QS World University Rankings 2027: From DU to Jamia, where India’s top non-technical universities stand globally

The University of Delhi (DU) has emerged as India’s highest-ranked non-technical university in the QS World University Rankings 2027, improving its global position by six places to secure the 322nd rank in the world.According to the latest rankings released by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, DU moved up from 328th place in the 2026 edition. The rankings evaluated 8,808 institutions worldwide, with 1,504 universities from 106 countries and territories making it to the final list. A total of 52 Indian institutions were featured this year.Among Indian institutions, DU ranked second in Employment Outcomes, fourth in Sustainability and fourth in International Research Network. It also retained its sixth position in Academic Reputation among Indian institutions.While India’s engineering and technology institutions dominated the country’s overall performance in the rankings, DU stood out as the best-performing multidisciplinary public university.Among non-technical universities, Chandigarh University was the next highest-ranked Indian institution at 526th globally. The private university recorded particularly strong scores in Employer Reputation and International Faculty indicators.Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), one of India’s leading social sciences and humanities institutions, secured the 555th position globally. The university continued to perform strongly in academic reputation and international collaborations despite facing intense competition from larger institutions worldwide.Symbiosis International (Deemed University) was ranked 655th globally, while Jamia Millia Islamia secured the 686th spot. Jamia’s strongest performance came in sustainability and research-related indicators.The rankings underline a wider trend in Indian higher education. While IITs and research-focused science institutions continue to achieve the country’s best global results, only a small number of non-engineering universities have been able to establish a significant international presence.Overall, IIT Delhi emerged as India’s highest-ranked institution, securing the 118th position globally. IIT Bombay followed at 129th, while IIT Madras was ranked 170th. IIT Kharagpur secured the 205th position, while IISc Bengaluru and IIT Kanpur shared the 221st rank.The contrast between the rankings of IITs and India’s leading non-technical universities highlights the challenge facing the country’s broader higher education sector. While universities such as DU, JNU, Jamia and Chandigarh University have improved their global standing, engineering institutions continue to dominate international rankings due to stronger research output, global collaborations and employer recognition.Even so, DU’s rise to 322nd place and its position as India’s highest-ranked non-technical university suggest that multidisciplinary institutions are gradually improving their visibility on the global stage.