The latest QS World University Rankings by Subject (2024–25) show a range of results for Indian higher education

Important Takeaways from the QS Rankings for 2024–2025

The QS Subject Rankings now include 79 Indian universities, up 10 from 2023. Across all subjects, Indian institutions were represented 533 times, a 25.7% increase over the previous year. Remarkably, nine universities were ranked in the top 50 worldwide in their respective fields. The following fields showed the highest representation:

• Engineering: 24 establishments
• 20 institutions in the social sciences
• 19 institutions in the natural sciences

However, due to a halt in research output and global cooperation, some of the top-ranked Indian universities saw a drop in their subject-specific rankings.

An Overview of the Higher Education Environment in India

With 45 million students enrolled in higher education, India is home to more than 1,100 universities. One to two million more students are being enrolled each year, making India one of the biggest educational ecosystems in the world. However, there is a gap between quantity and quality because educational quality has not kept up with this growth.

Systemic Obstacles to International Competitiveness

Lack of Faculty and Working Conditions

Particularly in universities that prioritize research, there is a severe faculty shortage. Among the main problems are inadequate pay.

• Poor infrastructure
• Restricted autonomy and freedom in academia
• Political and Bureaucratic Intervention

Excessive bureaucratic oversight impedes many universities. Institutional independence and merit-based systems are jeopardized by political appointments and meddling.

The Research Ecosystem's Deficits

There is a lack of an interdisciplinary research culture and a low level of research output. Insufficient international cooperation has a detrimental effect on funding opportunities and visibility. There is uneven access to reputable journals, labs, and funding sources.

Institutional Structure Disintegration

India's higher education system is divided into three categories: private universities, state universities, central universities, and specialized institutions like IITs, IIMs, and NITs.

International recognition has been attained by institutions like IIT Bombay and IISc, but many others are lacking in important areas like faculty-student ratios, research influence, and global standing.

Deficiencies in Global Exposure and Collaboration

According to QS, Indian universities have trouble with internationalization metrics, employer perception, and academic reputation. There aren't many global collaborative efforts, and Indian researchers are usually left out of the main international research networks. To raise institutional visibility, QS advises greater participation in global scholarly debates and cooperative research projects.

Government Efforts: Unintegrated and Incomplete

Although flexibility, autonomy, and international engagement are promised by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, its implementation has been patchy. One potentially revolutionary move is the government's encouragement of international universities to open campuses in India.

However, essential structural changes like funding plans, academic freedom, and quality control procedures are not happening quickly enough.

Implications for India's National and International Objectives

• Innovation and economic growth depend on a robust framework for higher education.
• Acknowledging the demographic dividend
• Soft power projection

Delays in reform may cause India's students to receive subpar education and reduce their ability to compete internationally, which would ultimately hinder the country's progress.

Way Ahead

Enhancing Faculty Standards and Rewards : Offer competitive pay, tenure opportunities, research funding, and more autonomy to draw and keep outstanding talent.

Reducing University Bureaucratic Restrictions : Reduce political meddling, strengthen institutional autonomy, and adopt open governance procedures.

Creating Top-Notch Research Environments :Invest in laboratories, academic journals, conferences, and peer-reviewed platforms. Promote the creation of centers of excellence that are interdisciplinary.

Strategy for Global Engagement : Encourage collaborative authorship, faculty and student exchanges, and joint degree programs. Encourage quality benchmarking and international accreditation with incentives.