Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has reached a pivotal achievement by making it into the top 150 universities worldwide in the most recent Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking. The last time an Indian institution accomplished such a feat was eight years ago when Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore made the list. However, this year’s rankings saw shifts that are notable. IISc witnessed a significant decline by falling 70 places. This shift is attributed to revised ranking parameters introduced by the UK-based ranking agency, Quacquarelli Symonds.
Important Takeaways from QS World University Ranking
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) secured the lead position in the World University Ranking for the twelfth time in a row. On the other hand, National University of Singapore made history by being the first Asian university to enter the top 10.
When it comes to India’s representation in the list, the country ranks seventh globally, with 45 of its universities securing a place in the rankings. Within these institutions, IIT Bombay stands out by achieving its highest rank ever, taking the 149th position globally in the QS World University Ranking.
Other highlights include improvement in citation per faculty at IIT Bombay, which rose from 55.1 to 73.1. Furthermore, the University of Delhi and Anna University have notably debuted in the top 500 universities.
Revised Ranking Parameters Introduced by QS
This year, QS introduced three new indicators which are sustainability, employment outcomes, and international research network with each carrying a weight of 5%.
Changes were also applied to existing parameters, like academic reputation, faculty-student ratio, and employer reputation. Among these, the faculty-student ratio experienced a decrease in weightage.
How the Revised Parameters Affected Indian Institutions
In the light of these adjustments, the reduction in the faculty-student ratio weightage proved to benefit Indian institutions on the whole. However, some institutions with a focus on research like IISc faced challenges due to the decrease in weightage. On a brighter note, the introduction of the employability outcomes indicator turned out beneficial for various Indian institutions.
Understanding QS World University Rankings
As an annual release by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), the World University Rankings evaluate universities globally on their performance and quality. They take into account a variety of indicators including academic reputation, faculty-student ratio, employer reputation, sustainability, employment outcomes, international research network, citations per faculty, international faculty ratio, and international student ratio.
Apart from their main list, QS also provides rankings based on subject, region, student city, business school, and sustainability.
