UPES Dehradun BA Admissions 2026
Ranked #45 Among Universities in India by NIRF | 1950+ Students Placed, 91% Placement, 800+ Recruiters
Search Colleges, Exams, Schools & more
Login
Central Universities in India: Full List of MHRD, UGC Approved Central University
Central Universities in India - India, with an international education index of 131/191, consist a total of 54 central universities. Of these Indian central universities, 40 are centrally funded through the University Grants Commission (UGC), under the purview of the Ministry of Education (MoE) and another nine enjoy the autonomous status, directly funded by the Government of India (GoI). Every state in India has at least one central university, except Goa. In this article of central universities in India, Careers360 brings you the list of institutions established under the Central Universities Act tagged with a special status amongst the other universities in India. In this article, you can know about top 10 central universities in India.
This Story also Contains
- What are Central Universities?
- How many Central Universities are there in India?
- Top 10 Central Universities in India
- List of Central Universities in India
- Which are the Top 5 Universities in CUET?
- Best Central Universities in India
- What is CUET?
What are Central Universities?
Central universities are those universities that are established by an act of parliament and are under the purview of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education. The Central University of India have been categorised under the Center (Union Government), given that the funds are allocated by the Ministry of Education through the UGC. Central University's ranking is based on NIRF.
How many Central Universities are there in India?
There are as many as 54 central universities established in India, of which Allahabad University is the oldest of all, being established in 1887. The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh is the youngest of all, established in 2019. But for three states/union territories of India, at least one central university has been established in every state, barring Goa. The ranking for Central Universities in India is based on the NIRF and it is done every year.
State-wise distribution of Central Universities in India
States/Union Territories | Number of Central Universities |
Andhra Pradesh | 3 |
Arunachal Pradesh | 1 |
Assam | 2 |
Bihar | 4 |
Chandigarh | 0 |
Chhattisgarh | 1 |
Delhi | 7 |
Goa | 0 |
Gujarat | 1 |
Haryana | 1 |
Himachal Pradesh | 1 |
Jammu & Kashmir | 2 |
Jharkhand | 1 |
Karnataka | 1 |
Kerala | 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 | 3 |
Tripura | 1 |
Uttar Pradesh | 6 |
Uttarakhand | 1 |
West Bengal | 1 |
Total | 54 |
Of all the states and union territories, New Delhi tops that chart with as many as seven, the highest number of central universities, followed closely by Uttar Pradesh with six central universities and Bihar with four central universities. Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana contribute with their three universities to the national number of central universities. The total number of central universities in India are 54.
Top 10 Central Universities in India
Here is the list of 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
CUET 2024 College Predictor
Know your admission chances in CUET Courses based on CUET Score by using CUET College Predictor 2024.
Try NowList of Central Universities in India
S.No. | University | State/Union Territory (Location) | Year of Establishment |
1 | Uttar Pradesh (Aligarh) | 1920 | |
2 | Assam (Silchar) | 1994 | |
3 | Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow) | 1996 | |
4 | Uttar Pradesh (Varanasi) | 1916 | |
5 | Manipur (Imphal) | 1993 | |
6 | Gujarat (Gandhinagar) | 2009 | |
7 | Haryana (Mahendragarh) | 2009 | |
8 | Himachal Pradesh (Dharamshala) | 2009 | |
9 | Jammu & Kashmir (Jammu) | 2011 | |
10 | Jharkhand (Ranchi) | 2009 | |
11 | Karnataka (Gulbarga) | 2009 | |
12 | Jammu & Kashmir (Srinagar) | 2009 | |
13 | Kerala (Kasaragod) | 2009 | |
14 | Odisha (Koraput) | 2009 | |
15 | Punjab (Bhatinda) | 2009 | |
16 | Rajasthan (Ajmer) | 2009 | |
17 | Bihar (Gaya) | 2009 | |
18 | Tamil Nadu (Tiruvarur) | 2009 | |
19 | Madhya Pradesh (Sagar) | 1946 (2009)+ | |
20 | Bihar (Pusa, Samastipur) | 1905 (2016)+ | |
21 | Telangana (Hyderabad) | 1958 (2007)+ | |
22 | Chhattisgarh (Bilaspur) | 1983 (2009)+ | |
23 | Uttarakhand (Srinagar) | 1973 (2009)+ | |
24 | Tamil Nadu (Chennai) | 2008 | |
25 | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1985 | |
26 | Madhya Pradesh (Amarkantak) | 2007 | |
27 | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1920 (1988)+ | |
28 | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1969 | |
29 | Maharashtra (Wardha) | 1997 | |
30 | Bihar (Motihari) | 2016 | |
31 | Manipur (Imphal) | 1985 (2005)+ | |
32 | Telangana (Hyderabad) | 1998 | |
33 | Mizoram (Aizawl) | 2000 | |
34 | Nagaland (Lumami) | 1994 | |
35 | Bihar (Rajgir, Nalanda) | 2010 | |
36 | Manipur (Imphal) | 2018 | |
37 | Meghalaya (Shillong) | 1973 | |
38 | Puducherry (Pondicherry) | 1985 | |
39 | Uttar Pradesh (Raebareily) | 2013 | |
40 | Arunachal Pradesh (Itanagar) | 1985 (2007)+ | |
41 | Uttar Pradesh (Jhansi) | 2014 | |
42 | Sikkim (Gangtok) | 2007 | |
43 | Delhi (New Delhi) | 2010 | |
44 | Assam (Tezpur) | 1994 | |
45 | Tripura (Agartala) | 1987 | |
46 | Uttar Pradesh (Allahabad) | 1887 | |
47 | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1922 | |
48 | Telangana (Hyderabad) | 1974 | |
49 | West Bengal (Shantiniketan) | 1921 | |
50 | Andhra Pradesh | 2018 | |
51 | Andhra Pradesh | 1956 | |
52 | Andhra Pradesh | 2019 | |
53 | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1962 | |
54 | Delhi (New Delhi) | 1970 |
+Granted Central University Status
*Established by Central Universities Act, 2009
^Directly funded by Ministry of Education, GoI and not through UGC
Which are the Top 5 Universities in CUET?
There are number of universities in India that provides CUET courses. Various central, state, deemed and private universities has taken part in the CUET every year. Some of the central universities are BHU, JNU, JMI, Central Universities of Andhra and many others. Willing candidates can check the full list of the universities through the website of NTA.
Best Central Universities in India
Given below are the few top central universities in India list based on the NIRF 2025 ranking published by Ministry of Education. These universities are included in the five top universities in India, according to the NIRF ranking 2025. Jawaharlal Nehru University is the top central university in India according to NIRF 2025 ranking. Here is a list of the top central university in India rank wise.
Top Central Universities in India
Universities | NIRF Ranking (2025) |
Jawaharlal Nehru University | 2 |
Jamia Millia Islamia | 4 |
Banaras Hindu University | 6 |
Aligarh Muslim University | 10 |
University of Hyderabad | 18 |
Presidency University BA Admissions 2026
NAAC A+ Accredited | Scholarships Available | Interest Free loans Available
RV University, Bangalore | B.A Admissions 2026
Highly qualified faculty from diverse academic backgrounds. An interdisciplinary curriculum blending humanities, social sciences, and liberal arts.
Also Read:
What is CUET?
The Common University Entrance Test, or CUET, is a common entrance test for admission to UG courses at all central universities. The scores of CUET entrance test are used for admission to state, private, and deemed-to-be universities in the case of UG admissions.
Also Read,
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: How many central universities are in India?
A:
There are a total of 54 central universities in India.
Q: Which is the no.1 central university in India?
A:
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi is the no.1 ranking central university in India.
Q: Which central university is best under CUCET?
A:
Jawaharlal Nehru University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Banaras Hindu University are the best central universities under CUET.
Articles
Related Stories
|
Upcoming University Exams
Popular Courses and Specializations
Popular Degrees
Popular Branches
List of colleges accepting CUET UG
Browse University Colleges by State
Questions related to CUET UG
On Question asked by student community
Have a question related to CUET UG ?
The tentative admission schedule for UG and Diploma Programmes of IGNTU, session 2024 is
1.Online Registration Start from 05-August-2024 to 25- August -2024
2.Declaration of the First Counselling List (Tentative) 28- August -2024
3.Date of Counselling and Document Verification in the respective Department (offline mode):
03 September 2024 – 04
Hello aspirant,
Congratulations on scoring 308 in the CUET UG 2024 exam!
This is a good score and opens up several options for you in BA programs.
Explore different BA programs offered by various universities. Consider your interests and career goals to choose the right specialization. Each university has specific
Hello,
With a CUET UG 2024 score of 452, your chances of getting into top B.Tech programs in Computer Science Engineering (CSE), Information Technology (IT), or Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AIML) will depend on the cut-offs for each college and the competition that year. While specific cut-offs can vary,
Hello Krish,
With a CUET score of 522 and belonging to the SC category, you have a good chance of securing admission to some reputed colleges for B.Com (Hons). Here are some suggestions for colleges that you might consider applying to:
Delhi University Colleges:
Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC)
Hello ayush hope you are doing well
BSc is a future oriented course which emphasis on research as well as teaching oriented degree It gives you a depth on that subject But it depends on your future what you want to do. Btech is industry based course and Bsc is
Applications for Admissions are open.
Amity University-Noida BA Admissions 2026
ApplyAmong top 100 Universities Globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Interdisciplinary Science Rankings 2026
ICFAI Jharkhand B.A Admissions 2026
ApplyEducation World: Ranked 2nd in Jharkhand by Education World India Private Universities Ranking-2021
University of Southampton Delhi | BSc (Hons) Admissions 2026
ApplyB.Sc (Hons) Admissions 2026 Now Open | Ranked Among the Top 100 Universities in the World by QS World University Rankings 2025 | Early Round 2 Applications Deadline: 29th Jan’26
UPES Dehradun BA Admissions 2026
ApplyRanked #45 Among Universities in India by NIRF | 1950+ Students Placed, 91% Placement, 800+ Recruiters
ICFAI Hyderabad BA Admissions 2026
ApplyMerit Scholarships | NAAC A+ Accredited | Top Recruiters: Nvidia, CISCO, Genpact, Amazon & many more
Lovely Professional University Admissions 2026
ApplyIndia's Largest University | NAAC A++ | 100% Placements Record | Highest CTC 2.5 Cr PA | 150 + Programmes across Multiple Disciplines
CUET UG Notifications
CUET UG 2026 registration ends today; apply at cuet.nta.nic.in
Sundararajan
Feb 26, 2026
NTA opens CUET UG 2026 application correction facility; editable fields
Vaishnavi Shukla
Feb 09, 2026
NTA CUET UG 2026 registration deadline today; CBT exam from May 11 to 31
Sundararajan
Feb 04, 2026
CUET UG syllabus 2026 out; NTA lists 37 subjects, revises key topics
Vaishnavi Shukla
Dec 29, 2025
CUET UG 2026: NTA issues advisory for aspirants; exam in May
Vaishnavi Shukla
Dec 27, 2025
Never miss CUET UG update
Get timely CUET UG updates directly to your inbox. Stay informed!