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Top Universities in India

Of the 475 universities in India, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay ranks highest at #118 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (QS World #180) and Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (QS World #222). The universities on this list offer 1,769 matching courses between them.

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How these universities are ranked

9 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #118 (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay) to #580 (Jawaharlal Nehru University); they are listed first, in that order. Below them, universities follow their research output: Banaras Hindu University is cited most (3,956,306 citations). 112 universities have neither a QS position nor a research record yet and appear at the end, marked "Not yet ranked".

Public, private and where they are

475 are public and 0 private (100% public). The oldest is Manipal University, founded in 1953. Manipal University is the largest, with 35,000 students.

What the courses look like

By level: 985 bachelor's, 532 master's, 122 phd / doctorate and 69 diploma. The most common subjects are Engineering (310), Business & Management (124), Languages & Linguistics (90) and Computer Science & IT (85). The usual length is 4 years and 1–2 years. 99% are full-time and 7 can be studied online. Start dates lean to Fall (96% of courses with a stated intake) and Spring (89% of courses with a stated intake). Goa University offers the widest choice, with 68 of these courses.

Frequently asked questions

Which is the best university in India?

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (QS World #118), Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (QS World #180) and Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (QS World #222) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

How many universities in India are public?

475 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a course take in India?

Most listed courses run 4 years, with 1–2 years the next most common.

When do courses start in India?

Fall is the main intake — 96% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Spring is the second.

Which university has the most courses in India?

Goa University, with 68, ahead of Vellore Institute of Technology (64).

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