QS Asia University Rankings 2027: IIT Delhi Best in India at 66
The global higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds released the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027 on 3 November 2026. This edition ranks 1,722 universities from 26 higher education systems across Asia, including 195 new entrants. The University of Hong Kong has kept its position as Asia's best university for the second year in a row, while Mainland China remains the most represented system with 448 universities.
India has 325 ranked universities – the second-highest number after Mainland China – and leads Asia in research output and doctoral-qualified staff. However, India's top institutions slipped this year: IIT Delhi, India's best, fell from 59th to 66th, and only six Indian institutions are in Asia's top 100, compared with seven last year. Rankings questions are regularly asked in SSC, Banking, Railways, WBCS and other state exams under current affairs and education.
➤ Released by: QS Quacquarelli Symonds (London) on 3 November 2026
➤ Scale: 1,722 universities · 26 systems · 195 new entrants · Maldives debuts
➤ Asia's No. 1: University of Hong Kong (second year in a row) · No. 2: Peking University · No. 3: Tsinghua University
➤ Most represented: Mainland China – 448 universities · India – 325 · Japan – 153
➤ Best in India: IIT Delhi – 66th (down from 59th) · Followed by IISc Bengaluru (79) and IIT Bombay (83)
➤ Indians in top 100: 6 (IIT Delhi, IISc, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur)
➤ West Bengal: IIT Kharagpur – 90th (down from 77th)
About the QS Asia University Rankings
QS Quacquarelli Symonds is a London-based higher education company that publishes the well-known QS World University Rankings. Its regional ranking for Asia, now officially called the QS World University Rankings: Asia, compares universities of the region using a methodology adapted to Asian priorities. Compared with the world rankings, it gives weight to extra indicators such as Staff with a PhD and inbound and outbound exchange students.
| Indicator (QS Asia methodology) | Weight |
|---|---|
| Academic Reputation | 30% |
| Employer Reputation | 20% |
| Citations per Paper | 10% |
| Faculty Student Ratio | 10% |
| International Research Network | 10% |
| Papers per Faculty | 5% |
| Staff with a PhD | 5% |
| International Faculty Ratio | 2.5% |
| International Student Ratio | 2.5% |
| Inbound Exchange Students | 2.5% |
| Outbound Exchange Students | 2.5% |
Note: These are the 11 indicators and weights QS published for the Asia rankings in its previous (2026) edition.
Top 10 Universities in Asia 2027
| Rank 2027 | Rank 2026 | University | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | University of Hong Kong (HKU) | Hong Kong SAR |
| 2 | 2 | Peking University | Mainland China |
| 3 | 9 | Tsinghua University | Mainland China |
| 4 | 7 | City University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong SAR |
| 5 | 7 | Chinese University of Hong Kong | Hong Kong SAR |
| 6 (joint) | 5 | Fudan University | Mainland China |
| 6 (joint) | 3 | National University of Singapore (NUS) | Singapore |
| 8 | 3 | Nanyang Technological University (NTU) | Singapore |
| 9 (joint) | 10 | Hong Kong Polytechnic University | Hong Kong SAR |
| 9 (joint) | 6 | Hong Kong University of Science and Technology | Hong Kong SAR |
Key points: Hong Kong SAR has five universities in the top 10 – the most of any system. Tsinghua University made the biggest jump among the leaders, rising six places from 9th to 3rd. Singapore's NUS and NTU, which were joint 3rd last year, dropped out of the top five.
Best University of Each Major Country
| Country / System | Best university | Asia rank 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Hong Kong SAR | University of Hong Kong | 1 |
| Mainland China | Peking University | 2 |
| Singapore | National University of Singapore | 6 (joint) |
| South Korea | Yonsei University | 11 |
| Malaysia | Universiti Malaya | 17 |
| Japan | University of Tokyo | 27 |
| Thailand | Chulalongkorn University | 52 |
| Indonesia | Gadjah Mada University | 53 |
| India | IIT Delhi | 66 |
| Vietnam | Vietnam National University, Hanoi | 159 |
Number of Ranked Universities
Mainland China has the largest presence with 448 universities, 53 more than last year. India follows with 325 universities, and Japan has 153 (Figure 1).
Figure 1: The three most represented systems in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027
India's Performance in QS Asia Rankings 2027
India's presence keeps growing – from 294 universities in the 2026 edition to 325 in 2027, with 34 new entrants. India now makes up about 19% of all ranked universities. QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter noted that the number of ranked Indian institutions has grown more than thirteen times since 2016. But this year, 71% of Indian universities declined, 18% improved and 11% stayed at the same position, as competition in Asia became tougher.
Indian Institutions in Asia's Top 100
| Indian rank | Institution | Asia rank 2027 | Asia rank 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IIT Delhi | 66 | 59 |
| 2 | Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru | 79 | 64 |
| 3 | IIT Bombay | 83 | 71 |
| 4 | IIT Madras | 85 | 70 |
| 5 | IIT Kharagpur | 90 | 77 |
| 6 | IIT Kanpur | 97 | 77 |
The University of Delhi, which was in the top 100 last year, slipped from 95th to 106th. Figure 2 shows how much each of India's top institutions moved.
Figure 2: All of India's leading institutions slipped in 2027; the University of Delhi fell out of the top 100
Other Indian Institutions in the Top 200
India has 21 institutions in Asia's top 200 (up from 20). Besides the six in the top 100, they include:
| Institution | Rank 2027 | Rank 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Chandigarh University | 104 | 109 |
| University of Delhi | 106 | 95 |
| IIT Guwahati | 120 | 115 |
| IIT Roorkee | 124 | 114 |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | 128 | 130 |
| Lovely Professional University | 154 | 187 |
| VIT Vellore | 156 | 156 |
| BITS Pilani | 161 | 154 |
| O.P. Jindal Global University | 165 | 163 |
| Symbiosis International | 175 | 200 |
| Shoolini University | 177 | 159 |
| Amity University | 181 | 187 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | 183 | 197 |
| UPES | 183 | 163 |
| Manipal Academy of Higher Education | 195 | 206 |
Notable gainers: Lovely Professional University (up 33 places), Symbiosis International (up 25), Jamia Millia Islamia (up 14) and Manipal Academy of Higher Education (up 11, entering the top 200).
India's Strengths and Weaknesses
| Area | India's performance |
|---|---|
| Papers per Faculty (research output) | 27 Indian universities in Asia's top 50; five in the top 10 – IISc (1st), IIT Madras (3rd), IIT Delhi (7th), IIT Roorkee (8th) and IIT Ropar (9th) |
| Staff with a PhD | 15 Indian universities share the top position in Asia; 47 are in Asia's top 100 (up from 16 in 2018) |
| Citations per Paper (research impact) | Only three Indian universities in Asia's top 50 – a big gap between quantity and influence of research |
| Overall trend | More universities ranked, but the top institutions are falling as Chinese, Hong Kong and Korean universities improve faster |
Other Highlights from Across Asia
| System | Highlight |
|---|---|
| Mainland China | Largest and fastest-growing system (448 universities, +53); most top-20 entries and new entrants; Tsinghua jumps to 3rd |
| Hong Kong SAR | Five universities in the top 10; HKU first for the second year; all 11 ranked institutions within Asia's top 500 |
| South Korea | Yonsei (11), Korea University (12), KAIST (15) and Seoul National University (16) lead; only China has more top-20 entries |
| Japan | 153 universities; strong in teaching resources and reputation; University of Tokyo is 27th |
| Singapore | NUS and NTU fell out of the top five |
| Malaysia | Universiti Malaya is 17th; Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia reached a record-high 20th |
| Central Asia | Kazakhstan leads the region; Uzbekistan's representation is growing |
| Maldives | Appears in the rankings for the first time |
West Bengal Connection
IIT Kharagpur – India's first IIT, set up in 1951 at the site of the old Hijli Detention Camp in Paschim Medinipur district – is the highest-ranked institution from West Bengal at 90th in Asia (down from 77th) and fifth among Indian institutions. Other well-known institutions of the state such as Jadavpur University, the University of Calcutta, IIEST Shibpur and the Indian Statistical Institute also take part in global rankings. The University of Calcutta, founded in 1857, is one of the oldest modern universities in South Asia.
For background on India's research institutions, read our post on the VAIBHAV Fellowship for Indian-origin scientists and the ISRO Space Gallery at Darbhanga Planetarium. You may also like our guide on ranking systems in international sports and Economic Planning and NITI Aayog. Practise with the CSIR NAL MTS Mock Test.
Quick Revision Box – Easy Tricks to Memorise
Trick 1 – Big numbers "1722 – 26 – 195"
1,722 universities, 26 systems, 195 new entrants.
Trick 2 – Top 3 "Hong Kong – Peking – Tsinghua" (H-P-T)
HKU 1st (second year running), Peking 2nd, Tsinghua 3rd (up from 9th).
Trick 3 – "Five Hong Kong in Ten"
HKU (1), CityU (4), CUHK (5), PolyU (9), HKUST (9).
Trick 4 – Country count "China 448, India 325, Japan 153"
India is second in number of ranked universities.
Trick 5 – India's top 3 "Delhi–Science–Bombay = 66–79–83"
IIT Delhi 66, IISc 79, IIT Bombay 83.
Trick 6 – Six in 100 "D-I-B-M-K-K"
IIT Delhi, IISc, IIT Bombay, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Kanpur.
Trick 7 – Delhi University "95 → 106"
Fell out of the top 100.
Trick 8 – India's strength "Papers and PhDs, weak in Citations"
IISc is 1st in Asia for Papers per Faculty; only 3 Indian universities in top 50 for Citations per Paper.
Trick 9 – Country toppers "Yonsei 11, Malaya 17, Tokyo 27"
South Korea, Malaysia and Japan's best universities.
Trick 10 – Bengal's best "Kharagpur 90"
IIT Kharagpur – 90th in Asia, 5th in India.
Trick 11 – Biggest weights "Academic 30, Employer 20"
Reputation indicators together make up half the score.
Trick 12 – New face "Maldives debuts"
Kazakhstan leads Central Asia.
20 MCQs on QS Asia University Rankings 2027
Q1. Which organisation publishes the QS Asia University Rankings?
(a) Times Higher Education
(b) QS Quacquarelli Symonds
(c) UNESCO
(d) NIRF
Answer: (b) – QS Quacquarelli Symonds is a London-based higher education analytics company.
Q2. Which university is ranked No. 1 in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027?
(a) University of Hong Kong
(b) Peking University
(c) National University of Singapore
(d) Tsinghua University
Answer: (a) – HKU topped the list for the second consecutive year.
Q3. How many universities are ranked in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027?
(a) 1,526
(b) 1,500
(c) 1,722
(d) 2,000
Answer: (c) – 1,722 universities from 26 systems; the 2026 edition had 1,526.
Q4. Which university rose from 9th to 3rd place in the 2027 edition?
(a) Fudan University
(b) Peking University
(c) Yonsei University
(d) Tsinghua University
Answer: (d) – Tsinghua climbed six places to 3rd.
Q5. How many Hong Kong universities are in Asia's top 10 in 2027?
(a) Two
(b) Five
(c) Three
(d) Four
Answer: (b) – HKU, CityU, CUHK, PolyU and HKUST.
Q6. Which system has the largest number of ranked universities in QS Asia 2027?
(a) Mainland China
(b) India
(c) Japan
(d) South Korea
Answer: (a) – Mainland China has 448 universities, India 325 and Japan 153.
Q7. How many Indian universities feature in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027?
(a) 294
(b) 448
(c) 325
(d) 153
Answer: (c) – India has 325 universities, up from 294 in the 2026 edition.
Q8. Which is the highest-ranked Indian institution in QS Asia 2027?
(a) IISc Bengaluru
(b) IIT Bombay
(c) IIT Madras
(d) IIT Delhi
Answer: (d) – IIT Delhi is 66th, down from 59th last year.
Q9. What is the rank of IISc Bengaluru in QS Asia 2027?
(a) 79
(b) 64
(c) 66
(d) 83
Answer: (a) – IISc fell from 64th to 79th.
Q10. How many Indian institutions are in Asia's top 100 in 2027?
(a) Seven
(b) Six
(c) Five
(d) Eight
Answer: (b) – Six, all IITs or IISc; there were seven in 2026.
Q11. Which Indian university slipped out of Asia's top 100 in 2027?
(a) Jawaharlal Nehru University
(b) IIT Guwahati
(c) University of Delhi
(d) BITS Pilani
Answer: (c) – Delhi University fell from 95th to 106th.
Q12. Which is the highest-ranked institution from West Bengal in QS Asia 2027?
(a) Jadavpur University
(b) University of Calcutta
(c) IIEST Shibpur
(d) IIT Kharagpur
Answer: (d) – IIT Kharagpur is 90th in Asia and 5th among Indian institutions.
Q13. Which Indian institution is ranked 1st in Asia for Papers per Faculty?
(a) IISc Bengaluru
(b) IIT Delhi
(c) IIT Madras
(d) IIT Ropar
Answer: (a) – IISc leads; IIT Madras is 3rd and IIT Delhi 7th on this indicator.
Q14. In which indicator does India perform weakest, with only three universities in Asia's top 50?
(a) Staff with a PhD
(b) Citations per Paper
(c) Papers per Faculty
(d) Number of ranked universities
Answer: (b) – India produces many papers, but their citation impact is lower.
Q15. Which is the highest-ranked South Korean university in QS Asia 2027?
(a) Seoul National University
(b) KAIST
(c) Yonsei University
(d) Korea University
Answer: (c) – Yonsei is 11th, followed by Korea University at 12th.
Q16. What is the rank of the University of Tokyo, Japan's top university, in QS Asia 2027?
(a) 11
(b) 17
(c) 6
(d) 27
Answer: (d) – The University of Tokyo is 27th.
Q17. Which country made its debut in the QS Asia University Rankings 2027?
(a) Maldives
(b) Bhutan
(c) Nepal
(d) Sri Lanka
Answer: (a) – The Maldives appears for the first time.
Q18. Which indicator carries the highest weight in the QS Asia methodology?
(a) Employer Reputation
(b) Academic Reputation
(c) Citations per Paper
(d) Faculty Student Ratio
Answer: (b) – Academic Reputation has 30% weight, Employer Reputation 20%.
Q19. Which two universities share the 6th rank in QS Asia 2027?
(a) NTU and HKUST
(b) PolyU and HKUST
(c) Fudan University and NUS
(d) CityU and CUHK
Answer: (c) – Fudan and NUS are joint 6th; PolyU and HKUST are joint 9th.
Q20. Which Indian university rose from 187th to 154th in QS Asia 2027?
(a) Amity University
(b) Chandigarh University
(c) VIT Vellore
(d) Lovely Professional University
Answer: (d) – LPU gained 33 places; Chandigarh University is India's top-ranked private university at 104.
Want more practice? Try our Daily GK Quiz and Mock Tests.
Conclusion
The QS Asia University Rankings 2027 show an Asia where competition is fiercer than ever. Hong Kong and Mainland China dominate the top 10, with HKU first for the second year and Tsinghua jumping to third. India's story is mixed: it has the second-largest number of ranked universities and leads in research output and PhD-qualified staff, but its top institutions have slipped and only six remain in the top 100. Improving research quality and citations, international collaboration and reputation will be key for Indian universities to climb back. For exams, remember the release date, the top 3, the number of universities, India's top 6 with ranks, IIT Kharagpur's 90th rank and the main indicators.
Reference: QS Quacquarelli Symonds press release (PR Newswire, 3 November 2026); QS Insights; Careers360; The Tribune; Korea JoongAng Daily.
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