India’s agricultural higher education sector has achieved a major global breakthrough, with premier institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) making their debut in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026.
The milestone marks a significant step toward strengthening the country’s knowledge ecosystem in line with the vision of a developed India.
The rankings, released on March 25 by QS Quacquarelli Symonds, evaluated more than 21,000 academic programmes across over 1,900 universities worldwide. Institutions were assessed on key indicators including academic reputation, employer perception, research impact, and international collaboration.
For the first time, two ICAR institutions have secured positions on this prestigious global platform. The ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, has been ranked in the 51–100 band in Veterinary Science, emerging as the only Indian institution among the global top 100 in this discipline.
Meanwhile, the ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, has entered the 151–200 band in Agriculture & Forestry, signaling its growing global academic footprint.
The broader Agriculture & Forestry category also reflects India’s rising presence, with 10 Indian universities featuring among 475 ranked institutions globally. Alongside IARI, Banaras Hindu University, University of Delhi, and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur have secured positions in the 151–200 band, while Tamil Nadu Agricultural University is placed in the 201–250 bracket. Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University has also made its debut in the 301–350 band.
The achievement aligns with the national focus on building skilled human capital, a priority highlighted by Narendra Modi during the Chief Secretaries’ conference in December 2025. In response, ICAR, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has intensified efforts to strengthen a multidisciplinary and research-driven ecosystem within the National Agricultural Research Education and Extension System.
According to M.L. Jat, the global recognition of ICAR’s deemed universities reflects their sustained contributions to both basic and applied research in agri-food systems and animal health. He emphasized that their performance stands out in a highly competitive global environment where institutions are judged not only on academic output but also on societal impact.
The success of IARI and IVRI highlights their integrated approach, combining fundamental research, translational science, and field-level outreach, while supporting national programmes in crop improvement, livestock development, and climate-resilient agriculture. Strong alumni networks and stakeholder trust have further enhanced their global visibility.
As India advances toward its Viksit Bharat vision, this recognition signals a transformative phase where the country’s agricultural education system is not only aligning with global standards but increasingly shaping them through innovation, research excellence, and capacity building.
