As Asia surges in global university rankings, India remains largely absent

The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings by Subject 2026 show institutions from mainland China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea occupying the global top 100 in almost every discipline, while India appears just once.

Across 11 subject areas, Asian universities dominate the global top 100. China features consistently across disciplines. Singapore far exceeds expectations relative to its size. Hong Kong performs like a research heavyweight, while Japan and South Korea demonstrate both depth and stability.

India's presence, by contrast, is limited to a single entry. The Indian Institute of Science in Bengaluru ranks 96th in computer science.

Mainland China accounts for more than 120 top-100 appearances across disciplines. Hong Kong has over 70, Singapore around 30, Japan about 40, South Korea roughly 35, and Taiwan around 10.

In computer science, mainland China, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea dominate the top 50. In engineering, more than 30 Asian universities rank in the global top 100, the majority of them Chinese. In business and economics, two Chinese universities place in the global top 10, while education studies sees two mainland Chinese institutions and one from Hong Kong in the top 10.

Three Chinese universities and one from Singapore rank in the top 20 for law, with similar patterns seen in social sciences.

THE’s World University Rankings by Subject 2026 use the same broad methodology as the overall World University Rankings 2026, assessing institutions across 18 performance indicators covering teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. However, subject-level rankings apply adjusted weightings and thresholds for publications and staff to more accurately reflect disciplinary performance.

According to a report by India Today, Indian universities struggle to maintain global visibility in part because the country exports much of its academic talent rather than anchoring it domestically. Asian peers have taken a different approach.

China encourages overseas study while building institutions that attract scholars back. Singapore actively recruits and retains global talent. South Korea invests heavily in domestic research capacity and academic prestige.

India, by contrast, continues to treat excellence as an individual pursuit rather than a coordinated national effort, the report said.

The lesson from Asia is not about replicating Western models.

It is about prioritizing depth over sheer scale, rewarding research output rather than seniority, treating universities as critical national infrastructure, and granting institutions autonomy instead of micromanaging them, it said.