Why Only 4 Indian Universities In Top 500 THE World University Ranking 2026?
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings are released on 9th October 2025. However, did you know that in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026, only 4 Indian institutions crack the top 500? On the other hand, there are 11 Indian universities in the top 500 of the QS World University Rankings 2026.
This Story also Contains
- THE WUR 2026: Indian Universities in Top 500
- THE WUR Ranking on 4 Indian Universities: Key Highlights
- Why Just 4 Universities from India in Top 500 According to THE WUR 2026?
- QS WUR 2026 Vs THE WUR 2026: Indian Universities in Top 500
- US Continues to Drop in THE World University Rankings 2026
This is right. When the universities are ranked on global indicators and parameters, Indian universities and colleges seem to be less represented. So, why is such a situation where only 4 universities from Indian are ranked among the top 500 in THE WUR 2026? We have mentioned the complete reasoning on why only 4 Indian unis are in the top 500 Times Higher Education 2026.
Also Read:
THE WUR 2026: Indian Universities in Top 500
Prestigiously, 4 Indian universities are ranked in the top 500 universities in the world according to Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026. India’s top-ranked university for 2026 is the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore with a 201-250 rank band. The other 3 Indian universities in the top 500 include Saveetha Institute (351‑400 band), Jamia Millia Islamia, and Shoolini University (both in 401‑500 band).
Check the table below for the top 4 universities in India that are ranked among the best 500 universities in the world according to Times Higher Education:
India’s 4 Indian Institutes in Top 500; THE WUR 2026
Indian Universities | THE WUR 2026 | THE WUR 2025 |
IISc (Bangalore) | 201-250 | 201-250 |
Saveetha Institute (Chennai) | 351‑400 | 401‑500 |
Jamia Millia Islamia (Delhi) | 401‑500 | 501-600 |
Shoolini University (Himachal Pradesh) | 401‑500 | 401‑500 |
THE WUR Ranking on 4 Indian Universities: Key Highlights
Among all the Indian educational institutions ranked by THE under WUR 2026, IISc is the only university that is ranked within the top 250 universities worldwide. In comparison to 2025, THE WUR 2026 rankings reveal that Saveetha Institute and Jamia Millia Islamia have improved according to the global parameters. These institutions have jumped several ranks, where Saveetha Institute's rankings increased from 401‑500 in 2025 to 351‑400 in 2026. On the other hand, Jamia Millia Islamia's rankings increased from 501-600 to 401‑500.
Why Just 4 Universities from India in Top 500 According to THE WUR 2026?
There are n number of reasons why just a few Indian educational institutes are ranked in the top 500 worldwide according to World University Rankings by THE 2026. A few of the top reasons on only 4 universities in India coming under THE WUR 2026 include the following:
Research Output & Citation Gap in Indian and Abroad Universities
Research—and how often your work is cited—makes up a massive chunk of THE’s score.
Indian institutions lag behind global peers in high-impact publications and citations.
Most top 500 universities are churning out research papers in top-tier journals aggressively. India is still catching up.
Indian University’s Internationalisation is Weak
THE 2026 rankings evaluate how many international students and faculty a university has, and how globally connected it is.
Indian universities score very low here. When your professors and students are from different countries, a multicultural environment is built on campuses.
THE global rankings see the universities with little to no such diversification, they consider these as locally confined.
Difference of Teaching & Infrastructure Metrics
Everything ranging from teaching environment and student-to-staff ratio to budget and facilities, all matter while ranking universities for THE 2026.
Many Indian institutions struggle with overcrowding, old labs, and limited funding.
These drag down the “teaching” and “learning environment” scores that THE weighs.
Selective Participation By Top Indian Universities
Some IITs and top technical colleges, which are ranked among the best in India, have not participated in the THE’s institutional surveys for a long time, as per one of the reports.
Without direct data given to them about the universities and colleges in India, the scores are dropped.
QS WUR 2026 Vs THE WUR 2026: Indian Universities in Top 500
QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) and THE (Quacquarelli Symonds) are global ranking bodies that publish annual university rankings based on a set of key performance indicators, such as academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per faculty, faculty/student ratio, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.
In the QS World University Rankings 2026, India has 54 universities in the global list. Also, India becomes the 4th most represented country behind US, UK, and China. According to QS, there are 10 Indian universities in the top 500 universities worldwide under the World University Rankings in 2026. On the other hand, there are only 4 universities in top 500 universities in the world as per THE World University Rankings in 2026.
India’s 10 Indian Institutes in Top 500; QS WUR 2026
Indian Universities | QS WUR 2026 | QS WUR 2025 |
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD) | 123 | 150 |
Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) | 129 | 118 |
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM) | 180 | 227 |
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IITKGP) | 215 | 222 |
Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore | 219 | 211 |
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) | 222 | 263 |
University of Delhi | 328 | 328 |
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) | 334 | 344 |
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR) | 339 | 335 |
Anna University | 465 | 383 |
Why More Indian Universities Ranked in Top 500 by QS Than by THE?
Universities and colleges are ranked based on the performance indicators. QS is less strict on internationalisation and teaching metrics compared to THE. This may be one reason why 10 Indian universities are among the best worldwide according to QS. In contrast, only 4 are in the top 500 by THE in 2026.
US Continues to Drop in THE World University Rankings 2026
Not just Indian universities and colleges, but, US educational institutions' rankings are getting dropped. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 reveal a major shift in global education. For the first time ever, only 102 US universities made it into the top 500 universities in the world, which is the lowest number since the rankings began. In 2018, the US had 125 in the top 500. This drop shows that America’s grip on higher education is slipping fast.
US universities such as MIT, Princeton, Harvard, and Stanford are still having high ranks in the Times Higher Education WUR 2026. However, many other tier 2 and tier 3 universities in USA are struggling to keep their rank on the global parameters. Many analysts believe that this rank drop is the result of the recent cuts in research funding and the drop in international students due to Trump's restrictive immigration policies.
Also Read:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Why are Indian universities not in the top 100?
A:
Many reasons contribute to the fact that there are no Indian universities and colleges in the top 100 universities in the world according to QS and THE WUR 2026. Some of the important considerations where Indian educational institutions lag include less funding for research and advancement, traditional teaching methods, fewer to no international students and faculty, and many more.
Q: Why do Indian universities rank low globally?
A:
International students and faculty are one of the parameters that rank universities and colleges. However, the majority of the Indian universities have few to no international students as well as faculty. This leads to their low scores in these key metrics.
Q: Is there any Indian university in the top 500?
A:
Yes, there are a few of India's best universities that are also among the top 500 in the world. According to QS, there are 10 Indian universities and colleges in the top 500. On the other hand, there are just 4 Indian universities under the top 500 according to Times Higher Education WUR 2026.
Articles
Questions related to
On Question asked by student community
Have a question related to ?
Hello
With an AIR of 4941 and a UP-EWS rank of 1043 in CLAT 2026, getting a top NLU may be difficult.
However, you still have chances in some newer and lower-ranked NLUs, especially in later counselling rounds.
NLUs like Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Sikkim, and Andhra Pradesh can be possible options.
Your UP domicile with EWS may give a very slim chance at RMLNLU Lucknow, mostly in mop-up rounds. Seat availability changes a lot in later rounds, so don’t skip any counselling stage.
It’s good to keep private law colleges as backup options.
Hello
With 91.5 marks and an AIR of 1012, getting GNLU Gandhinagar is quite difficult in the general category.
GNLU usually closes at a much lower AIR (better rank) in the early counselling rounds.
However, if you belong to a reserved category or Gujarat domicile, your chances may improve slightly. Sometimes seats move in later or mop-up rounds, but it’s not guaranteed.
You should definitely participate in all counselling rounds. You can also refer to
Careers360.com (//Careers360.com)
for more details.
Hello,
No. You cannot join the 3rd round directly without registration.
If you did not register in Round 1 or Round 2, you must do fresh registration for Round 3 . You also need to pay the fee and fill choices.
If you registered earlier and did not get any seat, then you can participate in Round 3 without new registration.
So, registration is compulsory to take part in the 3rd round.
Hope it helps !
Hi
If you want to get admission in a budget flying school, then first check that it's approved by the DGCA. Then consider some factors like the instructor-to-student ratio and the placement records. I've mentioned some budget-friendly flying schools.
Here are some budget-friendly flying schools
- Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Uran Akademi (IGRUA), Amethi
- Madhya Pradesh Flying Club (MPFC), Indore
- Capt. Sahil Khurana Aviation Academy, Karnal
- Indra Gandhi Institute of Aeronautics, Chandigarh
- Carver Aviation, Baramati
I hope this information helps you.
Thank you.
Hello,
Yes, in India, some seats are reserved for women in certain areas. For example:
-
Education: Some schools, colleges, and universities have a certain number of seats reserved for female students.
-
Jobs: Some government jobs have a reservation or preference for women.
-
Politics: In local bodies like panchayats and municipal councils, 33% of seats are reserved for women.
However, there is no general reservation for women in all areas. It depends on the specific law, scheme, or organization.
Hope it helps !
Applications for Admissions are open.
Want to study in Ireland? Explore Universities & Courses
Study in Canada
ApplyExplore Universities, Courses & Subjects | Work while study
Study in UK
ApplyApply for upcoming intake & plan your journey
Study in USA
ApplyUniversities inviting applications | Get expert guidance
Study in Australia
ApplyShortlist best ranked universities & get expert guidance