Deemed university meaning | Interesting facts we bet you didn’t know

An institute of higher education that is officially accredited for working at a high standard in a specific area of study.

The term stands for a deemed-to-be-university, an accreditation that is granted by DHE (Department of Higher Education). This status is given to India’s higher educational institutes under MHRD (Ministry of Human Resource Development) by the advice of UGC (University Grants Commission). Students who are planning to sign up for a program in deemed universities will have an all-rounded education, better possibilities, resources, and a wide range of career choices. Let us delve deeper into what deemed university means! 

How many deemed universities exist?

In India, there are a total of 126 of these universities. The state of Tamil Nadu has 28 deemed universities, which is the highest count. This status allows them full autonomy and independence to design the course, fee structure, and admission policies. Let us find out some more facts and details about deemed universities.

Types of universities in India

In India, UGC has categorized universities into mainly five types, which are-

• Central universities – These universities are founded by an Act of Parliament and are controlled by the Department of Higher Studies in the Ministry of Education. Some examples of these colleges in India are Aligarh Muslim University, Assam University, and Jawaharlal Nehru University. There are a total of 47 central universities in our country; they have their admission procedure, can decide their curriculum, conduct their exams, and even award degrees to the students. 
• Private universities – The UGC regulates these universities, which have their own set of syllabi and exams. They can also grant their certificates and degrees but cannot run any off-campus affiliated institutes. Vellore Institute of Technology and Amity University Gwalior are some examples of private universities in India. There are a total of 397 private universities in India. 
• State universities – These universities have similar rights to the previously mentioned universities. Individual state governments of India operate these universities, which are usually founded by a local legislative assembly act. There are 441 state universities in the country, including the University of Mumbai, the University of Madras, and the University of Calcutta.
• Deemed universities – These universities are given a status of autonomy on the advice of UGC and can make independent decisions regarding courses, syllabus, admissions, and fees. There are a few deemed-to-be universities that can also award degrees to students on their own.
• Autonomous colleges – These colleges have independent control over their daily operations, including syllabus, courses offered, and admission procedures. Students can get a degree or diploma from an affiliated university.

Difference between deemed university and state university

Although state universities and deemed universities have many differences in their functionalities, they are similar in some ways. The differences between deemed university and state university are-

Deemed university	State university
The UGC passes a deemed university under section 3 of the UGC Act 1956.	A state university is created after the state government passes legislation.
A deemed university is self-funded.	The state government completely funds and establishes a state university and has to follow the guidelines given by the UGC.
Here, the university is free to have its courses and fee structure.	The fee structure is set keeping in mind the poor section of society, and the state’s course structure is regulated and streamlined.
The deemed universities are autonomous bodies and can charge suitable fees as well as provide state-of-the-art labs, advanced courses, the best faculty, and facilities for students.	Since the state universities cannot set the fee structure themselves, they may have insufficient grants and face problems related to inadequate facilities.

Difference between deemed and private/autonomous universities

The major differences between these two types of universities are as follows-

Deemed university	Private/autonomous university
The deemed universities manage their own funds and are more flexible.	Private/autonomous universities operate independently but must adhere to UGC rules and regulations.
They have a single college or an institution only.	With private universities, there could be other institutes that are affiliated with them, unlike deemed universities.
In a deemed university, there must be research facilities.	Does not necessarily have research facilities.
Deemed universities have better state-of-the-art infrastructure.	Private universities offer more specialized academic programs.

List of top deemed universities in India

• BITS Pilani
• Bharati Vidyapeeth University
• SRM Institute of Science and Technology
• VIT Vellore
• GITAM University
• Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS)
• Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT)

Eligibility criteria

To be recognized by the UGC as a deemed university, these are the following criterion-

• The institution must be operational for at least 20 years or more.
• There must be 2,000 students minimum and 100 professors and teachers per academic year.
• Must be a well-acknowledged and well-ranked university at the time of application and in the previous two years.
• Has shown university qualities through a variety of curricula and has a credible research output.
• Has at least five postgraduate departments with research programs that have been in existence for at least three years.
• The university must have research, publications, and academic works, with Ph.D. and post-doctoral research programs.

Key takeaways

• Deemed universities offer students an ideal education and give them the opportunity to carry out several research activities. 
• Their curriculum focuses on current industry trends and job trends and is highly beneficial for a student’s future. 
• When you are selecting amongst deemed universities, it is critical to do your research and seek help and assistance.

That’s all we have for you about deemed university meaning. If you have any questions/suggestions, reach out to us or drop a comment below.

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FAQs

Q1. Are deemed universities degree valid?

Answer- Yes, the degrees from deemed to be universities are all valid and recognized.

Q2. What is the importance of having deemed universities in India?

Answer- Having deemed universities in India is of great importance. They include only relevant topics in the syllabus, keep the curriculum up to date, and students can learn about their subjects in detail; it increases the higher education base and research in a variety of fields.

Q3. Are there any disadvantages of studying in a deemed-to-be university?

Answer- Deemed universities are very strict with their guidelines; the independent decision-making power can actually lead to unfair decisions at times.