Universities in India

As the most populous country in the world with a population approaching 1.4 billion people, it is no surprise that India has many educational institutions, with over 1,100 universities providing higher education to domestic and international students.

The types of University

The universities in India that are able to award degrees are governed by the countries University Grants Commission (UGC), and can be divided into the following categories:

• State universities – There are 28 states in India, and 8 territories, each with an individual government. State universities are run by their respective state government, and number over 470. These include institutions such as the University of Rajasthan, Utkal University and the University of Madras.
• Central universities – These are universities that are formed as a result of an act of parliament in India. They are publicly funded and there may be 1 or more to each Indian state. There are over 50 state universities in India, including the University of Hyderabad, the University of Allahabad and the University of Delhi.
• State Private universities – These universities are approved by the UGC and do not receive public funding. There are over 450 state private universities in India, including Chitkara University, Punjab, Suresh Gyan Vihar University and Mangalayatan University.
• Deemed university – The accreditation of Deemed university status is awarded in India to higher education institutions that operate at a very high standard, often focusing on a specific field such as Engineering or Veterinary studies. There are over 120 such institutions in India currently, including the Forest Research Institute, Institute of Advanced Studies in Education and the Indian Law Institute.

Language of instruction

With such a large population of people from various backgrounds, India is a country of many languages, with 23 official languages. Hindi is the most widely spoken first language in the country, followed by Bengali.

Historically, English has been used as the language of instruction at the major universities in India, making it relatively easy for international students to get by, although this is beginning to change. There is an increasing shift toward using native languages such as Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali in state universities. There are also many universities in India that primarily use their dominant local language as their language of instruction.

Popular student cities in India

There are over 300 cities in India with a population of over 100,000 people, so the list of cities to consider as an international student is a long one. Here is our pick of 6 popular Indian cities to consider, but there are many more that offer a great experience for international students.

• Delhi – Located in the north of the country, Delhi is the capital city of India. Full of history as one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world, and one of the most populous cities in India, Delhi has 28 universities to choose from. This includes 7 central universities such as the South Asian University and the University of Delhi, and 10 state universities such as Delhi Technological University and Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women.
• Mumbai – Sitting on the west coast of India, Mumbai is India’s largest city, with a population of over 20 million people. It is a massive bustling cosmopolitan metropolis and is home to business and industry alike. It is home to many universities such as the University of Mumbai, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and Maharashtra National Law University Mumbai.
• Bengaluru – Located in the south of the country, Bengaluru (also known as Bangalore) is the country’s leading city for IT, and is often referred to as the Silicon Valley of India. Many of India’s top educational institutions can be found in Bengaluru, including Bangalore University, Raman Research Institute and the Indian Institute of Science.
• Pune – Located in the west of the country, Pune earned the nickname ‘The Oxford of the East’ due to its selection of high quality education institutions. These include Savitribai Phule Pune University, Tilak Maharashtra University and MIT – World Peace University.
• Hyderabad – In central southern India lies Hyderabad, the fourth most populous city in India. It has a strong technological background and is home to many excellent universities including the University of Hyderabad, Osmania University and the International Institute of Information Technology.
• Chennai – Located in the Bay of Bengal in south east India, Chennai is home to universities such as the University of Madras and Anna University.

The top ranked universities in India