India has become the most represented country in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026, with 88 institutions from the country. This signal shows India's focus on cross-disciplinary research and innovation.
The new rankings, in cooperation with Schmidt Science Fellows, assessed 911 universities in 94 countries; thus, the global theme has broadened considerably from the first edition, which only allowed 749 institutions to be featured.
SIMATS Leads India's Performance
At the global level, the Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS) achieved a breakthrough, ranking as the top Indian university at 57th. The recognition pushes SIMATS to come before more famous universities, and it also proves SIMATS' loyalty to interdisciplinary research.
In the wake of SIMATS, VIT University was ranked 59th, and Anna University tied for 67th place. Among central universities, Jamia Millia Islamia was able to get the 80th slot in the world. Besides that, we can list the two universities that broke into the global top 100: SRM Institute of Science and Technology (89) and Amity University, Noida (97).
IITs Sustain Boycott of THE Rankings
Even though India has a widespread presence of research, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) have not changed their mind and still refuse THE rankings. The IITs have criticized the ranking systems for a lack of transparency and for their methodology and have therefore decided not to be involved. The fact that they are missing does not, however, lessen India's total appearances as some private and state universities have become more visible and able to demonstrate their research capabilities.
Worldwide Background and Comparison
On a worldwide scale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has managed to keep the pole position for the second consecutive year. US universities monopolized the top ten, which is a clear indication of their long-standing tradition of interdisciplinary research. While the United States is the leader in terms of the number of prestigious institutions, India's tremendous volume of participation tells a different story, the story of her rising power on the global academic stage.
Importance of Interdisciplinary Science Rankings
The Interdisciplinary Science Rankings are aimed at measuring the ability of universities to conduct high-impact research that is cross-disciplinary in nature. The approach in question is quite business-like as it involves collaboration between traditionally separate fields such as engineering, medicine, social sciences, and technology. India is a good example to explain how the rankings reveal the diversity of institutions contributing to global research, from technical to medical to private institutions.
The participation of 88 Indian universities is proof that the country is serious about growing its research ecosystems, facilitating innovation, and nurturing collaborations that transcend national borders. It is also a pointer to a shift in the global recognition pattern whereby Indian institutions are progressively viewed as the producers of the latest interdisciplinary work.
