IISc Bengaluru, Anna University Lead India’s Surge in THE Asia University Rankings 2025

India’s numerical growth masks an uneven ecosystem. While IISc and Anna University compete strongly, most institutions lag in research and global engagement. Regional disparities—southern and northern dominance versus eastern underrepresentation—call for equitable investment.

India has strengthened its standing in the Times Higher Education (THE) Asia University Rankings 2025, released on April 23, 2025, with 107 institutions featured, up from 91 in 2024. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, remains India’s top performer at joint 38th, followed by Anna University (111th) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore (131st). Despite the increased representation, surpassing China (94 institutions) to become the second-most represented nation after Japan (119), challenges like funding cuts and limited internationalization persist, as India seeks to elevate its global academic profile.

Context and Analysis: India’s Performance in THE Asia University Rankings 2025

The THE Asia University Rankings 2025 evaluated 853 universities across 35 countries using 18 performance indicators across five pillars: teaching (24.5%), research environment (28%), research quality (30%), international outlook (7.5%), and industry income (10%). China dominates with Tsinghua University (1st) and Peking University (2nd), while India’s growth reflects the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s focus on research and multidisciplinary education.

Key Highlights:

• Record Representation: India’s 107 institutions, including 16 new entries, tie with the UK in the THE World University Rankings 2025, showcasing an expanding higher education sector.
• Top Performers: IISc (65.2 overall score) excels in research quality (97.3) and industry income (68.1), though it slipped from 32nd in 2024. Anna University (52.3) shines in teaching (80.0), and IIT Indore (49.4) shows balanced strengths.
• Emerging Stars: Shoolini University (146th) and Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (149th) lead in industry income (71.4 and 72.5), while KIIT University (184th) climbs significantly.
• Challenges: Of India’s ranked universities, 34 declined in rank from 2024, reflecting inconsistent progress. The Institutes of Eminence (IoE) scheme, hit by a 74% budget cut in 2025, struggles to deliver, unlike China’s well-funded Double First-Class initiative. Low international outlook scores (e.g., 31.6 for IISc) highlight a key weakness.

Critical Perspective: India’s numerical growth masks an uneven ecosystem. While IISc and Anna University compete strongly, most institutions lag in research and global engagement. Regional disparities—southern and northern dominance versus eastern underrepresentation—call for equitable investment. The IoE scheme’s limited impact underscores the need for systemic reforms to rival East Asian leaders.

India’s Top Performers in THE Asia University Rankings 2025

The following table lists India’s top 15 ranked institutions, with data from the provided Excel file:

Rank	Institution	Overall Score	Teaching	Research Environment	Research Quality	Industry Income	International Outlook
38	Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru	65.2	64.1	65.2	97.3	68.1	31.6
111	Anna University, Chennai	52.3	80.0	43.3	65.8	34.1	20.2
131	Indian Institute of Technology Indore	49.4	70.8	52.2	35.5	32.8	35.0
140	Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam	48.6	57.8	53.5	34.5	45.0	28.0
146	Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences	48.1	81.5	35.7	22.6	25.8	71.4
149	Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai	47.8	83.4	40.8	19.4	19.4	72.5
161	Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi	46.9	75.4	48.7	40.9	18.9	40.4
184	Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati	44.8	60.8	42.0	52.7	30.9	30.9
184	KIIT University, Bhubaneswar	44.8	63.2	45.9	55.9	20.9	41.7
188	Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh	44.5	68.8	50.0	36.3	18.0	39.8
188	UPES, Dehradun	44.5	76.6	35.2	21.3	23.6	54.9
191	Indian Institute of Technology Patna	44.4	75.2	39.4	28.7	27.5	21.2
191	National Institute of Technology Rourkela	44.4	71.7	35.2	55.2	25.3	21.9
200	International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad	43.8	66.7	31.7	57.5	25.7	41.3
201–250	Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi	41.3–43.7	62.8	57.2	29.6	20.8	26.4

Shoolini University is the highest ranked private university in India in Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2025. The university now stands at 146th in Asia and 5th overall in India, marking a significant leap in global recognition.

Atul Khosla, Vice Chancellor of Shoolini University, expressed his delight at the university’s inclusion in Asia’s top 150 list in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2025. He said, “It is a matter of pride that the university has retained its top ranking among all private universities in the country, and we will continue to place emphasis on research and innovation.”

Distribution of Indian Universities Across Ranking Bands

The following table summarizes the distribution of India’s 107 ranked institutions:

Rank Band	Number of Indian Universities	Examples
1–50	1	Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru (38th)
51–100	0	None
101–150	4	Anna University, Chennai (111th), IIT Indore (131st)
151–200	9	Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi (161st), KIIT University, Bhubaneswar (184th)
201–250	12	Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; Lovely Professional University, Phagwara
251–300	12	Amity University, Noida; Delhi Technological University
301–350	7	Jadavpur University, Kolkata; KL University, Guntur
351–400	9	Cochin University of Science and Technology; Pondicherry University
401–500	10	SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai; Bharathidasan University
501–600	12	Tezpur University; Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai
601+	31	Christ University, Bengaluru; Goa University; Sri Venkateswara University
Reporter	26	Ashoka University; Tata Institute of Fundamental Research

Detailed Analysis of Scores

• Teaching: Saveetha (83.4) and Shoolini (81.5) outperform IISc (64.1), reflecting innovative pedagogical approaches in newer institutions.
• Research Environment: Banaras Hindu University (57.2) and IIT Indore (52.2) lead, but many score below 40, indicating limited infrastructure.
• Research Quality: IISc’s 97.3 is unmatched, with Anna University (65.8) and KIIT (55.9) showing strength. Lower scores (e.g., Shoolini at 22.6) highlight uneven impact.
• Industry Income: Saveetha (72.5) and Shoolini (71.4) excel, surpassing IISc (68.1), reflecting strong industry ties.
• International Outlook: Shoolini (71.4) and Saveetha (72.5) lead, but most institutions, including IISc (31.6), score below 50, a critical area for improvement.

Implications for India’s Higher Education

India’s 107 ranked institutions, including 26 “Reporter” universities, signal ambition but reveal gaps. The NEP 2020’s push for global partnerships is evident in private institutions like KIIT and Shoolini, yet the IoE scheme’s funding cuts limit scalability. The UGC’s 2025 draft regulations, enabling FHEIs to set up campuses, could enhance international outlook scores for universities like Aligarh Muslim University (188th) and VIT University (201–250), but affordability and regulatory clarity are crucial.

Regional disparities persist, with southern (e.g., Anna University, Saveetha) and northern (e.g., Shoolini, UPES) institutions dominating, while eastern and central India lag in top bands. Targeted investments are needed to balance this.

The THE Asia University Rankings 2025 highlight India’s academic rise, led by IISc Bengaluru, Anna University, and IIT Indore, with 107 institutions ranked. However, declining ranks for 34 universities and weak internationalization underscore challenges. As India advances NEP 2020 and the UGC’s FHEI regulations, sustained funding and global engagement are vital to compete with Asia’s leaders. These rankings should spur reforms to ensure India’s universities thrive globally.

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