QS MBA Rankings 2026 - IIMs Rise, Woxsen a Surprise & 3 Indian B-Schools Shine in Online MBA
Table of Content
-
- + more items Show less
Indian B-schools are taking centre stage in the QS Global MBA, Business Master's and Online MBA Rankings 2026. Three of India’s top management institutes have made it to the global top 100 this year. IIM Bangalore is leading the charge at 52nd place worldwide climbing one spot from last year. Close behind are IIM Ahmedabad (58th) and IIM Calcutta (64th) both also improving their ranks.
This success comes from stellar performance in Employability, Return on Investment (ROI) and Thought Leadership proving that Indian MBAs are not just affordable but also globally respected.
India’s Growing MBA Dominance in QS Ranking 2026
This year 14 Indian institutions feature in the QS Global MBA Rankings signaling India’s rise as a global hub for management education. The combination of affordable fees, high ROI and global recognition makes Indian MBAs more attractive than ever.
Top Indian Performers in the QS Global MBA Rankings 2026
IIM Bangalore - Back as the top Indian B-school with Global Spotlight
While IIM Bangalore hasn’t yet returned to its all-time best rank 44th in 2020 this year marks an impressive comeback-
52nd globally up from 53rd last year
29th worldwide for Employability – its highest-ever score in this key category
Joint 53rd in Thought Leadership
60th for Return on Investment
Among 70 Asian entries IIM-B ranks second-best for Employability and eighth for ROI showing consistent improvement despite South Asia’s average rank sliding from 73 (2021) to 195 (2026).
IIM Ahmedabad - Another Consistent Performer
IIM Ahmedabad secured a placement in the top 100 across four key metrics this year moving up two points to 58th globally-
Employability – 40th
Return on Investment – 64th
Alumni Outcomes – 75th
Thought Leadership – 83rd
Third-Best MBA in India is from IIM Calcutta.
IIM Calcutta is still impressive ranking 64th in the world and excelling in three crucial areas:
Employability – 35th
Thought Leadership – 77th
Return on Investment – 100th
It scores above India’s average in almost every category except Diversity where it struggles with a ranking of 301+.
IIM Indore - Big Mover This Year
IIM Indore climbed into the 151–200 band for the first time since 2022 thanks to better Employability and ROI scores. This is the school’s best performance ever in these two indicators a promising sign for future aspirants.
Woxsen School of Business - Diversity Champion
Making a grand debut Hyderabad’s Woxsen School of Business entered the QS rankings 26 for the first time and stunned everyone by ranking joint 26th globally for Diversity the highest in Asia.
However, Diversity continues to be a challenging area for Indian B-schools. Apart from Woxsen no other Indian school is in the top 200 for Diversity and 10 schools rank outside the top 300 in this metric.
Top Gainers in the QS Global Ranking 2026
Top Losers in the QS Global Ranking 2026
Key Findings-
ISB Hyderabad is the biggest shocker dropping completely out of the top 100. It was ranked 86 last year.
XLRI and IIM Udaipur saw a band drop from 201–250 to 251–300.
IMI Delhi, MDI Gurgaon, IMT Ghaziabad, Somaiya Vidyavihar University all slipped into the 301+ category meaning their global standing has fallen significantly.
Top Indian Performers in QS Business Master's Rankings 2026
None of India’s seven entries in Master’s in Finance made it to the top 200 this year a wake-up call for B-schools offering finance programs. But the Master’s in Management (MiM) category brought good news:
IIM Bangalore climbed two spots to rank 30th globally.
IIM Ahmedabad made a big leap of eight places breaking into the top 50 at 48th.
IIM Kozhikode moved up into the 141–150 range its best performance yet.
Indian B-Schools in the QS Online MBA Ranking 2026
The QS Online MBA Rankings brought more good news. For the first time three Indian institutions made it to the list-
IIM Kozhikode entered at 53rd
Manav Rachna International Institute (MRIIRS) landed in the 76–100 band
Goa Institute of Management debuted at 101+
All three schools received perfect scores for Class Experience while MRIIRS got a rare 100/100 for Completion Rate putting it among just eight schools worldwide to do so.
QS World University Ranking President Nunzio Quacquarelli praised India’s progress saying its business schools are making “significant strides” and outperforming many global peers in certain areas. Still he warned that Indian schools must focus more on ROI, employability and student outcomes to compete with top international players.
FAQs
Woxsen School of Business debuted in QS world MBA ranking 26 with the highest diversity ranking in Asia and a tied 26th position internationally.
IIM Indore improved its position in QS global MBA 26, and is now in the 151–200 range globally thanks to better scores in employability and ROI.
Unfortunately, none of the seven Indian entries found their way into the international top 200 for Master's in Finance this year.
QS rankings help students compare global B-schools based on quality, placements, ROI and global exposure making it easier to choose the right program.
While India’s presence is growing, it needs to improve ROI, employability scores and student outcomes to compete with global peers as per QS MBA rankings.
