Vani Jha
Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has unveiled its much-anticipated QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026, and the results are encouraging for Indian higher education. According to CollegeChalo, more than 103 Indian universities have secured places in the ranking this year, a significant jump from the 78 in the previous edition.
India’s Impressive Footprint
India now stands as the fourth most represented country globally in this edition, with only the U.S., China, and the U.K. fielding more institutions. This surge highlights a growing national focus on sustainability across campuses, whether it’s in green research, governance, or social impact.
IITs at the Forefront
Among all Indian universities, IIT Delhi emerged as the clear leader in QS Sustainability 2026. It secured the 205th spot globally with an overall sustainability score of 83.1. Following QS World University closely are:
- IIT Bombay at 235th (score: 81.4)
- IIT Kharagpur at 236th (score: 81.3)
- IIT Madras, Kanpur, and Roorkee also made the list, among other IITs.
QS World University Sustainability Ranking 2026 – India (Overall)
| SI.No | World Rank | India Rank | Institution Name | Location | Overall Score |
| 1 | =205 | 1 | Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) | India | 83.1 |
| 2 | =235 | 2 | Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) | India | 81.4 |
| 3 | =236 | 3 | Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) | India | 81.3 |
| 4 | =241 | 4 | University of Delhi | India | 80.9 |
| 5 | 305 | 5 | Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) | India | 77.3 |
| 6 | =310 | 6 | Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) | India | 77 |
| 7 | =352 | 7 | Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) | India | 74.9 |
| 8 | =352 | 7 | Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India | India | 74.9 |
| 9 | =462 | 9 | Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore | India | 70.5 |
| 10 | =467 | 10 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India | India | 70.3 |
| 11 | 478 | 11 | Anna University | India | 69.8 |
| 12 | 487 | 12 | Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani | India | 69.4 |
| 13 | =522 | 13 | Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences | India | 68 |
| 14 | =544 | 14 | Lovely Professional University (LPU) | India | 67.1 |
| 15 | =533 | 15 | Jadavpur University | India | 66.8 |
Despite IIT Delhi’s strong performance, it has fallen from its 2025 ranking of 171 in sustainability to 205 this year for QS World University. That said, the drop in rank comes alongside an increase in its score, indicating intensifying global competition.
Notable Movers Beyond IITs
- The University of Delhi made significant progress, improving in several sub-domains.
- Several other Indian institutions achieved their highest-ever QS World University rankings, including Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Lovely Professional University, Panjab University, Banaras Hindu University, NIT-Rourkela, and UPES.
What’s Behind the Rankings
QS evaluates sustainability along three core pillars:
- Environmental Impact (45%) — encompassing environmental sustainability, education, and research.
- Social Impact (45%) — covering equality, knowledge exchange, wellbeing, employability, and more.
- Governance (10%) — assessing ethics, transparency, decision-making, and hiring practices.
For India’s universities, strengths include knowledge exchange (for example, the University of Delhi ranked 94th globally in that metric), environmental education, and governance improvements.
Global Topper
On the world stage, Lund University (Sweden) claimed first place with a perfect 100 score, dethroning last year’s leader, the University of Toronto.
Why This Matters
- Student Choice: As sustainability becomes a key concern for students globally, these rankings help prospective students identify universities that prioritise long-term environmental and social responsibility.
- Policy and Funding: Governments, donors, and industry partners could use these insights to support universities driving sustainable innovation.
- Reputation & Research: A high sustainability score boosts an institution’s standing among international peers, especially in areas like climate research, community outreach, and governance reforms.
In Conclusion, the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026 highlight India’s strong and growing commitment to building greener, more responsible campuses. While IIT Delhi continues to lead the way, the broader rise in Indian university participation, now over a hundred strong, sends a powerful message: sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a movement transforming higher education across the country.