QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026 Out — IIT Delhi Leads Among Indian Institutions

Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) has unveiled its much-anticipated QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026, and the results are encouraging for Indian higher education. According to CollegeChalo, more than 103 Indian universities have secured places in the ranking this year, a significant jump from the 78 in the previous edition. 

India’s Impressive Footprint

India now stands as the fourth most represented country globally in this edition, with only the U.S., China, and the U.K. fielding more institutions. This surge highlights a growing national focus on sustainability across campuses, whether it’s in green research, governance, or social impact.

IITs at the Forefront

Among all Indian universities, IIT Delhi emerged as the clear leader in QS Sustainability 2026. It secured the 205th spot globally with an overall sustainability score of 83.1. Following QS World University closely are:

• IIT Bombay at 235th (score: 81.4) 
• IIT Kharagpur at 236th (score: 81.3)
• IIT Madras, Kanpur, and Roorkee also made the list, among other IITs.

QS World University Sustainability Ranking 2026 – India (Overall) 

SI.No	World Rank	India Rank	Institution Name	Location	Overall Score
1	=205	1	Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD)	India	83.1
2	=235	2	Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)	India	81.4
3	=236	3	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP)	India	81.3
4	=241	4	University of Delhi	India	80.9
5	305	5	Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)	India	77.3
6	=310	6	Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)	India	77
7	=352	7	Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IITR)	India	74.9
8	=352	7	Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, India	India	74.9
9	=462	9	Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore	India	70.5
10	=467	10	Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India	India	70.3
11	478	11	Anna University	India	69.8
12	487	12	Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani	India	69.4
13	=522	13	Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences	India	68
14	=544	14	Lovely Professional University (LPU)	India	67.1
15	=533	15	Jadavpur University	India	66.8

Despite IIT Delhi’s strong performance, it has fallen from its 2025 ranking of 171 in sustainability to 205 this year for QS World University. That said, the drop in rank comes alongside an increase in its score, indicating intensifying global competition.

Notable Movers Beyond IITs

• The University of Delhi made significant progress, improving in several sub-domains.
• Several other Indian institutions achieved their highest-ever QS World University rankings, including Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Lovely Professional University, Panjab University, Banaras Hindu University, NIT-Rourkela, and UPES.

What’s Behind the Rankings

QS evaluates sustainability along three core pillars:

• Environmental Impact (45%) — encompassing environmental sustainability, education, and research.
  
• Social Impact (45%) — covering equality, knowledge exchange, wellbeing, employability, and more.
  
• Governance (10%) — assessing ethics, transparency, decision-making, and hiring practices.
  

For India’s universities, strengths include knowledge exchange (for example, the University of Delhi ranked 94th globally in that metric), environmental education, and governance improvements. 

Global Topper

On the world stage, Lund University (Sweden) claimed first place with a perfect 100 score, dethroning last year’s leader, the University of Toronto. 

Why This Matters

• Student Choice: As sustainability becomes a key concern for students globally, these rankings help prospective students identify universities that prioritise long-term environmental and social responsibility.

• Policy and Funding: Governments, donors, and industry partners could use these insights to support universities driving sustainable innovation.

• Reputation & Research: A high sustainability score boosts an institution’s standing among international peers, especially in areas like climate research, community outreach, and governance reforms.
  

In Conclusion, the QS World University Rankings: Sustainability 2026 highlight India’s strong and growing commitment to building greener, more responsible campuses. While IIT Delhi continues to lead the way, the broader rise in Indian university participation, now over a hundred strong, sends a powerful message: sustainability is not just a buzzword, but a movement transforming higher education across the country.