India’s higher education system is one of the largest in the world, along with China and the United States, and is especially known for its engineering schools. The country’s parliament declared institutes of technology as “institutes of national importance” in 1961, which helped the then newly established universities to grow and develop their reputations.
National competition for a place at one of India’s best universities is fierce, and an increasing number of international students go to study there, too. An advantage for international students is that all courses are taught in English.
The country’s rich traditions, luscious landscape and delectable food are further reasons why you may want to experience India as a student. India is one of the most diverse countries in the world, so you may want to choose your university based on the state and its local culture. Many Indian universities are in beautiful natural parks. Whether located in rural or urban settings, a number of the best institutions host festivals and events that make campus life more exciting.
Read about some of India’s best universities based on the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021 below.
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Top 3 universities in India
1. Indian Institute of Science
Founded in Bangalore in the south-western state of Karnataka in 1909, the Indian Institute of Science is one of the highest regarded Indian institutions.
The university offers only one undergraduate programme: a four-year BA in science. The programme’s core modules are physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology and humanities. In their final year, students do an individual research project. In order to apply to this course students have to provide their scores from one of the national examinations of India.
The university is heavily focused on research, with about 70 per cent of its student body undertaking PhD and MA research projects. The institute claims more than 75 winners of the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize for Science and Technology.
2. Indian Institute of Technology Ropar
The Indian Institute of Technology Ropar was established in 2008 and is located in Rupnagar, a city in the state of Punjab.
The university is one of the Indian Institutes of Technology, which provide education in mainly STEM subjects.
The university’s permanent campus covers 203 hectares. There are 10 departments, including chemical engineering, chemistry, electrical engineering, mathematics and physics. The Center for Biomedical Engineering encourages an interdisciplinary approach that encompasses engineering, medical sciences and natural sciences.
3. Indian Institute of Technology Indore
The Indian Institute of Technology Indore is located in Madhya Pradesh. It is one of the Institutes of Technology established by the government of India.
The university has three schools: basic sciences, engineering, and humanities and social sciences.
Undergraduates are encouraged to take part in research projects at the institution through a scheme called the Promotion of Research and Innovation for Undergraduate Students.
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Top universities in India 2021
Click each institution to view its full World University Rankings 2021 results
| World University Rank 2021 | India Rank 2021 | University | City | State |
| 301–350 | 1 | Indian Institute of Science | Bangalore | Karnataka |
| 351–400 | 2 | Indian Institute of Technology Ropar | Rupnagar | Punjab |
| 401–500 | 3 | Indian Institute of Technology Indore | Indore | Madhya Pradesh |
| 601–800 | =4 | Banaras Hindu University | Varanasi | Uttar Pradesh |
| 601–800 | =4 | Institute of Chemical Technology | Mumbai | Maharashtra |
| 601–800 | =4 | University of Delhi | Delhi | Delhi |
| 601–800 | =4 | Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune | Pune | Maharashtra |
| 601–800 | =4 | Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata | Kolkata | West Bengal |
| 601–800 | =4 | Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar | Gandhinagar | Gujarat |
| 601–800 | =4 | Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad | Hyderabad | Telangana |
| 601–800 | =4 | Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi | New Delhi | Delhi |
| 601–800 | =4 | Jamia Millia Islamia | Jamia Nagar | Delhi |
| 601–800 | =4 | Jawaharlal Nehru University | New Delhi | Delhi |
| 601–800 | =4 | King George‘s Medical University | Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh |
| 601–800 | =4 | Mahatma Gandhi University | Kottayam | Kerala |
| 601–800 | =4 | Panjab University | Chandigarh | Punjab |
| 601–800 | =4 | Savitribai Phule Pune University | Pune | Maharashtra |
| 601–800 | =4 | Thapar University | Patiala | Punjab |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Aligarh Muslim University | Aligarh | Uttar Pradesh |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Bharathiar University | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Delhi Technological University | New Delhi | Delhi |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology | Hisar | Haryana |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar | Bhubaneswar | Odisha |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad | Dhanbad | Jharkand |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal | Bhopal | Madhya Pradesh |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Jadavpur University | Kolkata | West Bengal |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Jamia Hamdard University | New Delhi | Delhi |
| 801–1000 | =19 | National Institute of Technology Rourkela | Rourkela | Odisha |
| 801–1000 | =19 | National Institute of Technology Silchar | Silchar | Assam |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Osmania University | Hyderabad | Telangana |
| 801–1000 | =19 | Sri Venkateswara University | Andhra | Andhra Pradesh |
| 801–1000 | =19 | VIT University | Vellore | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Acharya Nagarjuna University | Guntur | Andhra Pradesh |
| 1001+ | =34 | Amity University | Noida | National Capital Region |
| 1001+ | =34 | Andhra University | Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh |
| 1001+ | =34 | Anna University | Chennai | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Annamalai University | Cuddalore | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Banasthali University | Vanasthali | Rajastan |
| 1001+ | =34 | Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani | Pilani | Rajastan |
| 1001+ | =34 | University of Calcutta | Kolkata | West Bengal |
| 1001+ | =34 | Cochin University of Science and Technology | Cochin | Kerala |
| 1001+ | =34 | GITAM University | Visakhapatnam | Andhra Pradesh |
| 1001+ | =34 | Indian Institute of Technology Patna | Bihta | Bihar |
| 1001+ | =34 | Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Anantapur (JNTUA) | Ananthapuramu | Andhra Pradesh |
| 1001+ | =34 | KIIT University | Bhubaneswar | Odisha |
| 1001+ | =34 | KL University | Guntur | Andhra Pradesh |
| 1001+ | =34 | University of Lucknow | Lucknow | Uttar Pradesh |
| 1001+ | =34 | Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda | Vadodara | Gujarat |
| 1001+ | =34 | Manipal Academy of Higher Education | Manipal | Karnataka |
| 1001+ | =34 | University of Mumbai | Mumbai | Maharashtra |
| 1001+ | =34 | University of Mysore | Mysuru | Karnataka |
| 1001+ | =34 | National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli | Tiruchirappalli | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Pondicherry University | Puducherry | Puducherry |
| 1001+ | =34 | PSG College of Technology | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | SASTRA University | Thanjavur | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology | Chennai | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Saveetha University | Chennai | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan | Bhubaneswar | Odisha |
| 1001+ | =34 | SRM Institute of Science and Technology | Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Tamil Nadu Agricultural University | Coimbatore | Tamil Nadu |
| 1001+ | =34 | Tezpur University | Sonitpur | Assam |
| 1001+ | =34 | Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur | Nagpur | Maharashtra |
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