Deep Dive Report · Google SERP
How 194 Indian Universities Perform on Google Search
In September 2026 we searched Google for the name of each of 194 Indian universities (90 private, 104 deemed). 178 of the 187 we could measure (95.2%) own their name: their site ranks first, or the knowledge panel is theirs1. The gaps sit around the name. Of the 187 measured, 160 get a knowledge panel and 182 get a People Also Ask box3. It shows an AI Overview on one in three branded searches4. In generic searches, its AI Overview named only 7 of the 1944.
Research Highlights
Key Findings
We searched Google for each of 194 Indian universities in September 2026. Owning your own name is largely solved: 178 of 187 measured universities do1. The four findings below show where the gaps now sit. They are the knowledge panel, People Also Ask and AI Overviews that Google shows around the name.
Owning Your Name Is Solved
178 of 187 measured universities own their own name on Google1. For 169, the official site is the first organic result. The other 9 own the knowledge panel, which Google shows in place of the organic listing.
Private and Deemed Both Hold Their Name
96.6% of private universities own their name (86 of 89). Deemed universities sit at 93.9% (92 of 98)1. On Google, the two groups are 2.7 points apart.
Knowledge Panels and People Also Ask
A search for the university’s name brings a knowledge panel for 160 of 187 and a People Also Ask box for 1823. Both sit on the same page as your site. Both answer a student’s first questions before any click.
Around Your Name
What Google Shows Around Your Name
A search for your name returns more than organic links. We stored each block on the page separately: the knowledge panel, People Also Ask, the AI Overview and the organic results.
What This Means
People Also Ask quotes whichever page answers the question clearly. If your admission pages state fees, eligibility and deadlines in plain text, Google has your words to use. If they do not, it quotes someone else.
The Divide
Private vs Deemed: The Gap Moved to AI
On Google, both groups own their name. The split shows when a student asks an AI assistant for a recommendation without naming a university.
Where the Gap Sits
Private universities own their name at 96.6% and deemed ones at 93.9%1. Asked without a name, ChatGPT, Gemini or Google’s AI Overview named 72.2% of private universities and 44.2% of deemed ones5. A strong result on your own name does not carry over to these answers. The AI Visibility Report has the detail.
By State
Geographic Performance
Own-name rates are high in every large state. In 7 of the 10 states with the most universities, 94% or more own their name2.
| State | Own their name | Universities measured |
|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | 100%2 | 20 |
| Haryana | 100%2 | 13 |
| Gujarat | 100%2 | 11 |
| Delhi | 100%2 | 9 |
| Punjab | 100%2 | 6 |
| Rajasthan | 95%2 | 20 |
| Karnataka | 94%2 | 17 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 93%2 | 14 |
| Tamil Nadu | 91%2 | 23 |
| Odisha | 80%2 | 5 |
Own-name rate by state: top 10 by universities measured
September 2026 snapshot (v2). Counts shown in chart tooltips.
Small Samples
Odisha’s 80% is 4 of 5 universities2. With counts this small, one university moves a state’s rate by 20 points. Read the state view as a check on the national figure.
Where the Work Is
Searches Without Your Name
Students also search without naming anyone, for example “best universities in {state}”. We ran 213 of these searches and asked three AI surfaces the same kind of question.
Who Google Names
When Google wrote an AI Overview for a generic search, it named only 7 of the 1944: BITS, IISc, BIT Mesra, Thapar, Sikkim Manipal, O.P. Jindal and Ashoka.
What this means
Owning your name serves students who already know you. Generic searches and AI answers reach students who have not chosen yet. That is where most universities in this study are missing.
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Action Plan
Strategic Recommendations
Most universities already own their name on Google. The next gains come from what Google shows around it and from searches that name no university. These five priorities for marketing teams follow from the September 2026 data.
- Check Your Knowledge Panel160 of 187 universities have one3. Check its facts, links and images. Fix errors at the source: your website, your Google Business Profile and your official profiles.
- Answer People Also Ask on Your Own Pages182 of 187 name searches show a People Also Ask box3. Put short, clear answers on fees, eligibility and deadlines on your admission pages.
- Prepare for AI Overviews on Branded SearchesOne in three branded searches brought an AI Overview (484 of 1,463)4. Keep your fees, courses and placement pages factual and current, so the summary draws on them.
- Build Presence in Generic SearchesOnly 7 of 194 were named in a generic AI Overview4. Publish pages that answer the questions students ask before they have a shortlist, backed by your own facts.
- Deemed Universities: Close the AI Gap44.2% of deemed universities are named by AI unprompted, against 72.2% of private ones5. Start with the programmes you want to be known for, and make them easy to find and cite.
Who Google Names
Named in Generic AI Overviews
Across 213 generic searches, Google’s AI Overview named these 7 universities from the 1944.
| University |
|---|
| BITS |
| IISc |
| BIT Mesra |
| Thapar |
| Sikkim Manipal |
| O.P. Jindal |
| Ashoka |
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Every data point in this report is drawn from publicly available search results. We can show you where your institution sits and what it would take to move up.
Methodology
Methodology
This Google analysis covers 194 Indian universities (90 private and 104 deemed). It is the September 2026 snapshot (v2) of Thrivemattic’s The Digital State of India’s Private Universities 2026 study. Google results were collected on 18 September 2026.
Data Collection
- A Google search for each university’s official name, from an Indian location
- Every block on the page stored separately: organic results, knowledge panel, People Also Ask and AI Overview
- 1,463 branded follow-up searches, such as “{name} fees” and “{name} reviews”
- 213 generic searches, such as “best universities in {state}”
Definitions
- Own their name: the official site is the first organic result, or the knowledge panel is the university’s
- Top 3: the official site is among the first three organic results
- Named by AI unprompted: ChatGPT, Gemini or Google’s AI Overview names the university in answer to a question that names no university
What Changed Since February 2026
- The February snapshot counted failed collections as “not ranking”. September excludes 7 degraded pages, so Google figures use n = 187
- February also missed universities whose knowledge panel replaces their organic listing
- Google now returns about 7 organic results on page 1, against 10 in early 2026. We have withdrawn the Wikipedia, social-profile, aggregator and digital-maturity counts, which are no longer comparable
Limitations
- Google results depend on location; data reflects searches from an Indian location
- Rankings move; this is a snapshot from September 2026
- AI Overview rates are rates across searches, not claims about any one university
- Perplexity was not collected; the AI figures cover three surfaces
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Data notes
- Study of 194 Indian universities (90 private, 104 deemed), September 2026 snapshot (v2). Google results collected 18 Sep 2026 for each university’s name. “Own their name” means the official site is the first organic result or the knowledge panel is the university’s. n = 187: 7 pages returned degraded under rate limiting are excluded. Private n = 89, deemed n = 98. Updated 19 Sep 2026 (was 126 of 194 or 65% owning Position #1, 80% private and 52% deemed, February 2026 snapshot). Reason: count corrected, because February counted failed collections as not ranking and missed universities whose knowledge panel replaces their organic listing. Research hub. ↩
- Study of 194 Indian universities, September 2026 snapshot (v2). Own-name rate for the 10 states with the most measured universities (n = 187 measured in total). Updated 19 Sep 2026 (was 43.0% to 90.9% at Position #1 across nine states, February 2026 snapshot). Reason: count corrected, for the same reason as note 1. Research hub. ↩
- Study of 194 Indian universities, September 2026 snapshot (v2). What Google showed on the search for each university’s name, collected 18 Sep 2026. Every block was stored separately. Knowledge panel 160 of 187, People Also Ask 182 of 187, AI Overview 11 of 187. First measured in this snapshot. Research hub. ↩
- Study of 194 Indian universities, September 2026 snapshot (v2). Branded searches (“{name} fees”, “{name} reviews” and similar): Google showed an AI Overview on 484 of 1,463 and named the university in 481 of them. This is a rate across searches, not a claim about any one university. Generic searches (“best universities in {state}”): an AI Overview appeared on 41 of 213 and named 7 of the 194 universities. First measured in this snapshot. AI Visibility Report. ↩
- Study of 194 Indian universities, September 2026 snapshot (v2). “Named by AI unprompted” is defined under Methodology. Three AI surfaces; Perplexity was not collected. AI answers collected 14 to 18 Sep 2026. n = 194 (90 private, 104 deemed). AI Visibility Report. ↩
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Common questions university marketing leaders ask about the Google findings.
What does it mean to “own” your name on Google?
Your official site is the first organic result when someone searches your university’s name, or the knowledge panel is yours. 178 of 187 measured universities (95.2%) own their name1. Seven more pages came back degraded and were not measured.
If we own our name, what is left to fix?
What Google shows around it. A knowledge panel appears for 160 of 187 universities and People Also Ask for 1823. An AI Overview appears on one in three branded searches4. Each answers students before they reach your site.
Do private universities still outperform deemed ones?
On Google, only slightly: 96.6% of private and 93.9% of deemed universities own their name1. The larger split is in AI answers. 72.2% of private and 44.2% of deemed universities are named when a student asks without naming one5.
How often does Google show an AI Overview?
On 484 of 1,463 branded searches (33.1%), such as fees or reviews. On 41 of 213 generic searches (19.2%)4. On the bare university name, for 11 of 187 universities (5.9%)3.
Which universities does Google’s AI Overview name in generic searches?
Seven of the 194: BITS, IISc, BIT Mesra, Thapar, Sikkim Manipal, O.P. Jindal and Ashoka4. We ran 213 generic searches such as “best universities in {state}”.
How does a university get named in Google’s AI Overview?
On branded searches, Google usually names the university itself: 481 of the 484 AI Overviews we saw did4. On generic searches such as “best universities in {state}”, it named only 7 of 1944. Pages that answer the questions students ask before they have a shortlist, with your own facts, give the summary something to draw on.
Is SEO still worth it for universities if AI Overviews answer first?
Yes. One in three branded searches (484 of 1,463) brought an AI Overview, and it named the university in almost all of them4. Google writes the overview from pages it can read, so your admission pages shape what it says.
Why did the numbers change since February 2026?
The February snapshot counted failed collections as not ranking. It also missed universities whose knowledge panel replaces the organic listing. The September snapshot stores every block on the page separately and excludes 7 degraded pages. We have withdrawn the Wikipedia and digital-maturity counts, because Google’s page 1 now holds about 7 organic results instead of 10.
How does Google search connect to the other research reports?
Google is where students who know your name find you. The AI Visibility Report covers how ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI Overview answer when nobody names a university. The Admissions Journey Report covers what students find once they reach your site. The Ad Intelligence Report covers what universities advertise for admissions on Meta, Google and LinkedIn.
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