Lok Sabha Question No. 2760 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Performance of IITs in QS Asia University Rankings 2026
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Dr. D Ravi Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2760 ANSWERED ON 09/03/2026

## Performance of IITs in QS Asia University Rankings 2026

2760.   Dr. D Ravi Kumar:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  performance  of  Indian  Institutes  of Technology (IITs) in the QS Asia University Rankings 2026;

(b) if so, the key findings of such assessment;

(c) whether the Government proposes to undertake targeted  measures to strengthen the IIT  system,  including  enhanced  funding  for  high-impact  research,  international  faculty  and student  mobility,  industry-linked  doctoral  programmes  and  global  academic  collaborations under the National Education Policy, 2020; and

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the proposed timelines for implementation and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to  (d):  The  representation  of  Indian  Higher  Education  Institutions  (HEIs)  in  QS  Asia University  Rankings  (QS  AUR)  has  improved  significantly  over  the  years.  From  100 institutions ranked in 2020, the number increased steadily to 294 in 2026.

In  the  recently  released  Rankings  2026,  the  Indian  Institutes  of  Technology  (IITs) continue to lead, with IIT Delhi emerging as the top-ranked Indian institution for the second consecutive year, securing the 59th position in Asia, followed by IIT Madras at 70th and IIT Bombay at 71st. A total of 5 IITs i.e. IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Kharagpur have secured spots within the top 100 rankings.

To  enhance  the  quality  of  higher  education,  the  Government  of  India  (GoI)  has undertaken several measures for the provision of quality infrastructure, strengthening of the research and innovation  ecosystem, promotion of industry-academia linkages which interalia include the following:

- i. With  an  objective  of  Research  &  Development  driven  integration  of  academic, industry  and  enterprise  creation,  Research  Parks  have  been  set  up  in  premier  HEIs including eight IITs to establish research ecosystem around these institutions. These research parks facilitate funded research from Industry, promoting IndustryAcademia collaborations.
- ii. To attract the best minds to pursue high - quality research in India's premier academic institutions,  the  Government  launched  Prime  Minister's  Research  Fellows  (PMRF) Scheme in 2018-19 with total financial outlay of Rs. 1650 Crores. The scheme aimed to  attract  the  best  and  brightest  minds  to  pursue  high  -  quality  research  in  India's premier  academic  institutions  with  enhanced  financial  support  which  includes fellowship and research grant. Under PMRF, 3688 scholars have been admitted.
- iii. In  alignment  with  the  principles  of  NEP  2020,  the  Anusandhan  National  Research Foundation  (ANRF),  has  been  established  as  an  apex  body  to  provide  high-level strategic  direction  for  research,  innovation  and  entrepreneurship  in  the  fields  of natural sciences including mathematical  sciences, engineering and  technology, environmental and earth sciences, health and agriculture.
- iv. The Government has approved the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) scheme to expand access to scholarly journals to a vast diaspora of students, faculty, researchers and  scientists  of  all  disciplines,  of  all  HEIs  and  Research  &  Development  centers including IITs. A total of about Rs. 6,000 crore has been allocated for the scheme for 3 calendar years, 2025, 2026 and 2027.
- v. To conduct interdisciplinary research, develop cutting-edge applications, and create scalable  solutions  in  three  areas  of  health,  sustainable  cities  and  Agriculture,  the Government has established three Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Artificial intelligence (Al), one each in the areas of health, sustainable cities and agriculture at IISc Bengaluru, IIT Kanpur and IIT Ropar respectively, with a total financial outlay of Rs. 990.00 Cr over the period of FY 2023- 24 to FY 2027-28. An AI CoE in the field of Education with an outlay of Rs. 500 crores has also been established in IIT Madras.

Various IITs have collaborated with the International Universities/Institutions in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy, 2020. Overseas campuses of IITs have also been established, viz. campus of IIT, Madaras at Zanibar; IIT, Delhi at Abu Dhabi.

*****