New Delhi: At No. 118, Mumbai has ranked the highest among Indian cities in the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Rankings for Best Student Cities 2024 released Wednesday. However, it has dropped 15 spots from its previous year’s ranking.
According to the annual QS ranking, which compares 160 premier educational destinations across the world, the reason Mumbai outperformed other Indian cities is due to its affordability. It ranked No. 21 globally on this indicator.
In a press statement, QS said: “Mumbai’s affordability is a key advantage that can attract more students seeking cost-effective study options. Additionally, Mumbai’s strong performance in the Employer Activity indicator demonstrates ample opportunities for graduates.”
Cities were ranked on six parameters, including university rankings, student mix, desirability, employer activity, affordability and student voice.
London topped the rankings as the best city for students for the fifth time, followed by Tokyo and Seoul as the second and third, respectively.
Apart from Mumbai, the other Indian cities in the list included Delhi at No. 132, Bengaluru at 147, and, towards the bottom, Chennai at 154. And while all three witnessed a drop from their previous rankings, Bengaluru’s decline was the steepest — from 114 in 2023 to 147 this year.
Chennai dropped by 29 spots and Delhi dropped three spots.
One area of concern for all Indian cities remained the Desirability indicator, where none have made it to the top 100 globally.
The Desirability indicator considers metrics related to quality of life, pollution index, safety, and the propensity of prospective students to select a city for their university experience.
In QS World Rankings, released earlier this year, student diversity on campus had been one of the areas where Indian universities did not do well.
Indian cities ranked in the bottom 16 percentile of the desirability parameter with Mumbai at 134, Delhi at 149, Chennai and Bengaluru at 146. On this parameter, too, all Indian cities witnessed a drop from their previous year’s ranking.
“India’s cities have shown potential in various indicators, but there is a need to collectively address the Desirability factor and focus on specific areas for improvement,” said QS’s statement. “By enhancing the quality of education, affordability, employability opportunities, and overall city desirability, Indian cities can attract more international students and improve their global standing.”
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)