For students interested in studying abroad or even analysing Indian institutes against international ones, the QS Global ranking is quite helpful. It reflects how Indian B-schools such as IIMs are among the best in the world. In comparison to other rankings such as NIRF and IIRF which are primarily concerned with Indian colleges, QS is more globally focused. NIRF ranking is released by the Indian government and is more academically oriented whereas IIRF ranks private colleges as well and emphasises placements and industry connections. Another widely recognised global ranking is the FT Global MBA Ranking which emphasises aspects such as salary increase and international career mobility.

The QS Global MBA rankings feature a few of the best Indian business schools that have received international acclaim for their high-quality education, robust industry linkages and career placements. Institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) - primarily IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore and IIM Calcutta - regularly rank in these listings because of their international stature, great faculty and strong placement records. Other business schools such as ISB Hyderabad and SPJIMR Mumbai have also achieved positions in the QS Global rankings, underlining their increasing international popularity.

These colleges are ranked on international parameters like academic reputation, employer reputation, international diversity and alumni success. Being ranked in the QS Global rankings not only indicates that these Indian management programs are at par with international standards but also enables them to attract international students, faculty and recruiters. 

In short, having Indian B-schools in the QS Global rankings confirms that India hosts some really competitive and internationally admired management schools. Also, QS global rankings are useful to MBA aspirants who desire an international perspective of the best business schools and would like to make an informed decision particularly if they are considering studying overseas or comparing overseas programs with Indian programs.

What is QS Global Ranking?

The QS Global Ranking also known as the QS World University Rankings, is one of the most widely regarded and followed global ranking systems for business schools and universities. It is released every year by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), a UK-based higher education organisation. The QS ranking compares institutions globally on the basis of a set of criteria to enable students, parents and academic professionals to compare and select the top universities and MBA programs.

For an MBA, the QS Global Ranking takes into account important parameters like Employability and Outcomes, Value for Money, Research and Discovery, Equality, Global Engagement and Learning Experience. All of these parameters are given a particular weightage and employer and academic reputation have the highest significance. This makes the ranking highly relevant for MBA aspirants who would like to know how well-known a school is within the employment marketplace and academic circles.

• Employability and Outcomes: It encompasses employer reputation, alumni success, entrepreneurship support and graduate job placements.

• Value for Money: It focuses on return on investment (ROI) and how soon students can earn back their MBA cost through their salaries.

• Research and Discovery: It looks after a school's academic reputation and the influence of its research.

• Equality: It checks gender equality among students and teachers thus encouraging diversity.

• Global Engagement: It examines how global the business school is by looking at the proportion of foreign students and faculty.

• Learning Experience: The ranking measures how many professors have PhDs which indicates the level of academic experience.

Overall, the QS ranking assists students in selecting the appropriate MBA program by emphasising what is most important such as career outcomes, ROI, research, diversity and international exposure.

Weightage Given to Each Parameter

While ranking MBA schools, QS Global Rankings gives varying weightage to important factors that are most important to students. The most important one is Employability and Outcomes which carries the highest weightage of 55% and considers job placements and career success. Value for Money is also significant with 20% weightage indicating whether the MBA is worth the cost. 

Other considerations such as Research and Discovery (12.5%), Equality (5%), Global Engagement (5%) and Learning Experience (2.5%) also come into play when considering the overall quality and experience provided by the management schools: 

When QS ranks MBA colleges, divides each of the major categories into sub-parts and provides them with varying weightage. This provides a more realistic idea of how good a college is. For example under employability indicators such as employer opinion, alumni success and job placements are taken into account. 

Other parameters such as Research, Equality, Global Exposure and Learning Quality are also considered with their indicators. The following table explains the importance given to each of these indicators:

In QS Global MBA Rankings 2025 some of the best Indian institutes are ranked. These institutions are not only recognised for their international reputation but also for good placement records and high return on investment. The table below lists their global rankings, fees and average placement packages to enable students to make the right choice.

The QS rankings are particularly helpful for students planning to study abroad or comparing international business schools including India's best institutions like IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, ISB Hyderabad etc which frequently appear in these rankings. Overall, the QS Global Ranking provides a reliable and complete picture of higher education institutions worldwide enabling students to make informed decisions regarding their studies and careers.

What is the Eligibility for the QS Global Ranking? 

Eligibility for the QS Global Ranking is given below: 

• A school must have either AACSB, AMBA or EQUIS accreditation in order to be included in the Global MBA Rankings. Schools with three or more QS Star ratings are also allowed.

• Have at least 20 students in every class on average.

• Have a minimum of one class that is graduating.

• Instruct full-time (or FTE) programs.

• Deliver all or part of each program on campus.

QS Global Ranking Parameters 

The QS Global MBA Ranking uses an elaborate process to rank business schools around the globe.  The major criteria that it takes into account include Employability and Outcomes, Value for Money, Research and Discovery, Equality, Global Engagement and Learning Experience.  These are given below in detail:

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• Employability and Outcomes: It encompasses employer reputation, alumni success, entrepreneurship support and graduate job placements.

• Value for Money: It focuses on return on investment (ROI) and how soon students can earn back their MBA cost through their salaries.

• Research and Discovery: It looks after a school's academic reputation and the influence of its research.

• Equality: It checks gender equality among students and teachers thus encouraging diversity.

• Global Engagement: It examines how global the business school is by looking at the proportion of foreign students and faculty.

• Learning Experience: The ranking measures how many professors have PhDs which indicates the level of academic experience.

Overall, the QS ranking assists students in selecting the appropriate MBA program by emphasising what is most important such as career outcomes, ROI, research, diversity and international exposure.

Weightage Given to Each Parameter

While ranking MBA schools, QS Global Rankings gives varying weightage to important factors that are most important to students. The most important one is Employability and Outcomes which carries the highest weightage of 55% and considers job placements and career success. Value for Money is also significant with 20% weightage indicating whether the MBA is worth the cost. 

Other considerations such as Research and Discovery (12.5%), Equality (5%), Global Engagement (5%) and Learning Experience (2.5%) also come into play when considering the overall quality and experience provided by the management schools: 

Weightage of Indicators in Each Parameter 

When QS ranks MBA colleges, divides each of the major categories into sub-parts and provides them with varying weightage. This provides a more realistic idea of how good a college is. For example under employability indicators such as employer opinion, alumni success and job placements are taken into account. 

Other parameters such as Research, Equality, Global Exposure and Learning Quality are also considered with their indicators. The following table explains the importance given to each of these indicators:

Top Indian MBA Colleges in the QS Global Ranking 2025 

In QS Global MBA Rankings 2025 some of the best Indian institutes are ranked. These institutions are not only recognised for their international reputation but also for good placement records and high return on investment. The table below lists their global rankings, fees and average placement packages to enable students to make the right choice.

Note: 

Given below is a quick review of how the best Indian business schools have performed in QS Global MBA Rankings for the last three years — 2025, 2024, and 2023. This gives an idea of how institutions like IIMs, ISB, XLRI and others have shifted in rankings globally to enable students to see consistency and progress in international reputation.

Given below is a quick review of how Indian B-schools performed in the QS Global MBA Rankings (2023–2025). A few colleges gained or remained steady while others slipped. The table shows the biggest gainers and losers making it easier for students to monitor global ranking trends.

Jumps by Indian Business Schools in the QS Global Ranking (2025 vs 2024 vs 2023) 

Few Indian business schools demonstrated encouraging trends across the QS Global MBA Rankings in the last three years. XLRI Jamshedpur upgraded itself from the 251+ band in 2023 to the 201–250 band for 2024 and retained that position in 2025. IIM Kozhikode entered the rankings for the first time in 2025 and is directly being placed in the 151–200 band. IMI Kolkata has remained in the 251+ band consistently in all three years.

Some Indian business schools experienced a decline in their QS Global MBA Rankings within the past three years. IMI Delhi recorded a significant downfall from position 40 in 2024 to the 251+ range in 2025. Highly ranked IIMs such as Bangalore, Ahmedabad and Calcutta also experienced minimal ongoing setbacks. 

ISB Hyderabad which was ranked at 78 for two consecutive years fell to 86 in 2025. IIM Indore, Lucknow and Udaipur fell from the 151–200 bracket to the 201–250 bracket. MDI Gurgaon also fell from the 201–250 bracket to 251+ in 2025.

Following is an easy explanation of how QS, NIRF and IIRF MBA rankings vary from one another:

• QS Global Ranking: QS Global Rankings emphasise worldwide employability and global standing. These take into account factors such as employer reputation, research by academics and international outlook. IIM Bangalore QS Global MBA rankings 2025 is number 1.

• NIRF Ranking: NIRF Rankings are published by the Government of India. These emphasise teaching, placements, graduation rates, diversity and more. In the NIRF ranking, IIM Ahmedabad stands as the top MBA institution in India.

• IIRF Ranking: The IIRF Rankings give a lot of importance to industry-academia relationships, return on investment (ROI) and quality of faculty. According to IIRF, IIM Ahmedabad is number one.

All these rankings have different parameters so students should consider all three before deciding upon a business school.