QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025: VIT sets new standards in Subject Excellence

Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) has been recognised once again as a leading institution across 14 distinct academic subjects. Released by the global higher education analyst QS (Quacquarelli Symonds), the 2025 edition of World University Rankings by Subjects provides a comprehensive analysis of over 18,300 university programmes from more than 1,700 universities, across 100 global locations, spanning 55 academic disciplines and 5 broad faculty areas. The QS World University Rankings by Subject employ five key metrics to evaluate university performance: academic reputation, employer reputation, citations per paper, H-index and international research network (IRN). These metrics, derived from surveys of over 240,000 academics and employers, alongside bibliometric data, provide a robust and multifaceted assessment of institutional quality.

VIT’s performance showcases a dynamic trend, with 4 subjects demonstrating improved rankings, 8 maintaining their positions and 3 subjects entering the rankings for the first time. This achievement underscores VIT’s commitment to academic excellence and research prowess across a diverse range of fields.

VIT achieved significant progress in broad subject areas of Engineering & Technology where the rank has soared from 212 to 142, and Natural Sciences climbed to 362 from the 401-450 band. VIT has retained its position in the 351-400 Band for Biological Sciences and 551-600 Band for Business & Management Studies. VIT has also claimed its spot in the 351-400 Band in the new subject category Agriculture & Forestry. VIT stands out globally, ranking among the Top 51-100 universities worldwide and in the 1-7 band in India for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence in the QS Rankings by Subject 2025. Notably, VIT is the only Indian private university to be ranked in this subject.

VIT’s position in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025

Ben Sowter, QS Senior Vice President, highlighted the shifting dynamics of global higher education, noting the increasing prominence of emerging markets. India’s overall performance in the rankings includes 454 subject entries from 79 institutions. Notably, 105 entries saw an improvement in rankings, while 108 experienced a decline, 143 remained stable, and 98 subjects were ranked for the first time. This reflects the evolving landscape of Indian higher education, marked by both progress and challenges. The recognition of VIT among top universities in multiple subjects contributes to the growing strength of Indian institutions on the global stage.