According to the QS World University Rankings, the University of Delhi (DU) has been recommended as the most sustainable Indian institute. On the whole, the University of Toronto has ranked first, following the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) and The University of Manchester at the second and third respectively. At present, no Indian university could make it to the list of 200. After DU, IIT Bombay has ranked 303 globally, followed by IIT Madras at 344, IIT Kharagpur at 349, IIT Roorkee at 387 and IIT Delhi at 426. While India lagged in the global sustainability rankings, it performed better in standards related to environmental impact, which evaluates an institution’s commitment to, and implementation of, its sustainability and climate strategies. In the Environmental Sustainability Index, four Indian universities have found a place among the world’s top 100, with Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) turning out as the national leader and securing 49th position worldwide.
"According to the QS’ Environmental Education indicator, the University of Delhi was appreciated for its excellent education in environmental and climate-related subjects and was given 16th place in the list. As India is one of the largest carbon dioxide emitting countries it faces a difficult challenge for making the country carbon-free. India will have to take the responsibility of achieving a target of net zero emissions by 2070. In this situation, the role of Indian universities is important as they continue to grow and improve in quality", QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter quoted.
While there are praiseworthy achievements in some areas, there are also areas for advancement. The achievements of institutions like VIT and the DU in Environmental Education and Institutional Sustainability are conspicuous and these achievements are important for India’s climate action plans. Nevertheless, challenges related to Environmental Research and Equality persist. Universities need to strengthen their research abilities, foster diversity and inclusivity and invest in high-impact environmental research to align with the nation’s environmental commitments.
