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In India, Central universities are those which are established by an act of parliament and come under the overall supervision of the Ministry of Human Resources and Development. CUCET is a common entrance exam to take admission in 14 of these universities. The others offer admission through their independent entrance tests. Most of the central universities in India are directly funded by the government. So, to give you an overview, here is a blog that will shed light on the features of some of the most popular central universities in India.
This Blog Includes:
What are Central Universities?
Central universities are those that are founded by an act of parliament and are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education’s Department of Higher Education. Because the funding is distributed by the Ministry of Education through the UGC, these universities have been classified as Centre (Union Government).
How Many Central Universities are there in India?
In India, 54 central universities have been created, the oldest of which being Allahabad University, which was founded in 1887. The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh is the newest of the bunch, having only been founded in 2019. With the exception of Goa, at least one central university has been founded in each of India’s three states/union territories.
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List of Central Universities in India
Here is a comprehensive list of all the central universities in India along with their location and year of establishment-
| S.No. | University | State/Union Territory (Location) | Year of Establishment |
| 1 | Aligarh Muslim University | Uttar Pradesh (Aligarh) | 1920 |
| 2 | Assam University | Assam (Silchar) | 1994 |
| 3 | Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University | Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow) | 1996 |
| 4 | Banaras Hindu University | Uttar Pradesh (Varanasi) | 1916 |
| 5 | Central Agricultural University | Manipur (Imphal) | 1993 |
| 6 | Central University of Gujarat | Gujarat (Gandhinagar) | 2009 |
| 7 | Central University of Haryana | Haryana (Mahendragarh) | 2009 |
| 8 | Central University of Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh (Dharamshala) | 2009 |
| 9 | Central University of Jammu | Jammu & Kashmir (Jammu) | 2011 |
| 10 | Central University of Jharkhand | Jharkhand (Ranchi) | 2009 |
| 11 | Central University of Karnataka | Karnataka (Gulbarga) | 2009 |
| 12 | Central University of Kashmir | Jammu & Kashmir (Srinagar) | 2009 |
| 13 | Central University of Kerala | Kerala (Kasaragod) | 2009 |
| 14 | Central University of Orissa | Odisha (Koraput) | 2009 |
| 15 | Central University of Punjab* | Punjab (Bhatinda) | 2009 |
| 16 | Central University of Rajasthan* | Rajasthan (Ajmer) | 2009 |
| 17 | Central University of South Bihar | Bihar (Gaya) | 2009 |
| 18 | Central University of Tamil Nadu* | Tamil Nadu (Tiruvarur) | 2009 |
| 19 | Dr. Hari Singh Gour University | Madhya Pradesh (Sagar) | 1946 (2009)+ |
| 20 | Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University | Bihar (Pusa, Samastipur) | 1905 (2016)+ |
| 21 | English and Foreign Languages University | Telangana (Hyderabad) | 1958 (2007)+ |
| 22 | Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya | Chhattisgarh (Bilaspur) | 1983 (2009)+ |
| 23 | Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University | Uttarakhand (Srinagar) | 1973 (2009)+ |
| 24 | Indian Maritime University | Tamil Nadu (Chennai) | 2008 |
| 25 | Indira Gandhi National Open University^ | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1985 |
| 26 | Indira Gandhi National Tribal University | Madhya Pradesh (Amarkantak) | 2007 |
| 27 | Jamia Millia Islamia | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1920 (1988)+ |
| 28 | Jawaharlal Nehru University | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1969 |
| 29 | Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya | Maharashtra (Wardha) | 1997 |
| 30 | Mahatma Gandhi Central University | Bihar (Motihari) | 2016 |
| 31 | Manipur University | Manipur (Imphal) | 1985 (2005)+ |
| 32 | Maulana Azad National Urdu University | Telangana (Hyderabad) | 1998 |
| 33 | Mizoram University | Mizoram (Aizawl) | 2000 |
| 34 | Nagaland University | Nagaland (Lumami) | 1994 |
| 35 | Nalanda University | Bihar (Rajgir, Nalanda) | 2010 |
| 36 | National Sports University | Manipur (Imphal) | 2018 |
| 37 | North Eastern Hill University | Meghalaya (Shillong) | 1973 |
| 38 | Pondicherry University | Puducherry (Pondicherry) | 1985 |
| 39 | Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University | Uttar Pradesh (Raebareily) | 2013 |
| 40 | Rajiv Gandhi University | Arunachal Pradesh (Itanagar) | 1985 (2007)+ |
| 41 | Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University | Uttar Pradesh (Jhansi) | 2014 |
| 42 | Sikkim University | Sikkim (Gangtok) | 2007 |
| 43 | South Asian University^ | Delhi (New Delhi) | 2010 |
| 44 | Tezpur University | Assam (Tezpur) | 1994 |
| 45 | Tripura University | Tripura (Agartala) | 1987 |
| 46 | University of Allahabad | Uttar Pradesh (Allahabad) | 1887 |
| 47 | University of Delhi | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1922 |
| 48 | University of Hyderabad | Telangana (Hyderabad) | 1974 |
| 49 | Visva Bharati University | West Bengal (Shantiniketan) | 1921 |
| 50 | Central University of Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh | 2018 |
| 51 | Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh | 2019 |
| 52 | The National Sanskrit University | Tirupati | 1956 |
| 53 | The Central Sanskrit University | New Delhi | 1970 |
| 54 | Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University | New Delhi | 1962 |
+= The year in which the institution got the status of a central university.
State-Wise Division of Central Universities in India
As we are now familiar with the list of central universities in India, let us now take a quick look at the number of centralized universities present in popular states and UTs of India-
| States/Union Territories | Number of Central Universities |
| Andhra Pradesh | 3 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 1 |
| Assam | 2 |
| Bihar | 4 |
| Chandigarh | – |
| Chhattisgarh | 1 |
| Delhi | 7 |
| Goa | – |
| Gujarat | 2 |
| Haryana | 1 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 1 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 1 |
| Jharkhand | 2 |
| Karnataka | 1 |
| Kerala | 1 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 1 |
| Maharashtra | 2 |
| Manipur | 3 |
| Meghalaya | 1 |
| Mizoram | 1 |
| Nagaland | 1 |
| Odisha | 1 |
| Puducherry | 1 |
| Punjab | 1 |
| Rajasthan | 1 |
| Sikkim | 1 |
| Tamil Nadu | 2 |
| Telangana | 3 |
| Tripura | 1 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 6 |
| Uttarakhand | 1 |
| West Bengal | 1 |
| Total | 54 |
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Jawaharlal Nehru University was established in 1966 under the act of Parliament. It received the Best University Award from the President of India in 2017. Revered for its Master’s programmes, especially, Political Science, the university was also the first to introduce an integrated five-year MA programme in Foreign Languages. It offers 10 undergraduate, 34 post-graduate, and 73 PhD courses. To take admission, one needs to qualify for JNUEE, which is a national-level entrance test conducted by NTA.
Banaras Hindu University
Banaras Hindu University was established in 1916 and is one of the oldest universities in India. It offers various courses spread across Engineering, Agriculture, Law, Medical Science, Commerce, etc. It has two independent entrance tests, BHU UET and BHU PET for undergraduate and postgraduate enrollment respectively. The intake of engineering students is done as per JEE Advanced ranking and those who wish to get into the Medical Science programs need to clear NEET.
University of Hyderabad
The University of Hyderabad was established in 1974 and is well known for its postgraduate programs like M.Tech, M.Sc, M.Ed, MBA, MFA, M.A, MCA, etc. Apart from offering a wide range of integrated programs in B.Tech, B.Sc, and BA, the University of Hyderabad is also revered for its distance education programs. Being one of the most popular central universities in India, it conducts its own independent entrance test called UoH Entrance Exam and for some courses, a personal interview is also taken.
Jamia Millia Islamia
Jamia Millia Islamia was started in Aligarh in 1920 and was later moved to Delhi in 1925. It offers various courses in the field of Engineering, Arts, Science, Commerce, English, Law, etc. at bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels. Jamia conducts its independent entrance test for various courses.
University of Delhi
One of the most coveted central universities in India, the University of Delhi was established in the year 1922. Amongst the Delhi University courses after 12th, BA and BSc are the most sought-after programs. There are over 90 colleges affiliated with the university and the enrollment into UG courses is based on merit i.e class 12th board examination scores. For some PG courses, it conducts its own test, however, for pursuing courses like MBA in Delhi University, clearing CAT is essential.
Tezpur University
Tezpur University was established in the state of Assam in 1994. It is revered for its Science, Technology, Humanities, and Management courses. It also houses a Centre for Open and Distance Learning through which diplomas, certificates, and post-graduate, and undergraduate courses are offered. The Tezpur Univerity Entrance Exam [TUEE] is conducted for granting admission to various programs like Integrated B.Sc. B.Ed, MA English, etc.
North-Eastern Hill University
North-Eastern Hill University was started in the year 1973 in the city of Shillong and also has a campus in Tura. M.Sc. in Horticulture, Master of Tourism & Travel Management, BA LL.B.(Hons), and B.Arch, are some of the popular courses of the university. There are 53 colleges affiliated with it, which offer undergraduate programs.
Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University
The Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University was established in 1944. It offers the kind of education needed through various inclusive, society-oriented programs for transforming our country in the disciplines of Humanities and Sciences, Engineering, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Business, Law, Education and Environmental Sciences – through a breadth of highly regarded degree programs that allow students the freedom to explore their intellectual and personal growth.
Assam University
Assam University came into existence in 1944 after the enactment of the Assam (Central) University Act 1989. Through its pursuit, Assam University is in the process of making itself an institute of excellence. It offers programs in humanities, languages, environmental sciences, information sciences, law, technology, management studies, etc. The university offers major courses such as MBA, BTech, MTech, BA LLM, PGDM, etc. Admission to these courses is entrance-based.
Mahatma Gandhi Central University
Mahatma Gandhi Central University came into existence by an act of parliament, the central universities Amendment Act 2014. The University became functional on 3rd Feb 2016. The university is offering both UG and PG courses in 7 schools and 15 departments. School of Commerce & Management Sciences, School of computational sciences, School of Education, School of humanities and languages, School of Life Sciences, School of Physical Sciences, School of Social Sciences.
Visva Bharti University
In May 1951, Visva Bharti University was declared to be a central university and an institute of national importance. The university is divided into institutes, centres, departments, and schools. The respective departments are included in the institutes. Visva Bharti offers various courses in higher studies like Pre-degree (10+2), undergraduate, postgraduate, PhD, etc. In order to take admission to Visva Bharti, every student needs to go through the process properly.
Rajiv Gandhi University
Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences was set up in 1996 by the government of Karnataka, India for the regulation and promotion of higher education in health sciences throughout the state of Karnataka. RGUHS is a member of the association of commonwealth universities.
CUCET 2022 Participating Universities
Following is the list of central universities of different states with their codes and the total number of seats:
| Names of Universities | Codes | Total No. of Seats |
| Central University of Jammu | CUJAM | 1364 |
| Central University of Odisha | CUO | 524 |
| Central University of Haryana | CUHAR | 1132 |
| Central University of Punjab | CUPUN | 853 |
| Central University of Kashmir | CUKAS | 838 |
| Central University of South Bihar | CUSBR | 1115 |
| Central University of Jharkhand | CUJHD | 782 |
| Central University of Karnataka | CUKNK | 631 |
| Central University of Rajasthan | CURAJ | 1030 |
| Central University of Kerela | CUKER | 1009 |
| Central University of Tamil Nadu | CUTND | 1129 |
| Central University of Gujarat | CUGUJ | 660 |
| Central University of Andhra Pradesh | CUAPH | 195 |
| Central University of Assam | CUASM | 78 |
| Central University of Bengaluru | BASE | 100 |
| Central University of Behrampur | KUBO | 144 |
| Central University of Jodhpur | SPPU | 154 |
Also Read: Top 10 Engineering Colleges in India
Top 10 Central Universities in India
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
- Banaras Hindu University, Uttar Pradesh
- Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
- University of Hyderabad, Telangana
- Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh
- University of Delhi, Delhi
- Tezpur University, Assam
- Pondicherry University, Pondicherry
- North-Eastern Hill University, Meghalaya
- Visva Bharati University, West Bengal
Best Central Universities in India
| Universities | NIRF Ranking (2022) |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | 1 |
| Banaras Hindu University | 2 |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | 3 |
| University of Hyderabad | 4 |
| Aligarh Muslim University | 5 |
| University of Delhi | 6 |
FAQs
The universities that are established and registered under the Act of Parliament as well as run and funded by the UGC are termed as the Central universities. On the other hand, the states universities come under the state government and are managed by them along with some autonomous bodies.
There are 54 central universities in India.
Institutes like IIT and IIM are categorized as centrally funded technical institutes.
Though not restricted to the above-mentioned academic institutes, pursuing higher education from central universities in India has always been a preferred choice for the scores of students. Not sure which career path to choose after the 12th? Then reach out to Leverage Edu experts who will gauge your skills and interests and recommend the most suitable courses for you!
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