MANUU, EFLU enter QS Asia University Rankings 2026; UoH leads Telangana list despite dip
HYDERABAD: Two central universities from Telangana , Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU) and the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) , have made their first appearance in the QS World University Rankings: Asia 2026. Altogether, eight institutions from Telangana found a place in the list released on Tuesday.
MANUU is ranked in the 1101–1200 band, while EFLU is placed between 1401 and 1500. Neither university featured in the previous two editions of the rankings.
Highlighting the progress made by MANUU, vice-chancellor Syed Ainul Hasan said the university had implemented several measures to broaden its academic focus. “In the last four years, we brought in various changes, especially to change the perception that MANUU is only about the Urdu language. We appointed top adjunct and honorary professors, and professors of practice to strengthen research and academics,” he said.
Focus on NEP and multidisciplinary education
Hasan said MANUU was among the first universities in the country to implement the National Education Policy (NEP), with an emphasis on multidisciplinary studies and skill-based learning. “These reforms are now reflecting in our rankings,” he said, adding that all faculty members at MANUU hold PhDs.
EFLU performed well in parameters such as academic reputation, papers per faculty, and employer reputation.
UoH, IIT-H lead state institutions
Among Telangana’s institutions, the University of Hyderabad (UoH) secured the top position with a rank of 246, followed by the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad (IIT-H) at 270, Osmania University (OU) at 470, and the National Institute of Technology Warangal (NIT-W) in the 771–780 band. Two private universities from the state also featured in the list.
While IIT-H, OU, and NIT-W improved their positions compared to last year, UoH slipped slightly from 239 to 246.
OU vice-chancellor Kumar Molugaram attributed the university’s improvement to its renewed focus on research. “Through concerted efforts, our number of citations has surged from 15,000 to over 90,000. In the next three years, we aim to improve not just our Asia ranking but our overall global standing in QS,” he said, adding that the university was prioritising research, publications, and patents.
