
New Delhi: India has made a notable mark in the global education landscape with four of its cities finding a place in the prestigious Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Best Cities Rankings 2025. Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai have been recognized among the top destinations for students worldwide, showcasing the country's growing appeal as an educational hub.City Rankings and IndicatorsAccording to the QS Best Cities Rankings 2025, Delhi leads the Indian contingent at the 111th position, followed closely by Mumbai at 113th, Bengaluru at 130th, and Chennai at 140th. Notably, Delhi and Bengaluru have shown significant improvements in their rankings, climbing 21 and 17 places respectively compared to the previous year's rankings.The QS rankings evaluate cities based on six key indicators: university rankings, student mix, employer activity, desirability, affordability, and student view. Among these, Delhi stands out for its affordability, topping the list among Indian cities. However, all four cities scored less than 30 in desirability but performed well in employer activity.Global Leaders and CriteriaGlobally, London continues to dominate as the top city for students for the sixth consecutive year, followed closely by Tokyo and Seoul. Munich and Melbourne secure the fourth and fifth positions respectively, with Sydney, Paris, Zurich, and Berlin rounding up the top nine. Montreal completes the top ten list of best cities for students globally.To qualify for inclusion in the QS Best Cities Rankings, each city must have a population exceeding 250,000 and host at least two universities featured in QS's latest university rankings.Foreign Students in IndiaThe All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), released by the Ministry of Education, highlights India's appeal as a destination for foreign students. In the academic year 2021-22, Indian institutions welcomed approximately 46,000 foreign students. The majority of these students hail from Nepal, followed by Afghanistan.Nearly three-quarters of foreign students are enrolled in undergraduate courses, with Technology, Business Administration, Science, and Engineering emerging as the most popular fields of study among this group.Expanding Higher Education in IndiaIndia boasts the world's second-largest higher education system, comprising over 58,000 institutions. The government's efforts to expand educational infrastructure saw the addition of nearly 2,400 higher education institutions during the 2021-22 academic year, underscoring India's commitment to enhancing its educational landscape.