Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has achieved a historic milestone by becoming India’s highest-ranked central university and the third overall among Indian institutions in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2026. Announced on October 9, the rankings place JMI in the 401–500 global band, a jump from its 2025 placement in the 501–600 band.
Among Indian universities, only the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, and Savita Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai ranked higher, making JMI the sole central university in the 401–500 bracket for 2026.
Recognition of Academic and Research Excellence
JMI’s rise reflects significant improvements in teaching quality, research output, and international engagement. The university attributes this progress to sustained academic initiatives, focused research efforts, and strengthened global collaborations.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Mazhar Asif and Registrar Professor Mohammad Mehtab Alam Rizvi congratulated the “Jamia family,” especially the IQAC (Internal Quality Assurance Cell) team, for their contributions. They noted that the collective efforts of faculty, students, researchers, alumni, and staff, along with industry-academia partnerships, have propelled Jamia to new levels of academic excellence and global relevance.
Strategic Vision and Future Goals
JMI leadership highlighted that interdisciplinary teaching, cutting-edge research, and international collaborations are yielding measurable results. The university aims to enter the top 200 global band in the near future through continued excellence.
Key ongoing initiatives include:
- Faculty development and research training programs
- Increased funding and resources for research
- Fostering an academic culture that prioritizes research excellence
Consistency Across National Rankings
In addition to global recognition, JMI performed strongly in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) India Rankings 2025, underscoring its consistent commitment to academic quality and research impact. The university remains dedicated to becoming a world-class institution within India and globally.
How THE World University Rankings Are Calculated
The THE World University Rankings 2026 evaluate universities based on five core areas: teaching, research environment, research quality, international outlook, and industry impact. A total of 18 performance indicators are considered to provide a comprehensive assessment of each institution’s global standing.
