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India’s presence in global business education has expanded, with 19 Indian MBA institutions featured in the QS Global MBA Rankings 2027.
However, the latest rankings also show that three of the country’s leading Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have slipped in their overall global positions amid stronger competition from international business schools.
The QS Global MBA Rankings 2027, released on September 16, 2026, evaluated more than 420 MBA programmes across 65 countries and territories. The ranking considers several factors, including employability, return on investment, entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes, thought leadership and diversity.
Top IIMs Remain in Global Top 100
IIM Bangalore continues to be India’s highest-ranked MBA institution, but it dropped to 64th globally, compared with 52nd in the previous edition. IIM Ahmedabad moved to 70th, down from 58th, while IIM Calcutta recorded the sharpest decline, moving from 64th to 95th.
Despite these changes, all three institutions remain within the global top 100. IIM Bangalore continued to perform strongly on employability, ranking 29th globally and second in Asia for the indicator. IIM Ahmedabad ranked 35th, while IIM Calcutta ranked 39th for employability.
The overall ranking reflects performance across multiple measures. The three IIMs recorded lower comparative performance in areas such as value for money, while entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes were also areas where international competitors gained ground.
QS has clarified that its value-for-money score is a comparative ranking measure and should not be interpreted as a direct percentage decline in graduates’ salaries or actual financial returns.
India’s MBA Representation Grows
While the leading IIMs moved down in the overall ranking, India’s broader representation has increased. Nineteen Indian MBA institutions are featured in the 2027 ranking, compared with five Indian institutions in 2020. Five Indian institutions entered the ranking for the first time this year.
Among the new entrants, O.P. Jindal Global University was the highest-ranked, appearing in the 171–180 band. Jaipuria Institute of Management, CHRIST University’s School of Business and Management, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, and Vikrant University Gwalior also entered the ranking.
International Competition
The latest results highlight the changing competitive environment for Indian management education. Indian institutions continue to show strong employability outcomes, while international business schools have performed comparatively strongly in areas including return on investment and entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes.
“For Indian institutions this year, global peers are outpacing in key areas such as return on investment and entrepreneurship & alumni outcomes.” - Nunzio Quacquarelli, President of QS
Globally, MIT Sloan School of Management leads the QS Global MBA Rankings 2027, followed by Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business. The United States and Europe continue to have a strong presence among the highest-ranked MBA programmes.
The latest rankings therefore highlight two developments for Indian management education: more Indian institutions are gaining visibility in global MBA rankings, while leading IIMs are facing stronger international competition across several measures used to assess business-school performance.