What is a Deemed University?
Deemed university, also known as deemed-to-be-university, is the recognition given to higher education institutions in India by the DHE (Department of Higher Education). On the recommendation of UGC (University Grant Commission), this status is conferred under the MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development). There are 130 deemed institutions in India, with Tamil Nadu having the most—28. The designated university has complete independence. It is free to choose how the course will be taught, how much it will cost, and how admissions criteria will be implemented.
Types of Universities in India
According to government regulations, institutions are categorised according to the type of education and courses they provide. The UGC in India recognises universities. In addition to UGC, there are currently 15 Professional Councils that regulate different facets of accreditation.
In India right now, there are 789 universities. These institutions of higher learning are divided into Central, State, Private, and Deemed-to-be universities. Look at the table below to see how many universities there are overall in India, broken down by category.
Universities | Total Number |
State Universities | 359 |
Deemed-to-be Universities | 123 |
Central Universities | 47 |
Private Universities | 260 |
Total | 789 |
Now, let's understand what each of these categories means-
Type of University | Features |
Central University | Established or incorporated by the Central Act, these universities are put under the direct purview of the Ministry of Human Resource and Development's Department of Higher Education. Assam University, University of Delhi, Rajiv Gandhi University, Sikkim University, Aligarh Muslim University, etc. are some of the central universities in India. |
Private Universities | These are also UGC-approved but are not central or state-funded. Also, they cannot establish off-campus colleges or further affiliate any other college or institution but are allowed to grant degrees. They strictly need to adhere to UGC's prescribed rules and regulations for their operations and are inspected in a timely basis by UGC's committees as well. |
State Universities | Incorporated under the Provincial or State Act, these universities are founded, funded, and operated by the state government. Also, they have the authority to confer as well as grant degrees to individuals. |
Deemed Universities | Mainly referred to as a high performing institution, a Deemed-to-be-university is given the status of autonomy by the MHRD's Department of Higher Education. They have complete autonomy to decide their offered programs, syllabus, application and admission procedure as well as fees. If a deemed university continues to perform well, they have the potential chance of becoming a full-fledged university. |
Autonomous Institutes & Colleges | Allowed autonomy to control their admissions, courses, syllabus, and other operations, autonomous institutes and colleges are administered by the Department of Higher Education, MHRD. Autonomous colleges have their affiliation to a particular university which issues degrees on their behalf while autonomous institutes are more like deemed universities and can grant diplomas as well as enjoy the autonomy of their admissions, courses, etc. |
Top Deemed Universities in India
Below is a list of Deemed Universities in India's main states and union territories is according to Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956-
Difference between Deemed, Autonomous & Private Institutes
Deemed-to-be University | Autonomous Institutes | Private University |
Can decide their own syllabus | More academic freedom to change courses and syllabus | Can decide their own syllabus |
Can grant diploma or degree to students | Degrees are mostly awarded by affiliated university (except for some Central / state funded institutes like IIMs and IITs) | Can grant diploma or degree to students, post approval from UGC |
Full autonomy or independence in deciding courses, syllabus, admissions and fees | Independent control over their daily operations, syllabus, admission procedure | Needs to adhere to UGC rules and regulations for daily operations |
Autonomy granted by Department of Higher Education (DHE), MHRD, on the advice of UGC | Fall under the administrative control of Department of Higher Education (DHE), MHRD | UGC approved institutes |
Deemed University Meaning: How is it Categorised?
A university must do a few actions in order to receive the UGC's designation of "deemed to be university." They are as follows:
- The said university should have been awarded the highest score by the NAAC, in some circumstances, the NBA for five consecutive cycles.
- For the NBA, credit should be given for each course that qualifies. During the application process, the university can also aim for the highest NAAC/NBA category or snag a spot on the list of the top 100 institutions in the National Ranking Framework.
- In terms of academics, teaching strategies, research facilities, etc., the university should satisfy all the requirements of a good institution.
- The institution should be conferring five post-graduate degrees in addition to undergraduate ones for 3 years in succession.
- It should be involved in various research and scholarly activities, along with different publication works. Faculty of Humanities should have a minimum of 10 publications, Faculty of Engineering and Medicine should have a minimum of 15 publications in journals referred by UGC, per year.
- According to UGC standards, the university should have a large number of full-time teaching staff members for both teaching and research operations.
- The institution should have the necessary facilities and infrastructure for doing research and collecting data.
- The institution should be able to prove that it has received money for numerous research projects from a variety of commercial and governmental organisations.
- The institution should formally provide social and humanitarian services.
- The university should consent to not offering courses via distance learning.
Difference between State Universities and Deemed Universities
State Universities | Deemed Universities |
Establish by a law passed by the legislature of a state | It is ‘deemed to be a university as defined in the UGC act of 1956 |
State universities decide their fee structure and course curriculum using a streamlined approach while keeping in mind that courses are affordable and economical | A deemed university has the autonomy to design its course fees and structure the way it wants to |
Offers various facilities but not as advanced as Deemed Universities | State-of-the-art infrastructure and advanced facilities |
Grant degrees to the enrolled students | May or may not grant degrees as it depends on the course structure they choose |
Benefits of Studying in Deemed University
The UGC designation on your institution is a benefit; a deemed university is one that has received recognition for outstanding performance based on its standards for education and research. All universities are equal when it comes to higher education, however because of their facilities, faculty, and course structures, deemed institutions are preferred for research and specialization.