Towards Global Rankings: Vishal Talwar, COO, Delhi Campus of Southampton University

Over the years, Indian B-schools have produced CEOs of global organisations, transformed numerous sectors, and attracted some of the most impactful minds. Yet, when global rankings were announced each year, only a small number made the cut. The winds, however, are shifting, and Indian schools are finally carving out a niche in what is undoubtedly a very competitive field.

It’s heartening to see many Indian schools breaking into global rankings such as the Financial Times (FT) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS). These schools have been slowly but surely changing the long-held view that we do well in the region, but struggle on the global stage because of ranking criteria, structural issues and perception gaps.

Eight Indian schools feature in the FT Global MBA Rankings for 2025. A total of 14 Indian schools were recognised in the QS Global MBA Rankings for 2026. In 2025, 11 Indian schools were recognised in the FT Masters in Management (MiM) Rankings. An overall analysis highlights possible reasons for a stronger performance from schools in the last few years. These include stronger alumni outcomes, value-for-money orientation, consistently high placement results, growing research and academic output, amongst others.

A deeper dive into school-level data for the FT Global MBA Rankings for 2025 brings out important learnings. Salary percentage increase, alumni network, career progress, employment rates, gender diversity (w.r.t. students), and value for money are parameters that stand out for the Indian schools ranked in the top 100 this year.

Learnings From Successes

As an example, Indian School of Business (ISB, with an overall rank of 27 in 2025, is ranked 2nd on the Pre-MBA to Post-MBA salary increase for its graduates. Equally impressive is the graduate salary jump for both XLRI (~249%) and IIM Kozhikode (~242%). Interestingly, with an overall rank of 31, IIM Ahmedabad was ranked 1st for Career Progress.

This parameter measures the advancement achieved by alumni in terms of seniority and the size of the companies they work for three years after graduating. XLRI with an overall ranking of 83, was ranked 24th for Career Progress. Data suggests that top schools are playing on the front foot when it comes to alumni- and career-related graduate outcomes.

The picture changes when it comes to dimensions such as research/academic publications, international student/faculty diversity, international mobility (for e.g. alumni working abroad), and female representation on the board/faculty. Indian schools may have a high overall ranking; however, their research rank is lower (as low as between 90-100). Similarly, international mobility ranks are between 80-100 for these schools.

If we compare Indian schools vis-à-vis global benchmarks within the FT Global MBA ranking, it is observed that Indian schools lead on career progress, alumni network, employment at 3 months, percentage salary increase, and proportion of female students.

However, they are playing catch up on other parameters. Doing well on these is a more resource-intensive long-term exercise but will enable schools to move up the ranking ladder.

Road Map For The Future

So, what should Indian B-schools do if they want to see themselves on the international stage and be a part of global rankings? Successful career and alumni outcomes are major driving forces, and some schools are most definitely leading the charge here.

There are those who may not yet figure in such rankings but have contributed significantly to student career aspirations and offer excellent value for money in the process. That said, Indian schools must build global employability for their graduates, cross border career services and a broader alumni footprint abroad is valued tremendously.

One critical issue to focus on is research and thought leadership. Global rankings place great emphasis on publications in globally recognised journals and how a school shapes management thinking.

B-schools in India have come a long way on the research front but more needs to be done. Investing in cutting-edge research areas as well as faculty is key.

The importance of contributing to international case repositories such as Harvard and Ivey should not be underestimated.

Internationalisation and diversity (beyond students) are two elephants in the room and require introspection and support from those at the top within Indian schools.

They must do more to attract faculty as well as student talent from across the world and facilitate global exchange programmes for their own students.

To conclude, breaking into global rankings requires sustained effort, a deeper understanding of the parameters used, capitalising on areas of strength, and creating a road map for continuous improvement. It also requires grit, determination and a few bold decisions along the way.

Views are personal