CollegesKinds of universities and colleges in India
Who can award a degree, and what the labels on a prospectus mean.
- Central universities 57 on the UGC list
- State universities 523 on the UGC list
- State private universities 560 on the UGC list
- Deemed to be universities 164 on the UGC list
- National institutes on the UGC list 53 on the UGC list
Who can award a degree
In India only certain bodies have the right to award a degree: a university set up by an Act of Parliament or of a state legislature, an institution deemed to be a university, and an institution specially empowered by an Act of Parliament. This is laid down in the UGC Act. An institution outside these groups that hands out "degrees" is what the UGC calls a fake university.
The four kinds of universities
- Central university: Set up by an Act of Parliament and funded by the central government.
- State university: Set up by an Act of a state legislature and funded mainly by the state government.
- Private university: Set up by an Act of a state legislature and run by a sponsoring body such as a society, trust or company.
- Deemed to be university: An institution declared by the central government, on the advice of the UGC, to be deemed a university under Section 3 of the UGC Act.
Institutions of national importance
The IITs, NITs, AIIMS and similar institutions are created by their own Acts of Parliament and award their own degrees. They do not need to be on a university list to be valid.
Kinds of colleges
- Affiliated college: teaches the courses of a university. The university sets the syllabus, holds the examination and awards the degree. Most colleges in India are of this kind.
- Constituent college: a college run by the university itself.
- Autonomous college: an affiliated college that the UGC and its university have allowed to frame its own syllabus and conduct its own examinations. The university still awards the degree.
- Stand-alone institution: an institution outside the university system that runs diploma courses, such as polytechnics, nursing schools and teacher training institutes.
Government, aided and private
Separately from the above, a college is government, private aided or private unaided, depending on who runs and pays for it. An aided college is privately managed but receives government grants for salaries. This affects fees, not the validity of the degree.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between a university and a college?
A university can award degrees in its own name. A college teaches courses, but in most cases the degree is awarded by the university it is affiliated to.
What is an autonomous college?
A college that has been given the freedom to design its own syllabus and hold its own examinations. The degree is still awarded by its parent university, with the college's name on it.
Is a deemed university degree valid?
Yes. A deemed to be university declared under Section 3 of the UGC Act can award degrees. Check that it is on the UGC list.
Can a private university have colleges in other states?
Under UGC rules a state private university operates within its own state and cannot affiliate colleges. If a "study centre" in another state offers its degree, check with the UGC before joining.
Source and date. The lists are those published on the website of the University Grants Commission (ugc.gov.in), read on 11 November 2026. A university can be added, renamed or removed at any time. Before you take admission or pay a fee, check the institution yourself on ugc.gov.in. This is not a government site.