In an outstanding accomplishment, IIT Bombay – for the first time ever –  has ranked within the top 150 universities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings (WUR) 2024!

IIT Bombay ranked first in India and 149^th in the world as it moved up a significant 23 places from its 172^nd rank last year. The Institute received an overall score of 51.7 out of 100.

QS Founder and CEO, Mr. Nunzio Quacquarelli, congratulated IIT Bombay for securing its highest rank ever even as Ms. Jessica Turner, QS Chief Executive, praised India’s bold adaptation and modernisation of its education system, especially with the introduction of the country’s National Education Policy (NEP).

The QS WUR 2024 incorporated three new metrics – sustainability, employment outcomes, and international research network. These mark the largest-ever methodological enhancement implemented by QS, reflecting their commitment to capturing a more comprehensive evaluation of universities worldwide.

In a statement, QS said, “IITB emerges as the new torchbearer for Indian higher education. IIT Bombay’s impressive trajectory of consistent improvements in research quality and reputation has facilitated its rise to prominence. Over the past five years, it has propelled its Employer Reputation ranking from 102nd to 69th and improved its Citations per Faculty rank from 226th to 133rd.”

The Institute scored the following (out of a maximum score of 100) in the nine parameters set by QS:

• Employer Reputation: 81.9
• Citation Per Faculty: 73.1
• Academic Reputation: 55.5
• Sustainability 54.9
• Employment Outcome: 47.4
• Faculty-Student Ratio: 18.9
• International Research Network: 8.5
• International Faculty: 4.7
• International Students: 1.4

In an interview with Indian Express, Mr. Andrew Mac Farlane, QS’ senior research manager, praised IIT Bombay’s exceptional research output and said, “IIT Bombay produced 15,905 academic papers from 2018 to 2022, generating 143,800 citations. It has recorded a research growth of some 17% over this period. For average citations per faculty, they sit at nearly four times the global median – an impressive feat by any standard. Its research output is split fairly evenly between Engineering & Technology and Natural Sciences. Its highly collaborative work across Astrophysics has generated particular interest, according to citations generated.”

An elated Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director, IIT Bombay, said that the institute’s research productivity experienced a significant surge during the pandemic lockdown. This, in turn, led to the publication of numerous research papers in highly influential journals, which are now being widely cited. Consequently, these contributions have played a vital role in enhancing the university’s ranking.

Expressing his deep satisfaction with IIT Bombay’s outstanding 69th rank on employer reputation, Prof. Chaudhuri added, “Our employment and employer reputation score is above 82 points which are higher than international universities like Johns Hopkins, CMU, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Purdue University. This indicates that IIT Bombay is excelling in its mission of creating highly skilled manpower, who are now leading professionals in global companies.”

IIT Bombay is delighted with the latest QS World University Rankings. Its steady rise into the top 150 universities in the world is a testament to the Institute’s resolve and commitment to academic excellence and research productivity. In the coming years, IIT Bombay is determined to take the lead and address the challenges of the ever-evolving educational landscape in the country. The Institute will continue to scale new heights, empower the next generation of leaders, and nurture innovative minds that will contribute to the advancement of knowledge and societal progress.