New Delhi, June 20 : Academicians and education experts have hailed India's best-ever performance in the QS World University Rankings 2026, with 54 Indian universities making it to the global list. This marks a significant rise from 46 institutions last year and just 11 in 2014.

With this, India now ranks fourth globally, behind only the US, the UK, and China, in terms of the number of universities featured, reflecting the country's growing presence in global higher education.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan congratulated the academic institutions on this achievement via social media. Academicians and education experts attributed this remarkable performance to the government's focus on education reforms, especially under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

'The QS World University 2026 Rankings bring great news for our education sector. Our Government is committed to furthering research and innovation ecosystems for the benefit of India's youth,' said PM Modi in his post on the platform X.

Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated that India now has the fastest-growing education system among G20 nations. 'It is a matter of pride that India ranks fourth globally. I am confident that with continued emphasis on research, innovation, and internationalisation under NEP, even more Indian institutions will attain global excellence in the years ahead,' he said.

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has emerged as the highest-ranked Indian institution this year, climbing from the 150th to the 123rd position.

Professor Vivek Bhuva, head of the Planning and Ranking Cell at IIT Delhi, called it a significant improvement. IIT Bombay ranks 129th, while IIT Madras entered the top 200 for the first time, moving up from 227th to 180th place.

Dr V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, credited the NEP for its enhanced global standing. 'With global collaborations, Indian institutions are ready for even greater success,' he said.

Dr Ashwin Fernandes, Executive Director of QS Asia, said, 'This is India's strongest performance to date and a testament to Prime Minister Modi's visionary reforms, particularly NEP 2020, which has strengthened research, digital inclusion, and global competitiveness. India is rapidly emerging as an academic power with a vision to become a developed nation by 2047.'

Prof. Himani Sood, Founder of New India Development Foundation and Pro-Chancellor of Chandigarh University, echoed this sentiment. 'This achievement reflects the impact of the NEP and global collaboration. The presence of 54 Indian universities in the QS rankings is a matter of national pride and a sign of India's growing leadership in global education, research, and innovation under PM Modi's leadership,' she said.

/IANS