Oxford University once again takes the top position in the list of top universities, according to the latest rankings released by the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2025. This achievement marks the ninth consecutive year that Oxford has maintained its status as the leading institution. The Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore retains its position as India's leading university in the recently published top universities ranking list. However, it has fallen out of the global top 250, marking a significant decline in its ranking. This year, IISc Bangalore is placed in the 251-300 category, but it still recorded an overall score between 53.7 and 55.7.
In the previous year's rankings, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was placed in the 201-250 range with an overall score between 55.9 and 58.6. However, in 2025, it has dropped to the 251-300 range, with a score now between 53.7 and 55.7. Despite this fall, IISc remains India's highest-ranked university.
The 2025 rankings comprise 2,092 universities, including 185 new institutions compared to the previous year. These rankings are based on a thorough assessment of university performance across five fundamental criteria: teaching, research environment, research quality, industry engagement, and industry income.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has ascended to second place, overtaking Stanford University, which has fallen to sixth. Additionally, Chinese universities continue to rise, with several approaching the top 10, highlighting the country’s increasing influence in research, the report states.
This year, several Indian universities have made significant strides in the rankings. Anna University, Mahatma Gandhi University, and Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences have all entered the 401-500 range, achieving scores between 46.0 and 49.2, which reflects their improved global standings.
Conversely, some universities have faced declines. Jamia Millia Islamia dropped into the 501-600 range, a decrease from its previous ranking. It now shares this category with IIT Indore and UPES Dehradun, both of which are among the year's most notable gainers. Meanwhile, Aligarh Muslim University and Amity University maintained their positions in the 601-800 band, with overall scores ranging from 38.2 to 43.2.
The others ranking in the 501-600 range include Banaras Hindu University, Chitkara University, KIIT University, Lovely Professional University, Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Panjab University, Symbiosis International University, IIT Patna, and IIT Hyderabad.
Australian universities have faced a decline in their rankings, attributed to factors such as diminished reputation and international standing. Conversely, emerging markets are making notable progress, with Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates entering the top 200 for the first time.
The methodology of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings is well-respected and widely utilised by students, educators, academics, government officials, and industry professionals. It is based on an extensive dataset that includes 157 million citations, 18 million research publications, and feedback from over 93,000 scholars around the globe.
