India has once again made its presence felt on the world stage of business education. In the QS Global MBA and Business Master’s Rankings 2026, a total of 14 Indian institutions have been featured, with three of the country’s premier IIMs making it to the global top 100 list.
Leading the pack from India is IIM Bangalore, which climbed one place this year to secure the 52nd position worldwide, cementing its status as the nation’s top-ranked business school. Close behind, IIM Ahmedabad jumped two spots to reach 58th, while IIM Calcutta also showed steady improvement, moving up to 64th place. These upward trends underline the consistent global recognition of Indian management education.
According to QS, the positive momentum of these institutions is driven by strong performance in employability, return on investment (ROI), and thought leadership—areas where Indian graduates are increasingly competitive on the international stage.
The rankings, compiled by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), one of the world’s leading higher education analytics firms, evaluated over 390 full-time MBA programmes across 80 countries. Each institution was assessed on parameters including employability, ROI, alumni outcomes, thought leadership, and diversity. Among these, employability and ROI carried the highest weight. QS noted that while Indian schools scored well in employability and alumni outcomes, diversity remains a challenge compared to their global peers.
Globally, the United States continues to dominate the top of the table. For the first time since 2020, the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania has been ranked the world’s best MBA programme. It was followed by Harvard Business School in second place and the MIT Sloan School of Management in third. Interestingly, last year’s global leader, Stanford Graduate School of Business, slipped to the fourth position due to weaker scores in employability and diversity.
Beyond the top three, the global table continues to showcase the dominance of US and European institutions. HEC Paris and the London Business School complete the top six. A notable climber this year is Oxford’s Said Business School, which jumped from 19th to 12th place, reflecting its growing international influence. In contrast, IESE Business School in Spain slipped from 10th to 15th.
The reshuffling marks a significant shift in the global MBA landscape. Last year, Stanford led the rankings, followed by Wharton, Harvard, London Business School, and HEC Paris. Wharton’s return to the top after six years has been described as a milestone moment in the competition between elite business schools.
For India beyond the big three, the performance was mixed. IIM Indore improved its standing, moving up into the 151–200 band. However, IIM Kozhikode and IIM Udaipur slipped compared to last year, showing that consistency remains a challenge for some emerging B-schools.
Overall, the 2026 QS MBA rankings reaffirm India’s growing influence in global management education. With IIM Bangalore, Ahmedabad, and Calcutta making steady gains, Indian institutions are showing they can compete with the best, even as they continue to work on improving global diversity and representation in their programmes.
Experts believe that the steady rise of Indian business schools in global rankings reflects not only the quality of education but also the increasing international exposure, research output, and strategic industry partnerships these institutions have developed over the years. With more Indian MBA graduates securing leadership roles in multinational corporations and startups alike, the country’s management education ecosystem is gradually gaining credibility and visibility on the world stage. Analysts also note that continued focus on innovation, global collaborations, and fostering diverse learning environments will be key for Indian institutions to climb even higher in the coming years.
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