Central Universities in India
Central universities are public universities established by an Act of Parliament and are under the purview of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education, except for nine universities which are under the purview of other ministries. They are funded by the central government and offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs.
Number of central universities in India
As of June 2023, there are 56 central universities in India. The region with the most central universities is Delhi with seven universities. There are central universities in all of the states of India except Goa. Of the union territories, there are central universities in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and Puducherry.
History of central universities
The first central university in India was the Banaras Hindu University, which was established in 1916. The University of Delhi was established in 1922, and the Aligarh Muslim University was established in 1920.
Purpose of central universities
The purpose of central universities is to provide high-quality education to students from all over India. They are also expected to promote research and innovation.
Faculties and courses offered by central universities
Central universities offer a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs. The faculties offered by central universities vary from university to university. However, some of the common faculties offered by central universities include arts, science, commerce, engineering, law, medicine, and education.
Admission to central universities
Admission to central universities is done through a centralized entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The entrance examination for different central universities is different. However, the most common entrance examinations for central universities are the National Eligibility cum Entrance Examination (NEET) for medical and dental programs, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for engineering programs, and the Common University Entrance Examination (CUET) for all other programs.
Ranking of central universities
The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) ranks central universities every year. The NIRF ranking is based on a number of factors, including teaching, research, learning resources, faculty, and placements.
Top-ranked central universities in India
Here are some of the top-ranked central universities in India, according to the NIRF 2023 rankings:
- Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi
- Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi
- University of Delhi (DU), New Delh
- Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh
- University of Hyderabad (UoH), Hyderabad
- Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan
- North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong
- Pondicherry University, Puducherry
- Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), New Delhi
- Tezpur University, Tezpur
List of Central Universities in India
| S.No. | State | Name of Central University |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Andhra Pradesh | Central University of Andhra Pradesh, Transit Campus, JNTU IT Incubation Centre, Chinmaya Nagar, Anantapuram-515002, Andhra Pradesh |
| 2. | Andhra Pradesh | Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh, Kondakarakam Village Viziaanagram – 535 003, Andhra Pradesh |
| 3. | Andhra Pradesh | The National Sanskrit University, Tirupati-517507, Andhra Pradesh |
| 4. | Arunachal Pradesh | Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, P.O. Doimukh, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh – 791 112. |
| 5. | Assam | Assam University, Post Box No. 63, Silchar - 788 011, Assam |
| 6. | Assam | Tezpur University, Post Box No. 72, Sonitpur, Assam-784 001 |
| 7. | Bihar | Central University of South Bihar, SH-7, Gaya-Panchanpur Road, Village – Karhara, Post-Fatehpur, P.S. – Tekari, District – Gaya, Bihar – 824236. |
| 8. | Bihar | Mahatma Gandhi Central University, P.O. Box No.1, Motihari, District – East Champaran, Bihar – 845 401 |
| 9. | Bihar | Nalanda University, Rajgir, Dist. Nalanda, Bihar – 803 116. |
| 10. | Bihar | Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agricultural University, Pusa, Samastipur - 848 125, Bihar, India |
| 11. | Chhattisgarh | Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Main Campus,Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh - 495 009. |
| 12. | Delhi | Indira Gandhi National Open University, Maidan Garhi, New Delhi – 110 068. |
| 13. | Delhi | Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi – 110 025. |
| 14. | Delhi | JawaharLal Nehru University, New Mehrauli Road, New Delhi – 110 067. |
| 15. | Delhi | South Asian University, Akbar Bhawan, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110 021. |
| 16. | Delhi | University of Delhi, Delhi – 110 007. |
| 17. | Delhi | The Central Sanskrit University, 56-57, Institutional Area, Janakpuri, New Delhi-110 058 |
| 18. | Delhi | Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University, B-4, Qutub Institutional Area, New Delhi-110 016 |
| 19. | Gujarat | Central University of Gujarat, Near Jalaram Temple, Sector – 29, Gandhinagar – 382 029. |
| 20. | Gujarat | Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya, Vadodara |
| 21. | Haryana | Central University of Haryana, Jant-Pali Villages, Mahendergarh, Haryana – 123 029. |
| 22. | Himachal Pradesh | Central University of Himachal Pradesh, PO Box No. 21, Dharamashala, Dist - Kangra, Himachal Pradesh – 176 215. |
| 23. | Jammu & Kashmir | Central University of Jammu, Bagla (Rahya-Suchani), District Samba, Jammu – 181 143, (J & K) |
| 24. | Jammu & Kashmir | Central University of Kashmir, Green Campus, Duderhama, Ganderbal, Srinagar – 190 201 (J&K). |
| 25. | Jharkhand | Central University of Jharkhand, Village-Cheri- Manatu PO Kamre PS Kanke Ranchi – 835 222, Jharkhand. |
| 26. | Karnataka | Central University of Karnataka, Kadaganchi, Aland Road, Aland Taluk, Gulbarga – 585 311, Karnataka. |
| 27. | Kerala | Central University of Kerala, Tejaswini Hills, Periye (PO), Kasaragod, Kerala – 671316. |
| 28. | Ladakh | Sindhu Central University, Melongthang Leh-Ladakh, Near FRL – 194 101. |
| 29. | Madhya Pradesh | Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh - 470 003. |
| 30. | The Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Makal Sadan, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh – 484 886. | |
| 31. | Maharashtra | Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Gandhi Hills, Post- Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Wardha – 442 005, Maharashtra |
| 32. | Manipur | Central Agricultural University, Iroisemba, Imphal, Manipur – 795 004. |
| 33. | Manipur | Manipur University, Canchipur, Iroisemba, Imphal – 795 003, Manipur. |
| 34. | Manipur | National Sports University, Koutruk, Manipur – 795 146. |
| 35. | Mizoram | Mizoram University, Post Box No. 190, Aizwal - 796 009, Mizoram. |
| 36. | Meghalaya | North Eastern Hill University, NEHU Campus, Shillong, Meghalaya – 793 022. |
| 37. | Nagaland | Nagaland University, Campus Kohima - 797 001, Headquarter Lumani, Nagaland |
| 38. | Odisha | Central University of Odisha, Sunabeda, NAD Post Office, Koraput – 763 004. |
| 39. | Pondicherry | Pondicherry University, R. Venkataraman Nagar, Kalapet, Puducherry – 605 014. |
| 40. | Punjab | Central University of Punjab, City Campus, Mansa Road, Bathinda – 151 001, Punjab. |
| 41. | Rajasthan | Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandar Sindri, Dist-Ajmer – 305 801, Rajasthan. |
| 42. | Sikkim | Sikkim University, 6th Mile, Samdur, P.O. Tadong, Gangtok, Sikkim-737 102. |
| 43. | Tamil Nadu | Central University of Tamil Nadu, Neelakudi Campus, Kangalancherry (Post), Thiruvarur – 610 101 |
| 44. | Tamil Nadu | Indian Maritime University, East Coast Road, Uthandi, Chennai – 600 119. |
| 45. | Telangana | English and Foreign Languages University, Osmania University Campus, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500 007. |
| 46. | Telangana | Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500 032. |
| 47. | Telangana | University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana – 500 046. |
| 48. | Tripura | Tripura University, Suryamaninagar, Agartala, Tripura – 799 130. |
| 49. | Uttarakhand | HemwatiNandanBahugunaGarhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal – 246 174. |
| 50. | Uttar Pradesh | Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, U.P. - 202 002. |
| 51. | Uttar Pradesh | BabasahebBhimraoAmbedkar University, VidyaVihar, Rae Bareily Road, Lucknow, U.P. – 226 025. |
| 52. | Uttar Pradesh | Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P. - 221 005. |
| 53. | Uttar Pradesh | University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, U.P. - 211 002. |
| 54. | Uttar Pradesh | Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University, Fursatganj, D.T,Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. |
| 55. | Uttar Pradesh | Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, NH-75, Near Pahuj Dam, Gwalier Road, Jhansi (Utter Pradesh) – 284 003. |
| 56. | West Bengal | Visva Bharati, Shantiniketan, West Bengal – 731 235. |