Slipped in positions with sharply weaker scores for financial returns: QS Rankings
New Delhi: Three Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are among the world’s top 100 for MBA courses but have slipped in positions with sharply weaker scores for financial returns offsetting gains in employability and academic standing, according to QS Rankings.
The QS Global MBA and Business Master’s Rankings 2027 spans 65 countries and territories, analysing the world’s over 420 best global MBAs and a series of specialised high-demand Business Master’s Rankings, including Master’s in Management, Finance, Marketing, Business Analytics and Supply Chain Management.
With 19 entries in 2027, the total number of entries from India has more than tripled in the seven years since 2020 when five Indian schools featured in the ranking.
IIM Bangalore remains India’s highest-ranked MBA provider, but has fallen 12 places to joint 64th. IIM Ahmedabad has also dropped 12 places to joint 70th, while IIM Calcutta has suffered the steepest fall among the country’s leaders, sliding 31 places to 95th. They remain India’s only three MBA entries in the global top 100.
The rankings, released on Wednesday, feature 28 Indian institutions across the MBA and five specialised master’s tables, behind the US with 150, the UK with 42 and France with 35. India has 19 MBA entries, including five debutants, compared with five in 2020.
Of India’s 14 returning MBA entries, eight have moved down to a lower rank or band and six have retained their published positions or bands while none have moved up.
“The QS Global MBA and Business Master’s Rankings 2027 shows that more Indian business schools are continuing to build their international reputation, with five new entries from the country this year. However, the MBA market is changing and providers are becoming more competitive,” said QS president Nunzio Quacquarelli.
For Indian institutions this year, global peers are outpacing them in key areas such as return on investment and entrepreneurship and alumni outcomes, he said.
“While 10 entries from India improve in the thought leadership lens in 2027, it is key that providers continue to serve MBA students and help them to achieve their career ambitions. Across the specialised Business Master’s rankings, global peers are also excelling in an increasingly competitive market,” Quacquarelli said.
The detailed scores reveal a marked divergence. IIM Bangalore’s value-for-money score fell from 91 to 57.4, Ahmedabad’s from 88.9 to 60.5 and Calcutta’s from 78.9 to 53.3.
All three, however, improved their employability and thought-leadership scores. These are comparative ranking scores, not direct measures of a percentage decline in graduates’ salaries or actual investment returns.
The QS Global MBA Rankings methodology seeks to highlight programmes that have strong links to industry, positive career returns and offer value for money. It is measured across five areas. The QS Business Masters Rankings follows the same five broad areas, but the weighting changes depending on the specialised subject area.
Employability remains a principal strength for India’s leading programmes. IIM Bangalore retains 29th place globally on this measure and is second in Asia. Ahmedabad ranks 35th and Calcutta 39th, substantially ahead of their overall positions.
Bangalore also ranks 16th globally for employability in the specialised business analytics table.
