THE Asia Rankings 2026: Shoolini University ranks 4 in country, India most represented with 128 institutions

Shoolini University has been ranked 4 in India and 158 in Asia in the Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2026, which evaluated 929 universities across 36 countries and territories.

Among 128 Indian institutions in the rankings, it is placed first among private universities in North India and is among the few private universities nationally to feature at this level alongside institutions such as the Indian Institute of Science and IIT Indore. The university has improved its India rank from 5 in 2025 to 4 this year.

The rankings, published by Times Higher Education, assess institutions across teaching, research environment, research quality, industry income, and international outlook using 18 performance indicators.

The university’s performance is driven by strength in research quality, international outlook, and teaching outcomes. It is ranked 4 in India in research quality and is also among leading institutions in Asia on this parameter.

Faculty and students have filed over 1,900 IP portfolios, and the university holds a leading position in Asia for citations per paper.

“This milestone marks a significant step forward from our position last year, at 5. It is particularly encouraging to see Shoolini placed among leading institutions in India, alongside premier names such as the Indian Institute of Science and IIT Indore, and among very few private universities at this level,” said Prof PK Khosla, Chancellor, Shoolini University.

Vishal Anand, Pro Chancellor, Shoolini University, added, “Our strategy is to build Shoolini into a top global campus for research and innovation by 2030. This milestone reinforces our belief that we are on the right path.”

Prof Atul Khosla, Vice Chancellor, Shoolini University, said, “Being ranked among Asia’s top universities and fourth in India is a testament to the university’s sustained focus on research and innovation. As a research and innovation-driven university nestled in the Himalayas, near Shimla, we welcome the global academic community to experience the spirit of learning and inspiration that defines Shoolini.”

The Times Higher Education Asia University Rankings 2026 saw participation from 929 universities, up from 853 last year. China continues to lead the rankings, holding the top two positions and five of the top 10 spots.

Tsinghua University retained the top position for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Peking University at second.

Fudan University and Zhejiang University are ranked seventh and eighth, while Shanghai Jiao Tong University moved up to ninth. Singapore and Hong Kong each have two universities in the top 10, and Japan is represented by the University of Tokyo.

Malaysia entered the top 40 for the first time, with Universiti Teknologi Petronas rising to joint 35th, and six Malaysian universities now in the top 100. Macao also features in the top 30, with the University of Macau ranked 28th.

India is the most represented country with 128 institutions, followed by Japan with 115 and Turkey with 109. The Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, is ranked 43rd and remains the only Indian institution in the top 50.

BITS Pilani has opted out of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, joining several IITs that have raised concerns over transparency in the assessment process.

India has 12 institutions in the top 200 this year. Lovely Professional University, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, and the University of Delhi are jointly ranked at 197.