QS Asia 2027 Rankings: Indian Universities Decline Despite

Why in the News?

The QS World University Rankings-Asia 2027 revealed that while India's representation increased to 325 universities, 71% of them saw a decline in rankings.

Key Highlights

• India's representation in QS Asia 2027 expanded to 325 institutions, second only to mainland China.

• 71% of Indian universities fell in rankings, 18% improved, and 11% remained stable.

• All six highest-ranked Indian institutions, including IIT Delhi, IISc Bengaluru, and IIT Bombay, dropped in rank.

• Research productivity was a strong point, with 27 Indian universities in Asia's top 50 for Papers per Faculty.

• Academic Reputation and Employer Reputation declined for 76% and 83% of Indian universities, respectively.

Know the Basics

• QS World University Rankings: Annual rankings by Quacquarelli Symonds evaluating universities globally and regionally based on metrics like academic reputation and research output.

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: India's policy framework aimed at transforming education, focusing on equity, access, and quality.

• Academic Reputation: A metric based on surveys of academics regarding the quality of teaching and research at universities worldwide.

• Employer Reputation: A metric assessing how universities are perceived by employers regarding the quality of graduates.

Detailed Analysis

India's Expanded Representation in QS Asia 2027

• India's representation grew from 24 universities in 2016 to 325 in 2027, accounting for nearly one in five ranked Asian universities.

• India's top-200 presence increased from 17 to 21 institutions since 2018, showing progress despite challenges.

Performance of Indian Universities

• All six highest-ranked Indian institutions, including IIT Delhi (66th) and IISc Bengaluru (79th), fell in rankings.

• Major declines included Mahatma Gandhi University (495th to 697th) and Osmania University (470th to 650th).

Indicators of Decline

• Academic Reputation declined for 76% of Indian universities, while Employer Reputation fell for 83%.

• International-student performance and exchange programmes showed significant drops, with declines of 85% and 91%, respectively.

Research Productivity as a Strength

• Papers per Faculty was the only indicator where more Indian universities rose than fell, with 27 institutions in Asia's top 50.

• India had 15 universities sharing first place for Staff with PhD, showing research capacity.

Significance for India

• India's growing representation highlights its expanding higher-education sector but also exposes gaps in global competitiveness.

• UPSC could test this under the National Education Policy 2020 and its objectives for internationalisation of education.

• Research productivity and Staff with PhD are bright spots that align with India's aspirations for global academic influence.

• Declining rankings may impact India's reputation as an education hub, affecting foreign student inflow and collaborations.

Challenges

• Intensified regional competition, with 195 new universities entering the rankings, has increased pressure on Indian institutions.

• Weak citation impact, with only three universities in Asia's top 50 for Citations per Paper, limits global recognition.

• Declining Employer Reputation and international-student metrics hinder India's ability to attract global talent.

• Relative performance metrics may not fully reflect the improvements made by Indian universities.

Way Forward

• Government: Strengthen implementation of NEP 2020 to improve internationalisation and research funding.

• Universities: Focus on enhancing citation impact and fostering global collaborations to improve rankings.

• Industry: Partner with universities to improve Employer Reputation through internships and skill development programmes.

• Regulators: Develop policies to attract international students and faculty to Indian universities.