Discover the top universities in India in 2019 here.
There are 65 top Indian universities featured in the QS BRICS University Rankings 2018, an annual ranking of the most prestigious institutions in the five major emerging economies of the BRICS countries: (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa).
Read on for an overview of the 10 top universities in India this year, including information on each university’s strengths in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, and how they performed in the QS World University Rankings® 2018.
1. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
Leading the way for India at ninth in this year’s BRICS, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) overtakes the Indian Institute of Science Bangalore as the highest-ranked university in India in BRICS this year. Also ranked joint 179th in the world rankings, IIT Bombay is the second Indian Institute of Technology to be founded (in 1958) and is recognized internationally as a leader in the field of engineering education and research. It’s also noted for its innovative short-term courses and its links with peer universities and institutes both inside and outside India, to enhance its programs.
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay is currently featured in the QS World University Rankings by Subject for 16 subjects, including the global top 100 for computer science, chemical engineering, civil engineering, art & design and more.
2. Indian Institute of Science (IISC) Bangalore
The Indian Institute of Science Bangalore (IISc Bangalore) is ranked 10th in the BRICS ranking, receiving the highest score in the ranking for the papers per faculty indicator, and the second-highest score for its proportion of staff with a PhD. Established in 1909 and known locally as the Tata Institute, the university currently enrolls around 3,750 students, most of whom are postgraduates. The campus is located in the north of the city and spread over more than 400 acres, and is close to other research institutes.
The Indian Institute of Science Bangalore is ranked among the world’s best for 12 subjects, including the global top 100 for electrical engineering, chemical engineering and materials science.
3. Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD)
Ranked 17th in this year’s BRICS and 172nd in the world, the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) was founded in 1961 with a vision to contribute to India and the world through excellence in scientific and technical education and research. Today it has 11 interdisciplinary centers in which science and engineering overlap, and has a 325-acre campus in the affluent Hauz Khas area of New Delhi, located close to other educational institutions.
The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is internationally ranked for 11 subjects, appearing in the worldwide top 100 for chemical, civil, electrical and mechanical engineering as well as computer science.
4. Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
Next in our list of the top universities in India this year is the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), which is placed 18th in BRICS and joint 264th in the world this year. Recognized as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India, IIT Madras was established in 1959 and today has almost 9,000 students. Much of IIT Madras’ large campus is a protected forest, located next to the Guindy National Park in Chennai (formerly known as Madras).
Ranked globally for 11 subjects, the Indian Institute of Technology Madras achieves top-100 positions for electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and materials science.
5. Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)
Also founded in 1959 by the Indian government, the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) is ranked 21st in this year’s BRICS ranking and joint 293rd in the world. Most of IIT Kanpur’s 6,500 students live on its large 1,055-acre campus just outside the city of Kanpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh. IIT Kanpur has a strong research orientation, and achieves very high scores for the papers per faculty and staff with PhD indicators in the BRICS ranking.
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur is ranked among the world’s best for 12 subjects, with positions in the global top 150 for mechanical, civil, electrical and chemical engineering and materials sciences.
6. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IITKGP)
Ranked 24th in BRICS and joint 308th in the world, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) was the first Indian institute of technology to be founded. It was originally established in 1951 to train scientists and engineers following India’s independence four years earlier. IIT Kharagpur’s unusual motto, Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam, translates to "Excellence in action is Yoga", signifying that working well is true yoga and urges you to acquire equanimity, a state of psychological stability and composure.
As well as sharing its organization structure and admissions process with its sister institutes of technology, IIT Kharagpur shares similar subject strengths, appearing in 15 subject rankings, including the top 50 for mineral and mining engineering and the top 150 for all other engineering branches.
7. University of Delhi
The first non-IIT institution to feature in this list of top universities in India, the University of Delhi retains its position of 41st in the BRICS ranking this year and is also ranked within the top 500 in the world rankings. The largest of these top Indian universities (with 132,435 regular students), the University of Delhi receives top-20 scores for its reputation among both academics and employers, and is considered one of the best multidisciplinary institutions in the country.
Ranked among the world’s best for 15 subjects, the University of Delhi earns its highest scores for development studies (16th) and anthropology (51-100).
8. Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR)
The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) only gained the status of IIT as recently as 2001, having previously been the University of Roorkee (founded in 1847 as an engineering college and given university status in 1949). In 1955, IIT Roorkee became the first university in India to offer postgraduate programs in engineering and technology. The university has an entrepreneurial culture, with many of its alumni founding technological and social ventures in India and beyond.
The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee is internationally ranked for nine subjects, including a place in the global top 150 for civil engineering.
9. Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG)
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) is up two places in this year’s BRICS to now rank 52nd. The sixth institute of technology to be founded (in 1994), IIT Guwahati’s 700-acre campus is considered the most beautiful in the country, located on the banks of the river Brahmaputra, just outside the city of Guwahati, northeast India. Also ranked within the top 550 in the world rankings, the university has 10 research centers and currently educates almost 4,000 students.
The Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) features among the world’s best for six subjects, achieving its strongest score for mechanical engineering (in the top 200).
10. University of Calcutta
Closing our look at the top universities in India in 2018 is the University of Calcutta, ranked 64th in BRICS and within the top 800 in the world rankings. Founded in 1857 in Calcutta (now called Kolkata) on the model of the University of London, the university now has 14 campuses spread across Kolkata and its suburbs, and educates about 22,500 students. One of the most distinguished Indian universities, the University of Calcutta has produced many notable alumni in different walks of life, including Kadambini Ganguly, one of the first female graduates and the first qualified female physician of the British empire.
The University of Calcutta is internationally ranked for three subjects: modern languages (ranked 251-300), chemistry (401-450) and physics and astronomy (451-500).
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