ICAR Institutions Enter Global Rankings, Mark Milestone for India’s Agricultural Education

India’s agricultural higher education sector has achieved a significant milestone, with leading institutions under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) making their debut in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026. The development marks a major step forward in strengthening India’s global academic presence in agriculture and allied sciences.

The rankings, released by UK-based analysts QS Quacquarelli Symonds, evaluated over 21,000 academic programmes across more than 1,900 universities worldwide, based on parameters such as academic reputation, employer perception, research output and international collaboration.

For the first time, two ICAR institutions have secured positions in this global ranking. The ICAR–Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, has been placed in the 51–100 band in Veterinary Science, becoming the only Indian institution among the top 100 globally in this category. Meanwhile, the ICAR–Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi, has been ranked in the 151–200 band in Agriculture & Forestry, placing it among leading institutions worldwide.

The Agriculture & Forestry category saw a total of 10 Indian universities featured among 475 globally, reflecting the growing strength of India’s academic ecosystem in this domain. Along with IARI, institutions such as Banaras Hindu University, the University of Delhi and IIT Kharagpur were also placed in the 151–200 band, while Tamil Nadu Agricultural University featured in the 201–250 range. Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University also made its debut in the 301–350 band.

According to ICAR leadership, the achievement reflects sustained efforts to build a research-driven, multidisciplinary and globally competitive agricultural education system under the National Agricultural Research, Education and Extension System (NAREES). The strong performance of ICAR institutions has been attributed to their integrated approach, combining fundamental research, applied science and field-level outreach, along with contributions to national programmes in crop improvement, livestock development and climate-resilient agriculture.

The development aligns with the government’s broader focus on building skilled human capital and advancing India’s vision of a knowledge-driven economy. The recognition of ICAR institutions at the global level is seen as a step toward positioning India not only as a participant but as a leader in agricultural innovation and education.

With this achievement, India’s agricultural universities have begun to gain greater international visibility, signalling a shift toward higher standards of academic excellence, research impact and global collaboration in the sector.

Source: PIB