With over 43 million students enrolled and sustained public investment, India continues to expand its influence across the global academic landscape.

India is firmly consolidating its position as one of the largest and most dynamic higher education ecosystems in the world. With more than 43.3 million students enrolled in higher education, the country’s academic network stands unmatched in both scale and diversity.

Public institutions remain the backbone of this system. Government universities account for 58.6% of institutions and nearly 73.7% of total student enrollment, underscoring the strength of public investment in expanding access to higher education nationwide. Meanwhile, more than 60% of colleges operate as multidisciplinary institutions, encouraging cross-sector collaboration, interdisciplinary research, and innovation at scale.

Strong Financial Commitment to Higher Education

India’s strategic focus on education is further reflected in the Union Budget 2025–26, which allocates approximately $15.4 billion to the education sector. Of this, nearly $6 billion is dedicated specifically to higher education. This sustained financial commitment highlights the government’s long-term vision to enhance academic excellence and reinforce India’s global competitiveness.

Expanding Research Output and Global Contribution

India’s research ecosystem is also experiencing rapid growth. Over the past decade, State Agricultural Universities alone produced nearly 97,536 research publications, with more than 57% published as Gold Open Access, demonstrating India’s increasing contribution to global scientific knowledge and open research initiatives.

Explore detailed India Business school university rankings.