Context:
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QS Quacquarelli Symonds released the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026, featuring 103 Indian universities, placing India fourth globally in terms of institutional representation.
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The rankings assess how universities integrate environmental sustainability, social impact, and governance into their functioning, reflecting the growing role of higher education in advancing sustainable development.
Key Highlights:
India’s Global Standing
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India ranks 4th globally, after:
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United States
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China
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United Kingdom
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103 Indian institutions featured, marking a significant expansion of India’s presence in global sustainability metrics.
Top Performers
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Lund University (Sweden) secured the top global rank.
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IIT Delhi emerged as the highest-ranked Indian institution, placed at 205th globally.
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Despite this being IIT Delhi’s best-ever rank, its relative position declined due to a larger pool of ranked universities.
Performance Trends among Indian Universities
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Among the top 15 Indian institutions, nine experienced a fall in rankings compared to the previous year.
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IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur featured in the global top 100 for:
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Employability and Outcomes
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University of Delhi ranked in the global top 100 for Knowledge Exchange.
Areas of Strength and Weakness
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According to QS:
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Indian universities perform relatively well in knowledge exchange and environmental sustainability.
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Challenges persist in governance metrics, equality indicators, and global research visibility.
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About QS Sustainability Rankings
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Introduced in 2023.
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Designed to evaluate universities beyond academic output, focusing on real-world sustainability impact.
Indicators Used in the Rankings
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Environmental Impact:
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Environmental research
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Sustainability education
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Social Impact:
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Equality and inclusion
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Health and wellbeing
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Employability outcomes
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Governance:
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Ethical practices
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Transparency
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Knowledge exchange
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Relevant Prelims Points:
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QS Sustainability Rankings:
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Published by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).
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India’s Rank: 4th globally by number of institutions.
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Top Indian Institution: IIT Delhi (205th globally).
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Key Pillars Assessed:
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Environmental impact
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Social impact
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Governance
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Important Terms:
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Sustainability: Development meeting present needs without compromising future generations.
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Knowledge Exchange: Collaboration between universities, industry, and society.
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Relevant Mains Points:
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Governance and Policy Dimensions:
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Sustainability rankings encourage universities to align with SDGs, ESG principles, and ethical governance.
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Highlight the need for institutional transparency and accountability.
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Environmental and Social Dimensions:
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Universities act as hubs for climate research, green innovation, and social inclusion.
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Challenges for Indian Institutions:
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Declining relative ranks despite numerical expansion.
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Gaps in governance standards and global competitiveness.
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Way Forward:
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Integrate sustainability metrics into higher education policy.
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Strengthen green campuses, inclusive policies, and community engagement.
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Promote international research collaboration and global best practices in governance.
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UPSC Relevance (GS-wise):
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GS Paper 2: Governance, education institutions
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GS Paper 3: Environment, sustainability, human capital
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Prelims: Global indices, QS rankings, sustainability indicators