Why don’t our best IITs rank among the world’s top 20 engineering colleges in the QS Rankings?

For decades, engineering has been more than just a career choice in India—it has been a fervent aspiration woven into the nation’s educational culture. Every year, lakhs of students compete in one of the world’s toughest entrance exams, the Joint Engineering Entrance (JEE Mains and Advanced), aiming to secure a spot in India’s most prestigious engineering institutes like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the National Institutes of Technology (NITs). These institutes are renowned for their exceptional faculty, infrastructure, and research facilities.
But, where do these prestigious Indian engineering institutes stand in global rankings? Surprisingly, they don’t feature among the top 20 global universities for engineering. To be specific, our IITs are never featured among the best institutes in the Engineering and Technology category of the QS World University Rankings by Subject. Let’s explore why and delve into what sets the top global institutions apart from India’s leading institutes.

Top 10 engineering institutes in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024

Typically, US institutes dominate the Engineering and Technology segment of the subject-wise list of QS World University Rankings 2024. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) leads with an impressive score of 96.8, followed closely by Stanford University at 93.8. The United Kingdom is well-represented with four institutions in the top 10, including the University of Oxford (3rd) and University of Cambridge (4th). Switzerland also makes its mark, with ETH Zurich (6th) and EPFL (10th). Notable US institutions such as Harvard (8th) and Caltech (9th) further solidify the country’s leadership in engineering education. These rankings reflect strong global competition and excellence in engineering research. Take a look at the global Top 10 here.

India’s performance in QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024: Engineering & Technology

So, how has India performed on this list? The top Indian institutes are tied between the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, both securing the 45th rank with an overall score of 79.1. Following them is the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, which ranks 77th with a score of 76.6. In total, five Indian institutes feature in the Top 100, listed as follows:

MIT vs. IITs: Performance analysis across key parameters (2024)

As in previous years, 2024 is no different, with India’s prestigious IITs failing to secure a spot among the top 20 engineering colleges in the QS subject-wise rankings. Here’s a comparative analysis highlighting how the world’s leading engineering institute, MIT, performed in this category compared to our top IITs across key parameters in 2024.

The comparative analysis of QS rankings for MIT and the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) reveals significant differences across key performance criteria. MIT leads with an exceptional score of 97.9 in Employer Reputation, reflecting its global recognition for producing highly sought-after graduates, while IITs like IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi score 83.1, indicating their strong regional but relatively weaker global employer presence. In Academic Reputation, MIT scores a perfect 100, underlining its world-class status, while the IITs, although strong academically, trail behind with scores ranging from 78.8 to 84.6. Regarding Citations per Paper, MIT again excels with 96.2, reflecting its superior research impact, while the IITs score between 77.7 and 82.6. The international research metric shows MIT’s strength in global collaborations (81.9), whereas the IITs score lower, ranging from 54.6 to 69.9, highlighting potential areas for improvement in fostering global research ties. Overall, MIT stands out as a global leader, while the IITs show strong national influence with room for growth in international research and employer reputation.

How can IITs improve their global rankings?

While IITs have proven themselves as some of the most prestigious institutions in India, they are also slowly carving their names on the global map. However, to improve their global rankings and compete with international leaders like MIT, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) can focus on the following strategies.
Enhance Employer Reputation: IITs need to strengthen collaborations with international businesses and industries to improve global visibility and attract top employers. This can be done by expanding global internship and placement programs, building partnerships with leading tech firms, and creating a more robust alumni network that actively contributes to the reputation of the institute.
Boost Academic Reputation: IITs can improve their academic reputation by increasing international collaborations with top universities and research institutes. Hosting high-profile academic conferences, attracting renowned international faculty, and enhancing faculty development programs would help strengthen their global academic standing.
Increase Citations per Paper: To improve research impact, IITs need to focus on publishing more high-quality research in top international journals. Encouraging interdisciplinary research, fostering collaborations with global researchers, and investing in advanced research facilities can help IITs produce more influential publications that garner citations.
Promote International Research: Our top engineering institutes can increase their participation in global research projects, collaborations, and funding initiatives. Establishing more research partnerships with universities from different continents and creating joint research programs would help them make a more significant impact on the global research community.
Develop a Global Outreach Strategy: IITs need to actively work on improving their international visibility through marketing campaigns, student exchange programs, and global rankings initiatives. This can include promoting their faculty, research, and achievements more effectively in global academic and professional networks to attract more international students and faculty members.

Get the latest news that takes place in the education sector in India. Find the extensive coverage of various topics including top universities and colleges in India, school reopening, in-depth exam analysis, and more. Stay up to date with The Times of India for the newest updates on CBSE, ICSE, Board exams, competitive exams, date sheet, admit card, exam analysis, results, admissions, colleges, etc.