New Delhi [India], June 19 (ANI): India has made a significant leap in global education standards, with a record number of 54 Indian universities making it to the QS World University Rankings 2026, up from just 11 a decade ago. This achievement has placed India fourth globally--surpassing countries like Japan and Germany--in terms of the number of institutions featured.

Speaking with ANI, Himani Sood, Founder, NID Foundation and Pro Chancellor, Chandigarh University, lauded the government's sustained education reforms over the past decade.

Sood highlighted that Indian universities in QS world rankings rose from 11 to 54, with 8 new additions this year

She said, 'Our honourable Prime Minister today congratulated the entire education sector, calling these 11 years a remarkable journey of reform, innovation & commitment to youth. The result today has been that in the last one decade, we have risen from 11 to 54 indian universities which have been ranked in the QS world ranking. 8 news entrants have been added this year. This is a large number.'

Himani Sood added that India is now ranked 4th globally, surpassing Japan and Germany, with a 390% increase in representation in rankings over the past decade.

'India is now positioned 4th globally ahead of Japan & Germany. Over the past decade, India has increased its representation in ranking by 390 per cent which is the highest amongst the G20 nations. IIT Delhi is at 123rd rank', Sood said.

Sood highlighted India's strengths in QS rankings, including employer reputation, academic reputation, and research output, attributing the success to policies like the National Education Policy (NEP).

'Our strengths this year have been employer reputation, academic reputation, citation per faculty, research outcome. This 11 years policies like new education policy (NEP) have framed the path of indian institutions performing exceptionally well in international ranking framework', Sood added.

She added, 'We, as at academia wants to thank our honourable prime minister for creating such an ambient atmosphere for education to prosper, to flourish and succeed. Thank you to every academic institution which has contributed to the growth this year.'

Earlier, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attributed this success to the government's transformative education reforms over the past decade, highlighting a five-fold increase from just 11 universities in 2014.

Union Education Pradhan said, 'With a record 54 HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) featuring among the global best, India hits a new high in the QS World University 2026 Rankings. From just 11 universities in 2014 to 54 in the latest rankings, this five-fold jump is a testament to the transformative educational reforms ushered by PM Modi ji's govt in the last decade.' (ANI)