several Chinese universities globally competitive by 2050, significantly improving their global rank profiles.

Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table

QS Asia Rankings 2026 Show IITs Falling Behind as East Asia Advances: