Top 10 Central Universities in India: The official ranking mainly includes Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), which are Institutions of National Importance, not just Central Universities, making it difficult to determine a definitive "Top 10 Central Universities" list from the QS Asia University Rankings 2026. The University of Delhi (DU), the only traditional Central University to appear in India's top seven universities, is the highest-ranked Central University, placing 95th in Asia, according to an analysis of the rankings.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is ranked 130th, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) is ranked 197th, and Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is ranked 224th, among other important Central Universities that are making an impact below the elite group of IITs and IISc. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and the University of Hyderabad (UoH) at 246th are also mentioned. With 294 Indian universities listed overall, these establishments demonstrate India's significant participation; nonetheless, the majority, including several of the top ones, saw a decline in their particular ranks from the prior year.
List of top 10 Central Universities in India According to QS Asia University Rankings 2026
Traditional Central Universities and Institutions of National Importance (such as the IITs and IISc) make up the majority of the QS Asia University Rankings. The list below concentrates on the top-ranked establishments that are formally categorized as Central Universities because the IITs and IISc dominate the top positions.
| Asia Rank (2026) | Indian Rank | University Name | Status |
| 95 | 7 | University of Delhi (DU), Delhi | Central University |
| 130 | 11 | Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi | Central University |
| 197 | 19 | Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), Delhi | Central University |
| 224 | 24 | Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi | Central University |
| 246 | 27 | University of Hyderabad (UoH), Hyderabad | Central University |
| 470 | 35 | Osmania University (OU), Hyderabad | Central University |
| 761-770 | 49 | Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), New Delhi | Central University |
| 771-780 | 50 | University of Calcutta (CU), Kolkata | Central University |
| 801-850 | 52 | University of Hyderabad (UoH), Hyderabad | Central University |
| 901-950 | 57 | Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh | Central University |
Central Universities in India According to QS Asia University Rankings 2026: Key Highlights
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Dominance of IITs/IISc: The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), which are classified as universities of National Importance (INI) rather than conventional Central Universities, make up the top six Indian universities in the QS Asia Rankings 2026 (ranks 59 to 77).
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Highest Ranked Central University: With a ranking of 95th in Asia, the University of Delhi (DU) is India's top conventional Central University.
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BHU and UoH in the Top 250: Both Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and the University of Hyderabad (UoH) are notable, ranking 224th and 246th in Asia, respectively, demonstrating their caliber in comparison to their Indian counterparts.
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Indian Representation Expands: India's higher education footprint has expanded significantly, as seen by the country's 294 universities, which rank second in Asia behind China.
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Top Cohort Domination: Traditional Central Universities are ranked lower on the list as Institutes of National Importance (IITs and IISc) consistently hold the top six Indian rankings.
Please Check:
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