The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has emerged as the leading Indian university for sustainability, climbing an impressive 255 spots to secure the 171st position globally, according to the QS Sustainability Rankings 2025 announced on Tuesday.
A total of 78 Indian universities are featured in the rankings, with nine of the country’s top 10 institutions improving their standings and 21 new entrants joining the list. Notably, IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur are among the world’s top 100 for environmental impact. Meanwhile, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru has earned a spot in the world’s top 50 for environmental education.
Ben Sowter, Vice President of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), highlighted the achievements of Indian universities, stating, “Of the 78 Indian universities in the 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings, 34 have improved their positions from last year, and eight have maintained their rankings. This is a remarkable accomplishment for India’s higher education ecosystem, underscoring the progress in sustainability initiatives.”
However, Sowter pointed out areas for improvement in the Social Impact category, particularly in metrics like Health and Wellbeing, Impact of Education, and Equality, where no Indian institutions rank in the global top 350. Indian universities performed comparatively better in Knowledge Exchange and Employability Outcomes.
About QS Sustainability Rankings 2025
The 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings feature over 1,740 universities from 107 countries and territories, a significant increase from last year’s 1,397 institutions across 95 locations. The University of Toronto leads the global rankings, followed by ETH Zurich in second place, and Lund University (Sweden) and the University of California, Berkeley, tied for third.
Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, emphasised the importance of sustainability for prospective students, citing the QS International Students Survey: “Sustainability is a priority for 90% of students, with 40% actively researching universities’ sustainability strategies before applying.” Turner noted the increasing urgency for institutions to prioritize sustainability in their agendas.
The rankings also reflect significant progress, with 461 universities improving their positions, 350 new institutions joining, and five universities breaking into the global top 20 for the first time. “Despite these advancements, there remains much work to be done to address sustainability challenges comprehensively,” Turner added.
The QS methodology for the 2025 Sustainability Rankings evaluates universities across three key categories: Environmental Impact, Social Impact, and Governance, providing a comprehensive assessment of their contributions to global sustainability efforts.
