QS Asia Rankings 2027: Delhi University Drops 11 Places to 106th Despite Rise in Total Score
New Delhi: Delhi University (DU) has slipped out of the top 100 in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2027 and is ranked 106th, a drop of 11 places from last year. However, its total score has increased, from 68.5 in 2026 to 70 in 2027. DU improved its scores in nine of the 11 ranking indicators.
Indicators in which DU improved its scores include the international student ratio, papers per faculty, international faculty ratio, citations per paper, amongst others. The 2027 rankings were released by QS Quacquarelli Symonds on 3rd November, 2026, while DU's performance was released the next day, after the university assessed its ranking indicators.
Why Has Delhi University Fallen in the QS Asia Rankings 2027?
Improvement in overall score does not necessarily reflect improvement in ranking. Several other universities may have shown greater improvement in the same set of ranking years.
DU's overall score has improved from 68.5 to 70. However, its rank dropped from 95 to 106. The proportion of universities it surpassed also remained almost the same at 93.9%, compared to 93.8% last year.
Nine of 11 Indicators Improve: Where Did DU Gain?
The university showed improvements in nine of the eleven indicators analyzed as part of the comparative assessment. The most notable improvements were seen in international student and faculty representation and research productivity.
|
QS ranking indicator |
2026 score |
2027 score |
|
International student ratio |
9.2 |
16.8 |
|
International faculty ratio |
3.4 |
9.2 |
|
Papers per faculty |
87.7 |
95 |
|
Citations per paper |
19.5 |
24.6 |
|
Staff with PhD |
94.7 |
99.4 |
|
Employer reputation |
86.1 |
88.6 |
|
Faculty-student ratio |
15.1 |
16.3 |
|
Academic reputation |
91.1 |
90.8 |
|
International research network |
99.4 |
99.3 |
The international student ratio improved from 9.2 to 16.8, and the international faculty ratio improved from 3.4 to 9.2. Research productivity also showed progress, with the papers-per-faculty score improving to 95.
A score of 99.4 for staff with PhD qualifications indicated a rise in the performance of this metric, as did a score of 88.6 for employer reputation.
Academic Reputation and International Research Network Remain Challenges
Not all indicators improved. DU’s academic reputation declined from 91.1 to 90.8, and the international research network declined from 99.4 to 99.3. Individual indicator rankings showed an improvement for DU as well.
For instance, the employer reputation score improved 3 positions to 96th, and the staff with PhD qualifications score improved 54 places to 118th. Papers-per-faculty improved 17 places to the 101st position.
QS Asia Rankings 2027: Other Indian Universities
One of the reasons for the drop by Delhi University this year was because of a challenging edition for many leading universities in the country. India was the second most represented higher education system in the rankings with 325 universities, 34 of which were new entrants. This year’s QS Asia Rankings covered 1,722 universities in 26 higher education systems, making it a more comprehensive edition than last year. IIT Delhi was once again the best ranked institution from the country and fell in the rank from 59 to 66. IISc fell from 64 to 79 and IIT Bombay fell from 71 to 83. The other IITs also lost their positions.
Improvements were made elsewhere. Chandigarh University moved from 109 to 104, Lovely Professional University from 187 to 154 and Jamia Millia Islamia from 197 to 183. While improvements were made by many universities, several lost their positions. The overall picture shows a more challenging scenario for higher education in the region this year.
Implications of QS Asia Rankings 2027 for Delhi University
A decline in rank for DU cannot be attributed to a decline in academic performance this year. The University improved in nine parameters and received higher scores overall. A decline in rank and performances in selected parameters point to areas which require focus for improvement.
This rank reflects academic performance in comparison to other institutions. When considering universities, performance, faculty, research opportunities, location, amenities, and other parameters should be taken into account.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is Delhi University's rank in the QS Asia Rankings 2027?
DU ranked 106 in the QS Asia Rankings 2027, down from 95 in 2026.
2. Did Delhi University's overall score improve in 2027?
Yes. The overall score improved from 68.5 in 2026 to 70 in 2027.
3. Why did DU's rank decline despite a higher score?
Rankings are relative. While improvements have been made by DU, other universities have also shown similar trends or better performance.
4. How many of the ranking indicators showed improvement for Delhi University?
Improvement has been shown in nine of the 11 indicators.
5. Which of the ranking indicators of DU showed the most improvement?
Improvement in international student ratio, international faculty ratio, papers per faculty, citations per paper and staff with Ph.D. showed the most improvement.
6. What was the highest ranking Indian university in QS Asia 2027?
IIT Delhi was the highest ranking Indian university at 66.
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