Universities In India

fter independence in 1947 the prime need to structure the education system in India was recognized by its leaders because it was totally collapsed during the foreign rule. A lot of work was needed to be done in a short span of time thus the government encouraged private parties also to open universities and other educational institutions to meet the requirement. Hence, in India both private and public universities exist being supported by either the state or the central government. These all universities are regulated and recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under the University Grants Commission Act 1956. For coordinating with them and accrediting them 15 other Professional Councils were established.

Types of Universities in India: -

Union University or Central University: – There are 42 Universities being governed by the department of higher education of the HRD ministry of India.

State Universities: – State universities are governed by the respective state governments. There are 281 state universities listed with the UGC and more than 170 from them receive central grants or the grants from the UGC.

Deemed University or Deemed to be University: – When Department of higher education of either the central government or state government grants the status of autonomy to a university on the advice of the UGC which is called a Deemed university. There are altogether 130 Deemed Universities in India as per the list of the UGC.

Private universities: – Private universities are also approved by the UGC and they are allowed to grant degrees but they can’t affiliate colleges outside their campus. The number of private universities listed in the UG is 94 as per the list declared on 1st September 2011. Other Institutions (Universities) – The above mentioned universities are either granted or governed by the University Grants Commission but there are many more institutions in India which are granted the status of a university without having the name of a university and they have been also permitted to award degrees or diplomas for the courses they run. However, they are not permitted to affiliate colleges and are known as autonomous organization or autonomous institution. They are controlled and administered by the Department of higher education, government of India. Some of the premier autonomous institutions enjoying the status of a university are as follows :

• Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)
• National Institute of Technology (NIT)
• Indian Institute of Science, Education and Research (IISER)
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM)

Some of these institutions provide degrees while others provide diplomas. Professional councils of India also govern and regulate some institutions which are autonomous having the status of a university. Some of them are approved by the UGC also and most of them are being managed without approval of the UGC. For example Agricultural Universities, which are administered by the Agricultural Education Division under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). There are altogether 47 Agriculture Universities under ICAR, out of them 37 are recognized by the UGC. One more institution having the status of a university is Institutes of National Importance (INIs). They are entitled for special funding and recognition and set by an act of parliament and controlled by department of higher education, government of India.