IIT Delhi returns to QS sustainability top 200 as India shows overall gains

The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi has returned to the top 200 in the 2027 QS World Rankings for Sustainability, securing the 194th spot. IIT-Kharagpur follows closely at 224th, while the University of Delhi stands at 237th. India now has 99 entries on the list, down slightly from 103 entries in 2026. Among those that ranked last year, 38 have risen, 19 remain stable, and 34 have dropped, alongside eight new debutants this year. This gives the country an overall net improvement of 4%. India also shares the spot for the joint third most universities in the top 1,000 globally with 42 entries, level with Mainland China.

Performance Breakdown

Thirteen Indian institutions now feature in the top 500, a significant jump from just five universities in the inaugural 2023 ranking. Under the social impact category, over 50 percent of Indian entries improved across all five indicators, including equality and employability. In knowledge exchange, Delhi University ranks 66th globally and IIT-Kharagpur ranks 96th. For employability and outcomes, IIT Delhi and IIT-Kharagpur hold the 66th and 93rd positions, respectively. In environmental impact, IIT Delhi is the only Indian institution in the global top 100 at 89th, while IIT-Kharagpur ranks 41st and VIT ranks 43rd in environmental sustainability.

Areas of Concern

Despite overall progress, the report highlights key areas where Indian institutions continue to lag behind global peers. India remains among the 18 lowest-scoring higher education systems for the impact of education, with Delhi University being the highest-ranked at 674th. Furthermore, no Indian institution features in the top 200 for governance. While over 70 Indian institutions improved their individual governance scores, 61 percent saw their rankings decline in this category because international peers are progressing faster. QS CEO Jessica Turner noted that while India's average score has risen from 26.9 in 2023 to 55 in 2027, institutions must sharpen their focus on governance and health and wellbeing.

Context

The QS World Rankings for Sustainability evaluate universities across three main pillars: social impact, environmental impact, and governance. Launched in 2023, the index measures how higher education campuses manage their operational footprints and embed sustainability into their teaching and research. While Indian colleges are rapidly scaling up their social and environmental metrics, institutional governance remains a widespread hurdle across the country's higher education sector.