The QS Executive MBA Rankings 2026 have once again highlighted India’s limited presence in the global executive education space, with only one Indian institute making it to the top 100 list this year.
The Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (IIM Bangalore) has emerged as the highest-ranked Indian business school, securing the 64th position globally. However, the institute has slipped 14 places compared to last year, reflecting increased global competition in executive MBA programmes.
IIM Bangalore remains India’s only Top 100 entry
Despite India’s growing reputation in management education, no other Indian business school has featured in the global top 100 Executive MBA rankings this year.
IIM Bangalore is still the only one left, highlighting its high reputation worldwide and the difference in reputation between institutions in India and their counterparts across the world in executive education.
Reputation among employers despite reduction in ranking
Even though the ranking has gone down, IIM Bangalore continues to excel in some parameters.
• Employer Reputation – 42nd globally
• Career Prospects – 47th globally
The reputation of IIM Bangalore among employers is evident from its high reputation globally in terms of employer satisfaction.
Decline in ranking position
Comparing IIM Bangalore’s position with the last year’s report, one finds that there is a decline by 14 positions. According to analysts, the position has changed due to increased competition in the field.
The decline further highlights how rapidly the ranking changes in the EMBA field.
A key takeaway from this year’s rankings is the absence of any other Indian institution in the top 100 EMBA programmes globally.
This puts added focus on the need for Indian business schools to strengthen global exposure, executive partnerships, and international learning opportunities in order to compete with top-ranked institutions in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
