Deemed university

In India, a '''deemed university''' or '''deemed-to-be-university''' is an accreditation granted to higher educational institutions by the Ministry of Education under The Section 3 of University Grants Commission Act 1956.<ref>{{cite web|title=UGC Act-1956|url=http://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/upload_document/ugc_act.pdf|website=Ministry of Education |publisher=Secretary, University Grants Commission|access-date=1 February 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IISST) Thiruvananthapuram Declared as Deemed to be University |url=http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=40292 |date=14 July 2008 |publisher=Union Human Resource Development Ministry, Press Information Bureau|access-date=3 September 2011}}</ref>

The Indian Institute of Science is the first institute to be granted deemed university status on 12 May 1958. According to the government's definition, the accreditation indicates, "''an Institution of higher education, other than universities, '''working at a very high standard in specific area of study'''''" and the accreditation grants "''the academic status and privileges of a university''".<ref>{{cite web|title=Deemed University|url=https://www.education.gov.in/en/deemed-university#:~:text=an%20institution,a%20university|website=Ministry of Human Resource Development |publisher=MHRD}}</ref>

According to the UGC section 3 "The expression 'University' means a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act, a Provincial Act or a State Act, and includes any such institution as may, in consultation with the University concerned, be recognized by the Commission in accordance with the regulations made in this behalf under this Act."

==Deemed university status== The higher education system in India includes both private and public universities. Public universities are supported by the Government of India and the state governments, while private universities are mostly supported by various bodies and societies. Universities in India are recognized by the University Grants Commission, which draws its power from the ''University Grants Commission Act, 1956''.<ref name=Act>{{cite web|title=University Grants Commission Act, 1956|url=http://mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/ugc_act.pdf|publisher=Union Human Resource Development Ministry|access-date=3 September 2011}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In addition to this, 15 Professional Councils are established, controlling different aspects of accreditation and coordination.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/pcouncil.html |title= Professional Councils-Inside H E – University Grants Commission |work=ugc.ac.in |access-date=11 August 2011 |publisher=University Grants Commission |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106075646/http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/pcouncil.html |archive-date=6 January 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The status of a deemed to be university allows full autonomy in courses, syllabus, admissions and fees.<ref>{{cite web |publisher = NDTV|url= http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/what_is_a_deemed_university.php |title=What is a Deemed University? |date = 19 January 2010|work=ndtv.com |access-date=14 February 2012}}</ref> {{as of|2025|08|}}, the UGC lists 146 institutes which were granted the deemed to be university status.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ListOfDeemedToBeUniversity |url=https://deemed.ugc.ac.in/Home/ListOfDeemedToBeUniversity |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241217204403/https://deemed.ugc.ac.in/Home/ListOfDeemedToBeUniversity |archive-date=2024-12-17 |access-date=2025-02-09 |website=deemed.ugc.ac.in}}</ref> According to this list, the first institute to be granted deemed university status was Indian Institute of Science which was granted this status on 12 May 1958. The state with the most deemed universities is Tamil Nadu with 28 universities having deemed status.<ref name="Deemed">{{cite web |date=30 November 2021 |title=List of Institutions Which Have Been Declared as Deemed To Be Universities as On 30 November 2021 |url=https://www.ugc.ac.in/oldpdf/Deemed%20University/Deemed-University-Consolidated-Deemed-Universities-List_30_11_21.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220206120109/https://www.ugc.ac.in/oldpdf/Deemed%20University/Deemed-University-Consolidated-Deemed-Universities-List_30_11_21.pdf |archive-date=6 February 2022 |access-date=6 February 2022 |work=ugc.ac.in |publisher=University Grants Commission}}</ref>

Section 12 (B) of the UGC Act of 1956 also grants the UGC the right to "allocate and disburse, out of the Fund of the Commission, grants to Universities..."<ref name=Act/> As such, the UGC categorizes institutes as either "declared fit to receive Central/UGC assistance under Section 12 (B) of the UGC Act–1956", or not, and notes this status at the lists published. Updates to these declarations are done in meetings of the UGC and published in the minutes.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.ugc.ac.in/page/Decision-by-the-Commission.aspx |title= Decision by the Commission |work=ugc.ac.in |access-date=1 July 2017|publisher=University Grants Commission}}</ref> As of August 2025, 67 institutes are categorized as fit to receive Central/UGC assistance.<ref name="Fit">{{cite web |date=24 August 2022 |title=List of lnstitutions Deemed to be Universities included under Section 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956 (as on 24.08.2022) |url=https://www.ugc.ac.in/oldpdf/Deemed%20University/1452975_Consolidated-Deemed-Universities-List.pdf |access-date=25 October 2022 |publisher=University Grants Commission}}</ref>

==Other types== Other types of universities under the regulatory purview of the UGC include: * Central universities, or Union universities are established by Act of Parliament and are under the purview of the Department of Higher Education.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mhrd.gov.in/central_univ_eng|title=Central Universities|work=mhrd.gov.in|access-date=13 March 2012|publisher=Union Human Resource Development Ministry|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303143139/http://mhrd.gov.in/central_univ_eng|archive-date=3 March 2012}}</ref> * State universities are run by the state government of each of the states and territories of India, and are usually established by a state legislative assembly act.<ref name=State>{{cite web|url=http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/State_UniversityNovember2011.pdf|title=List of State Universities|date=30 November 2011|access-date=13 February 2012|publisher=University Grants Commission}}</ref> * Institute under State Legislature Act is an Institution established or incorporated by a State Legislature Act, in India.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://mhrd.gov.in/university-and-higher-education|title = Department of Higher Education | Government of India, Ministry of Education}}</ref> Institutes that are 'under State Legislature Act' enjoy academic status and privileges of state universities. * State private universities are established under the State Act approved by the UGC. They can grant degrees but they are not allowed to have off-campus affiliated colleges.<ref name=Private>{{cite web |url=http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/privateuniversity.html |title=Private Universities – University Grants Commission |work=ugc.ac.in |date=10 February 2012 |access-date=17 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206110726/http://www.ugc.ac.in/inside/privateunivnotice.html |archive-date=6 February 2012 |publisher=University Grants Commission |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

Category:Deemed universities in India Category:Types of university or college