QS Sustainability Rankings 2026: No Indian University Makes It to Top 200
The QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026 has recently been released, revealing that no Indian university has made it into the top 200. This year, the highest-ranked Indian institution is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, which has dropped to the 205th position from last year’s 171st.
Overview of Rankings
In the latest QS Sustainability Rankings, IIT Delhi is followed by IIT Bombay and IIT Kharagpur, both of which have also seen a decline in their global standings. The rankings highlight the performance of universities based on their contributions to sustainability, including environmental actions, social impact, governance practices, and research related to sustainability.
Top Global Universities
At the global level, Sweden’s Lund University has secured the top position with a perfect score of 100. The University of Toronto follows closely in second place with a score of 99.8, while University College London ranks third. The rankings evaluated nearly 2,000 institutions worldwide, reflecting a competitive landscape.
Indian Universities’ Rankings
Here are the rankings of the top Indian universities in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026:
- IIT Delhi: 205th, Score: 83.1
- IIT Bombay: 235th, Score: 81.4
- IIT Kharagpur: 236th, Score: 81.3
- IIT Madras: 305th
- IIT Kanpur: 310th
- IIT Roorkee: 352nd
- IIT BHU: 672nd
- IIT Hyderabad: 792nd
- IIT Gandhinagar: Included in the list
- IIT Guwahati: Included in the list
Reasons for Decline
The decline in rankings for Indian institutes can be attributed to several factors. QS noted that many global universities have improved their sustainability efforts at a faster pace, particularly in environmental sustainability. Additionally, this year saw the entry of over 250 new universities into the rankings, increasing the level of competition.
Performance of Indian Institutes
Despite the overall drop in rankings, QS reported that out of the 103 Indian universities included in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026:
- 32 universities improved their ranks
- 15 maintained their previous positions
- 30 universities experienced a decline in their rankings
Other Rankings Released
Earlier this month, QS also published the Asia University Rankings 2026. In that ranking, five IITs—Delhi, Madras, Bombay, Kanpur, and Kharagpur—along with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru and Delhi University made it to the top 100 in Asia. This indicates that while Indian universities may struggle in global rankings, they still hold a strong position in the Asian context.
Conclusion
The QS Sustainability Rankings 2026 underline the challenges faced by Indian universities in the realm of sustainability. As global competition intensifies, it is crucial for Indian institutions to enhance their sustainability practices and research initiatives to improve their standings in future rankings.
Note: The QS Sustainability Rankings assess universities based on various sustainability metrics, and a lower rank does not necessarily indicate weaker performance but may reflect stronger progress from other institutions.
