Indian Institutes Shine in QS Sustainability Rankings 2026 with 103 Universities Featured

India gets fourth rank in QS Sustainability Rankings 2026, with 103 universities featured and IIT Delhi best performer.

QS Quacquarelli Symonds has released its QS World University Sustainability Rankings 2026. It has placed India in the fourth position for the number of institutions featured across the globe. Only three countries, the United States, China, and the United Kingdom, are ahead of India, which has representation of 103 universities.

The QS Sustainability Rankings were published for the first time in 2023. The QS Ranking evaluates universities on various parameters, which include environmental and social sustainability across categories such as environmental impact, social impact, and governance. It counts for Important indicators include environmental research, sustainability education, equality, employability, knowledge exchange, and health and well-being.

In the 2026 edition, approximately 2,000 institutions from over 100 locations were assessed. Sweden’s Lund University has reached to the top spot, which was previously owned by the University of Toronto. The top 15 list is dominated by institutions from the U.K., Canada, Sweden, and the U.S., while University College London rose to third place.

India’s Performance in QS Sustainability Ranking 2026

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has once again regained its top ranking as the best-performing Indian institution since the rankings began. IIT Delhi is ranked 205 amongst the worldwide institute rankings. India has 12 universities in the top 500, matching countries like China and the Netherlands. 26 Indian universities debuted in the rankings this year 2026. Only China is ahead, which has introduced 46 new entries in the ranking.

Among the top 15 Indian universities, nine saw a decline compared to last year, including Jadavpur University, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, and IISc. Overall, 30 institutions dropped in rank, 32 improved, and 15 remained unchanged. In terms of various indicator level performance, IIT Delhi (93rd) and IIT Kharagpur (96th) ranked in the global top 100 for Employability and Outcomes.

University of Delhi, also famous as DU, entered the top 100 for Knowledge Exchange at 94th. IIT Bombay secured the 100th position under Environmental Impact. Environmental education emerged as a strong area for India, with nine institutions have score above 84. These Institutes include IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, JNU, BHU, and IISc, Bengaluru. In other social impact indicators such as equality and impact of education remain relatively weak, with equality scores which range from 21.5 (IIT Ropar) to 69.8 (IIT Kanpur).

Global Perspective Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, emphasized India’s growing role: “Indian universities excel in knowledge exchange and environmental sustainability. Their contribution to climate action and SDGs is vital for a sustainable future.”