India overtook China for the second consecutive year in the QS Asia University Rankings 2025
New Delhi| India has overtaken China in the QS Asia University Rankings 2025 for the second year in a row, signaling a rapid recovery in the country’s higher education. 193 higher educational institutions of India have been included in this list. The country has shown the highest increase in university representation. There are also 21 new entries added to this list.
According to the latest annual list of Asia’s best universities released by global higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds, China is in second and third place, respectively, with 135 universities and Japan with 115 universities, after India.
India had overtaken China in the 2024 QS rankings with 148 universities. Only 133 educational institutions in China appeared on the list last year. The 2025 edition includes 984 universities in Asia’s 25 higher education systems. This is 127 more than last year.
Around seven Indian universities are among the top 100 institutions in Asia. IIT Delhi (IITD) stood at the highest position, followed by IIT Bombay at the second position.
Other names include Delhi University, IISc Bangalore, IIT Madras, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Kanpur. “India’s academic potential is demonstrated by its research output and the high number of PhD-trained faculty who enhance the international reputation of their universities while setting a benchmark on the regional and global stage”, QS CEO Jessica Turner said in a statement.
Indian universities scored 75 per cent in academic prestige, compared to 73 per cent in employer prestige. The report revealed that research productivity is a major strength of Indian universities. Four of the top five universities in Asia are Indians in the faculty ‘on ’ papers, while Anna University is in second place.
In addition, Indian universities also showed a high level of specialization of staff, with eight universities ranked second among staff with ‘PhDs. However, the country did not perform well in internationalization indicators ‘international students’. Amity University ranked 87th in this list, while no other Indian institution could make the top 100.
