QS Rankings Fuel Debate: Is India the Next Global Education Hub?
India has earned significant recognition in the QS Best Student Cities 2026 list, with Mumbai surging 15 spots to #98 globally and Delhi climbing 7 slots to land at #104 Mumbai and Bengaluru also made strong showings in affordability, falling within the global top 15, while Delhi was named the world’s most affordable student city—an accolade that raises India’s profile as a cost‑effective destination for international learners.
While these gains spotlight India’s rising profile, experts are urging caution. Despite encouraging city rankings, broader national indicators—such as overall university rankings, quality of research, and campus internationalisation—still lag behind leading education hubs like the US, UK, and Australia. India’s ascent in select domains reflects impressive progress, but does not yet signify a wholesale transformation into a global education powerhouse.
The real question centres on sustainability: can India translate urban prestige into long‑term excellence across its universities? Strengthening faculty‑student ratios, attracting more international students, expanding high‑impact research, and building global partnerships (like foreign campuses under new UGC policies) will be crucial. Only time will tell if these encouraging benchmarks herald India’s emergence as a bona fide global education hub.
