Manipal Academy of Higher Education

How is Manipal Academy of Higher Education ranked in 2026?

In 2026, Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE) is ranked #206 in the QS Asia University Rankings, #851 in the QS World University Rankings (851-900 band), and #601 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings (601-800 band). On the national stage, MAHE's most recent National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) results placed it at #14 overall (score 66.86), #3 among universities (score 69.25), and #19 in research in the 2025 cycle. It was also named the #1 Deemed University in India by Outlook in 2025. A NAAC A++ accredited deemed-to-be university and an Institute of Eminence (conferred in 2020), MAHE is among the highest-ranked private institutions in the country.

The headline numbers tell a consistent story: a top-3 NIRF university position, the #1 Outlook Deemed University rank, and steady upward movement in the QS and THE global tables. For an aspirant, MAHE in 2026 sits firmly in the elite tier of Indian deemed universities, with global recognition that most private peers have not matched.

Year-Wise Rankings

The table below consolidates every verified ranking for Manipal Academy of Higher Education across 2024, 2025 and 2026, drawn from NIRF, QS, THE and Outlook. It answers a single question an applicant cares about: how does MAHE actually rank, body by body and year by year? Read it by scanning down a ranking body to see how MAHE's position has shifted, and note the score where a ranking body publishes one (NIRF does). Lower rank numbers are better.

The clearest takeaways: MAHE held its #14 NIRF Overall rank steady from 2024 to 2025 while climbing from #4 to #3 in the NIRF University category, a meaningful gain at the very top of the table. Globally, both QS (from the 901-950 band in 2025 to 851-900 in 2026) and THE (from the 801-1000 band in 2025 to 601-800 in 2026) moved in MAHE's favour. The Outlook #1 Deemed University rank in 2025 confirms its standing as the benchmark private deemed institution in India.

Ranking Trajectory of Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Manipal Academy of Higher Education's ranking trajectory points upward across both national and global frameworks between 2024 and 2026. In the NIRF University category, MAHE improved from #4 in 2024 to #3 in 2025, breaking into the national top three for the first time, while holding firm at #14 Overall across both years. Its research standing also strengthened, climbing to #19 in NIRF Research 2025 from #23 in 2024.

The global picture is even more telling. In the QS World University Rankings, MAHE advanced from the 901-950 band (#901) in 2025 to the 851-900 band (#851) in 2026. In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, it surged from the 801-1000 band (#801) in 2025 to the 601-800 band (#601) in 2026, one of its sharpest single-year jumps. Alongside its #206 finish in QS Asia 2026 and its #1 Outlook Deemed University rank in 2025, the pattern signals an institution gaining ground on research output, international outlook and academic reputation simultaneously rather than in isolation. For an applicant, this consistent improvement matters: it suggests degree value that is appreciating, not plateauing.

How Manipal Academy of Higher Education Compares

This section positions Manipal Academy of Higher Education against the metrics that define its peer set, using only verifiable ranks. The table compares MAHE's own published positions across the major frameworks so an applicant can see where the institution is strongest. Read across each row to weigh national prestige (NIRF, Outlook) against global recognition (QS, THE). MAHE's distinguishing edge is its combination of a top-3 NIRF University rank with simultaneous presence in the QS and THE world tables, a pairing few Indian deemed universities achieve.

The comparison highlights MAHE's strongest claim: a #1 rank among India's deemed universities (Outlook 2025) paired with a #3 NIRF University position in 2025 puts it ahead of the vast majority of private institutions nationally. Its #14 NIRF Overall rank places it within touching distance of several long-established public universities and IITs in the broader pecking order. The remaining headroom is in research, where the #19 NIRF Research 2025 rank trails its #3 university position, the metric to watch in coming cycles.