PhD Asia Rankings: India Makes Its Mark in Research and PhDs, Secures Second Place in Asia

In the latest Asian university rankings, India has surpassed several major nations. Indian institutions have delivered a performance in research that has garnered widespread attention.

India has once again demonstrated a strong presence in the fields of higher education and research. In the 'QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027,' released on November 3, 2026, a total of 325 Indian universities have been featured, placing India second in Asia. Last year, 294 Indian institutions were included; this year, 34 new institutions have made the list. Notably, Indian universities have excelled in the publication of research papers and in having faculty members who hold PhD degrees.

India Sets a New Record in Research

India leads Asia in terms of research papers per faculty member. In this category, 27 Indian universities rank among the top 50 in Asia, with five Indian institutions securing spots in the top 10. Specifically, IISc Bengaluru ranks first, IIT Madras third, IIT Delhi seventh, IIT Roorkee eighth, and IIT Ropar ninth. It is particularly significant that IISc Bengaluru has secured the top position across all of Asia in this category. This performance underscores the growing capacity of Indian institutions to conduct research and explore new academic frontiers.

India Also Leads in Faculty with PhD Degrees

Beyond research, India has also performed exceptionally well regarding faculty members who hold PhD degrees. According to the QS report, 15 Indian universities are jointly ranked first in Asia in this category, while 47 Indian institutions have earned a place in the top 100 for this indicator. The presence of qualified and experienced faculty at a university contributes to enhancing both the quality of education and the standard of research. In this context, India's performance in this category is being considered a significant achievement in the field of higher education.

Dominance of Indian institutions in the overall rankings

Among Indian institutions, IIT Delhi is the top performer in the overall rankings, securing the 66th position in Asia. It is followed by IISc Bengaluru at 79th, IIT Bombay at 83rd, IIT Madras at 85th, IIT Kharagpur at 90th, and IIT Kanpur at 97th place. This indicates that India is performing well on certain research-related metrics.