Indian universities have made significant strides in the latest QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2025, with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru securing a spot among the world’s top 50 institutions for Environmental Education. Released by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, global higher education experts, the rankings evaluate universities based on sustainability efforts across environmental and social impact metrics. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi leads the Indian list, achieving a remarkable improvement of 255 places to secure 171st rank globally. It is followed by IIT Kharagpur (202nd) and IIT Bombay (234th), both of which have also climbed significantly in the rankings. University of Delhi is the only Indian varsity which has seen a decline in ranks this year, as it slipped from 220 last year to 299 rank this year, but has appeared sixth on the Indian list.
A total of 78 Indian universities feature in the 2025 QS Sustainability rankings, with nine of the top 10 institutions in the country improving their ranking this year. A total of 21 varsities are new to the ranking this time.
IIT-Delhi and IIT-Kanpur have been ranked among the world’s top 100 for environmental impact. IIT Delhi (IITD) is the top ranked Indian institution in the Social Impact (362) and the Environmental Impact (55) categories. It is also top in two lenses - Employability and Outcomes (116) and Environmental Research (256). Manipal Academy of Higher Education - Manipal University (MAHE) is the top ranked Indian university in the Governance category. It is also top in India for Equality, ranked at 390 globally. IIT Bombay is top in the Environmental Sustainability lens, placed at 38 globally. IIT Kharagpur is top in India for two lenses - Impact of Education (676) and Health and Wellbeing (391). Also, DU is top in India for Knowledge Exchange, coming in at 121 globally. IISc is placed 32rd worldwide in the Environmental Education lens. Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru has been ranked among world’s top 50 for environment education.
“Of the 78 Indian universities that feature in the 2025 QS Sustainability rankings, 34 have improved on last year’s placing and eight have maintained their positions. “This is an excellent achievement for the Indian higher education ecosystem and shows that Indian universities are forging ahead with their sustainability initiatives,” said Ben Sowter, Vice President of London-based QS.
“Within the Social Impact category, Indian universities can look to improve their indicator scores in the Health and Wellbeing, Impact of Education and Equality lenses, where no institutions from the country feature in the top 350. Universities from India scored better in the Knowledge Exchange and Employability and Outcomes lenses,” Sowter added.
This time, seven African universities rank in the top 500. The University of Cape Town ranks 45th, the highest in the region. Cairo University is ranked 370th. Australia has 14 universities in the top 100, with the University of Melbourne maintaining its position at ninth. QUT is the only Australian institution to climb the table.
The 2025 rankings showcase over 1,740 universities from 107 countries and territories, reflecting significant growth from the previous edition, which included 1,397 institutions across 95 locations. The University of Toronto is the top ranked university this year, ahead of ETH Zurich which got second place, and Lund University in Sweden and University of California, Berkeley (UCB) in joint third.
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) has made an emphatic statement about its commitment to sustainability by ranking in the 951-960 bracket in the QS World Sustainability Rankings 2025. Rising to 35th place in India and 288th in Asia, the University has emerged as a frontrunner in integrating sustainable practices into education, research, and governance.
The University excels in Governance, ranking 711 globally and 25th in India, showcasing its strong leadership and transparent practices. Its global rank of 773 in Knowledge Exchange highlights its pivotal role in fostering innovation and societal impact through collaborative efforts.