# Central university (India)

Central universities in India 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. In general, universities in India are recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC), which draws its power from the University Grants Commission Act, 1956. In addition, 15 Professional Councils are established, controlling different aspects of accreditation and coordination. Central universities, in addition, are covered by the Central Universities Act, 2009, which regulates their purpose, powers, governance etc., and established 12 new universities. As of June 2023, the list of central universities published by the UGC includes 56 central universities.

## Universities by state

The region with the most central universities in India 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.
Central universities by state and union territory :
| State / union territory | Central universities |
| Andhra Pradesh | 3 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | 1 |
| Assam | 2 |
| Bihar | 4 |
| Chhattisgarh | 1 |
| Delhi | 7 |
| Gujarat | 2 |
| Haryana | 1 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 1 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 2 |
| Jharkhand | 1 |
| Karnataka | 1 |
| Kerala | 1 |
| Ladakh | 1 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 2 |
| Maharashtra | 1 |
| Manipur | 3 |
| Meghalaya | 1 |
| Mizoram | 1 |
| Nagaland | 1 |
| Odisha | 1 |
| Puducherry | 1 |
| Punjab | 1 |
| Rajasthan | 1 |
| Sikkim | 1 |
| Tamil Nadu | 2 |
| Telangana | 4 |
| Tripura | 1 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 6 |
| Uttarakhand | 1 |
| West Bengal | 1 |
| Total | 57 |

## List of central universities in India

The establishment Act of universities established by the Central Universities Act, 2009, or after it, is noted. All other universities were established by a specific Act.
Central universities of India :
| University | State | Location | Centralised | Established | Specialisation |
| Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh | Vizianagaram | 2019 | 2019 | Tribal General |
| Central University of Andhra Pradesh | Andhra Pradesh | Anantapuram | 2019 | 2019 | General |
| National Sanskrit University | Andhra Pradesh | Tirupati | 2020 | 1956 | Sanskrit |
| Rajiv Gandhi University | Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | 2007 | 1985 | General |
| Assam University | Assam | Silchar | 1994 | 1994 | General |
| Tezpur University | Assam | Tezpur | 1994 | 1994 | General |
| Central University of South Bihar | Bihar | Gaya | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Mahatma Gandhi Central University | Bihar | Motihari | 2016 | 2016 | General |
| Nalanda University | Bihar | Rajgir, Nalanda | 2010 | 2010 | International university |
| Dr. Rajendra Prasad Central Agriculture University | Bihar | Samastipur | 2016 | 1905 | Agriculture |
| Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya | Chhattisgarh | Bilaspur | 2009 | 1983 | General |
| Central Sanskrit University | Delhi | New Delhi | 2020 | 1970 | Sanskrit |
| Indira Gandhi National Open University | Delhi | New Delhi | 1985 | 1985 | Distance education |
| Jamia Millia Islamia | Delhi | New Delhi | 1988 | 1920 | General |
| Jawaharlal Nehru University | Delhi | New Delhi | 1969 | 1969 | General |
| Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri National Sanskrit University | Delhi | New Delhi | 2020 | 1962 | Sanskrit |
| South Asian University | Delhi | New Delhi | 2010 | 2010 | International university |
| University of Delhi | Delhi | New Delhi | 1922 | 1922 | General |
| Central University of Gujarat | Gujarat | Gandhinagar | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya | Gujarat | Vadodara | 2018 | 2022 | Transport |
| Central University of Haryana | Haryana | Mahendragarh | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Central University of Himachal Pradesh | Himachal Pradesh | Dharamsala | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Central University of Jammu | Jammu and Kashmir | Jammu | 2011 | 2011 | General |
| Central University of Kashmir | Jammu and Kashmir | Ganderbal | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Central University of Jharkhand | Jharkhand | Ranchi | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Central University of Karnataka | Karnataka | Kalaburagi | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Central University of Kerala | Kerala | Kasaragod | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Sindhu Central University | Ladakh | Khalatse | 2021 | 2021 | General |
| Dr. Hari Singh Gour University | Madhya Pradesh | Sagar | 2009 | 1946 | General |
| Indira Gandhi National Tribal University | Madhya Pradesh | Amarkantak | 2007 | 2007 | General |
| Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya | Maharashtra | Wardha | 1997 | 1997 | Hindi language |
| Central Agricultural University | Manipur | Imphal | 1993 | 1993 | Agriculture |
| Manipur University | Manipur | Imphal | 2005 | 1980 | General |
| National Sports University | Manipur | Imphal | 2018 | 2018 | Sports |
| North Eastern Hill University | Meghalaya | Shillong | 1973 | 1973 | General |
| Mizoram University | Mizoram | Aizawl | 2000 | 2000 | General |
| Nagaland University | Nagaland | Lumami | 1994 | 1994 | General |
| Central University of Odisha | Odisha | Koraput | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Pondicherry University | Puducherry | Pondicherry | 1985 | 1985 | General |
| Central University of Punjab | Punjab | Bathinda | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Central University of Rajasthan | Rajasthan | Ajmer | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Sikkim University | Sikkim | Gangtok | 2007 | 2007 | General |
| Central University of Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu | Tiruvarur | 2009 | 2009 | General |
| Indian Maritime University | Tamil Nadu | Chennai | 2008 | 2008 | Marine science |
| English and Foreign Languages University | Telangana | Hyderabad | 2007 | 1958 | English and foreign languages |
| Maulana Azad National Urdu University | Telangana | Hyderabad | 1998 | 1998 | Urdu language |
| University of Hyderabad | Telangana | Hyderabad | 1974 | 1974 | General |
| Sammakka Sarakka Central Tribal University | Telangana | Mulugu | 2023 | 2023 | General |
| Tripura University | Tripura | Agartala | 1987 | 1987 | General |
| Aligarh Muslim University | Uttar Pradesh | Aligarh | 1920 | 1920 | General |
| University of Allahabad | Uttar Pradesh | Prayagraj | 2005 | 1887 | General |
| Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow | 1996 | 1996 | General |
| Banaras Hindu University | Uttar Pradesh | Varanasi | 1916 | 1916 | General |
| Rajiv Gandhi National Aviation University | Uttar Pradesh | Raebareli | 2013 | 2013 | Aviation science |
| Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University | Uttar Pradesh | Jhansi | 2014 | 2014 | Agriculture |
| Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University | Uttarakhand | Srinagar | 2009 | 1973 | General |
| Visva-Bharati University | West Bengal | Shantiniketan | 1921 | 1921 | General |

### Notes

* 1 2 3 4 5 Established under amendments Central Universities (Amendment) Act, 2014, Central Universities (Amendment) Act, 2019, Central Universities (Amendment) Act, 2021 and Central Universities (Amendment) Act, 2022.
* 1 2 3 Established under The Central Sanskrit Universities Act, 2020
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Directly funded by Government of India and not by UGC.
* ↑ Established under central act Nalanda University Act, 2010
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Established by the Central Universities Act, 2009