Pune: In a major setback, the Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) has fallen from the 566th position to the 791-800 band, a drop of nearly 250 places over just a year, in the QS World University Rankings 2027, even as 52 Indian institutes made the global list and several improved their performance.SPPU’s ranking journey has been marked by fluctuations. It moved from the 541-550 band in 2023 to 711-720 in 2024, recovering to 566 in 2026 before witnessing its latest fall. Varsity senate members blamed the slide on administrative failure and said efforts to push reforms were ignored, calling for the governor and state govt to intervene.Education experts said global rankings are driven by research quality, citations, international collaborations, faculty strength and academic reputation. They said SPPU’s continued decline reflected deeper institutional challenges and called for urgent corrective measures.Sagar Vaidya, elected member of the university’s management council, attributed the decline to failures in administrative leadership. “The fall is alarming. Some elected members and I have been trying to push for reforms and improve university facilities for the last two years. Sadly, those raising concerns have been targeted. The situation requires immediate attention from the governor, chief minister and higher education minister,” he said.Education experts said rankings are also influenced by multiple indicators, including academic and employer reputation, research citations, international faculty and student diversity.“The matter is of serious concern. Earlier, the university had witnessed a decline in the NIRF rankings too. Many senate members feel that delays in decision-making, absence of a clear administrative direction and the failure to create a strong research ecosystem have adversely affected the standing. We have requested the vice-chancellor to convene a special session to discuss measures to improve SPPU’s ranking and restore its reputation,” said Vinayak Ambekar, senate member.“Global rankings are not just about infrastructure or student strength. It depends heavily on research quality, publications, citations and international collaborations. A university of SPPU’s stature cannot afford such fluctuations year after year,” said education counsellor Vivek Velankar.A former VC of the university said the decline should serve as a wake-up call. “SPPU has a strong academic legacy and a vast affiliated college network. However, sustaining global rankings requires consistent investment in research, innovation, faculty development and international engagement. The ranking should prompt a serious review of priorities,” he said.Meanwhile, university officials refused to comment on the issue.Stakeholders of SPPU are demanding a comprehensive assessment of the factors behind the decline and a clear roadmap to restore the university’s global standing.QS World University Rankings 2027Top Five Universities in the WorldMassachusetts Institute of Technology (USA)Imperial College London (UK)Stanford University (USA)University of Oxford (UK)Harvard University (USA)Major Indian Institutes and RankingsIIT Delhi – 118IIT Bombay – 134IIT Madras – 170IIT Kharagpur – 205IIT Kanpur – 221Indian Institute of Science Bengaluru – 221University of Delhi – 322
