No Indian institute in top 200 in QS Sustainability Rankings 2026, Pg8

Key Highlights:

• In the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026, no Indian institute ranked in the top 200.
• IIT Delhi was the highest-ranked Indian institution, falling to 205th position from 171st last year.
• IIT Bombay and IIT Kharagpur both stood at 236, with IIT Kharagpur dropping significantly from 202 last year.
• The QS Sustainability Rankings assess universities based on environmental and social impact, and governance.
• Lund University in Sweden secured the top position globally.
• Out of 103 Indian universities featured, 32 improved their ranking, 15 remained the same, and 30 declined.

Detailed Insights:

• The QS Sustainability Rankings consider factors like environmental research, academic reputation in environmental education, and alumni impact in environmental sustainability.
• Indicators such as gender ratio among students and faculty, women in leadership, and disability support are also considered under the "equality" lens.
• Indian institutions are lagging behind global peers in environmental sustainability, particularly in alumni impact and staff perception of climate change commitment.
• Another area of concern is "health and well-being," which includes research impact related to health-related Sustainable Development Goals and health provisions on campus.
• Increased competition, with over 250 new universities debuting in the rankings, has also contributed to the shifts in rankings.
• While the top three global universities scored above 95 on the "equality" lens, India's top three IITs scored between 63 and 68.
• In terms of environmental impact, the top three Indian institutions scored around 84-86, and around 79-80 in social impact.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Sustainability: Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
• Environmental Impact: The effect of an institution's activities on the environment, including research and practices.
• Social Impact: The effect of an institution's activities on society, including equality, health, and well-being.