University of Delhi

How is University of Delhi ranked in 2026?

University of Delhi (DU) is ranked #328 globally in the QS World University Rankings 2026, with an overall score of 42.60, up sharply from a score of 33.8 in 2025 - an improvement of roughly 26%. This is DU's headline 2026 result and it confirms the university's status as one of India's leading central universities. The improvement was driven by DU's Employment Outcomes indicator, which climbed from rank 44 globally in 2025 to rank 30 in 2026, the best score by any Indian institution on this metric. DU's International Research Network indicator also rose from 406 to 294, a jump of 112 places, while the university advanced 58 places in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026 to reach 241st in the world.

On the domestic stage, University of Delhi holds NIRF University rank #4 (score 72.80) in 2025 and India Today University rank #2 (score 88.00) in 2025, so it sits in the top handful of Indian universities across every major framework. The sections below set out DU's figures year by year so an aspirant can read the trajectory rather than a single snapshot.

Year-Wise Rankings

The table below brings together University of Delhi's verified ranks across the three frameworks that matter most to an Indian applicant: QS (global and India), NIRF (the government's official framework) and India Today. For each entry it shows the year the ranking was published, the ranking body, the category assessed, the rank DU achieved and the published score on that body's scale. Read it column by column: a lower rank number is better, while a higher score is better. Use it to see both where DU stands today and how stable that standing has been.

The clear takeaway is consistency at the top. University of Delhi held NIRF University rank #4 in both 2024 and 2025, held India Today University rank #2 in both years, and held QS India Overall rank #6 in both years - a sign of a stable, mature institution rather than a one-off spike. The visible movement is on the global stage, where the QS World score lifted to 42.60 in 2026. For an applicant, the message is that DU is a reliably top-tier choice nationally that is now also gaining ground internationally.

Ranking Trajectory of University of Delhi

University of Delhi's trajectory is best described as steady at home and rising abroad. Domestically, DU's scores have nudged upward rather than swung: its NIRF University score improved from 72.10 in 2024 to 72.80 in 2025 while the rank held firm at #4, and its India Today University score rose from 87.30 in 2024 to 88.00 in 2025 while the rank held at #2. In the QS India Rankings the university stayed at #6 across 2024 and 2025, with its score climbing from 79.50 to 80.20. None of these are dramatic leaps, but the direction is consistently positive.

The standout movement is global. In the QS World University Rankings, DU's overall score jumped from 33.8 in 2025 to 42.60 in 2026, an improvement of about 26% that placed it at #328 worldwide. Underneath that headline, the gains are concrete: the Employment Outcomes indicator improved from 44th to 30th globally - the highest of any Indian institution - and the International Research Network indicator rose 112 places from 406 to 294. The university also moved up 58 places to 241st in the QS Sustainability Rankings 2026. For an aspirant, this signals that a DU degree is being recognised more strongly by global employers and research partners year on year.

How University of Delhi Compares

Among Indian universities assessed by India Today in 2025, University of Delhi sits at rank #2 with a score of 88.00, placing it second among universities nationally and behind only the body's top-ranked institution. In the NIRF University category 2025, DU holds rank #4 with a score of 72.80, which keeps it inside the country's top five universities alongside peers such as the Indian Institute of Science and Jawaharlal Nehru University. In the QS India Rankings 2025, DU is ranked #6 with a score of 80.20.

Where DU genuinely stands apart from its peers is employability on the world stage. In the QS World University Rankings 2026, DU's Employment Outcomes rank of 30 globally is the best of any Indian institution, meaning that on the specific measure of graduate employer recognition, University of Delhi leads the national field. Combined with a steady NIRF #4 and India Today #2, this positions DU as a top-tier all-rounder: nationally elite across frameworks and a national leader on graduate outcomes internationally. Aspirants weighing DU against other central universities should note this employability edge.