IISc Bangalore only Indian institution in global top 100 for 2026 subject rankings

Indian universities showed limited impact in the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject, released on Jan 21, as global lists continue to be dominated by the US and the UK. China, meanwhile, strengthened its presence across key science and technology disciplines.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore was the only Indian institution to feature in the global top 100, ranking under 100 in Computer Science.

Beyond IISc, Indian representation dropped sharply, with Amity University in the 251-300 band, Jamia Millia Islamia in the 301-400 bracket, and Symbiosis International University and Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology also ranking outside the top 300.

No other Indian university appeared in the top 100 across the 11 subjects assessed.

India’s subject-level performance highlights ongoing challenges for its higher education sector.

Despite growth in research output and international collaborations, Indian universities have yet to achieve consistent top-tier global rankings.

Across disciplines such as engineering, physical sciences, life sciences, and social sciences, India continues to trail several Asian peers, including China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan, and South Korea.

THE evaluates universities using 18 performance indicators grouped under teaching, research, knowledge transfer, and international outlook.

For subject rankings, these metrics are adjusted to reflect discipline-specific priorities, with institutions required to meet minimum research output and academic staff thresholds.

Western institutions maintained their dominance at the top. The US led eight of the 11 subject areas, while the UK topped three.

MIT ranked first in Arts and Humanities, Business and Economics, and Social Sciences, while the University of Cambridge reclaimed the top spot in Psychology for the first time since 2022.

China was the standout Asian performer, claiming seven top-10 positions across subjects, up from four last year. Peking University entered the global top 10 for Computer Science, while Tsinghua University debuted in the top 10 for Physical Sciences.

Asian institutions also made gains in Business and Economics, with Tsinghua, Peking University, and the National University of Singapore all appearing in the top 10. China now has 77 universities in the global top 100 across subjects, up from 72 last year.

The 2026 rankings reinforce a familiar trend: India has expanded research and global partnerships, but competitiveness remains limited to a few elite institutions. Outside IISc Bangalore, subject-level performance is weak.

Experts suggest that as rankings increasingly reward focused investment, sustained funding, and discipline-specific depth, India’s priority must shift from scale to building world-class strength in key subjects.