The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2025 for sustainability have been released, showcasing global leaders in environmental and social impact. Among Indian institutions, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi has secured the top spot, ranking 171st globally with an impressive 81.1 percentile in the Environmental Sustainability metric.
Top Indian Universities in QS Sustainability Rankings
IIT Kharagpur follows in second place among Indian institutions, securing the 202nd rank globally, while IIT Bombay claims the third spot with a global rank of 234. Here’s a detailed look at the rankings of Indian universities:
Rank 171: Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IITD)
Rank 202: Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP)
Rank 234: Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB)
Rank 245: Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK)
Rank 277: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IITM)
Rank 299: University of Delhi
Rank 376: Indian Institute of Science (IISc)
Rank 396: Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore
A total of 78 Indian universities featured in this year’s rankings, with nine of the top 10 institutions showing an improvement and 21 universities entering the list for the first time.
Global Leaders in Sustainability
The University of Toronto has claimed the top global position, excelling in Environmental Sustainability (91), Environmental Education (99.7), and Environmental Research (98.5). It is followed by ETH Zurich in second place. Lund University (Sweden) and the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) share the third spot globally.
Other notable global performers include:
Rank 5: UCL London, University of British Columbia
Rank 7: Imperial College London, The University of Edinburgh
Rank 9: University of Manchester, University of Melbourne
Methodology and Observations
The QS Sustainability Rankings evaluate universities based on their impact in three categories: Environmental Impact, Social Impact, and Governance. The assessment incorporates indicators such as health and wellbeing, equality, employability, and operational sustainability.
Ben Sowter, Vice President at QS, lauded the performance of Indian universities, highlighting that 34 institutions improved their rankings this year, demonstrating their growing commitment to sustainability initiatives. However, he also noted that Indian universities could enhance their scores in areas like health, equality, and education impact.
Jessica Turner, CEO of QS, emphasized the importance of sustainability to prospective students. "Nine out of ten students identify sustainability as important, and 40% actively research a university's sustainability strategies during the application process," she said, underscoring the growing demand for environmentally conscious education.
Rising Global Participation
The 2025 QS Sustainability Rankings evaluated 1,740 universities across 107 countries, a significant increase from the previous year. This reflects a growing global effort by higher education institutions to address critical environmental and social challenges.
As institutions worldwide continue to prioritize sustainability, Indian universities are making significant strides, with IIT Delhi leading the way in the country’s push toward a greener, more sustainable future.