Top 10 Best Universities of India 2013

Nielsen Company and India Today conducted a successive survey to find out the top universities in India under the Science, Commerce and Arts streams. The ranks are determined based on the objective and the perception scores. The perception score is determined by interviewing academic experts and the objective score is determined by the factual data furnished from the universities.

Research was conducted to draw up a list of 170 universities eligible for the survey. Universities, which offer at least 2 post graduation programs in arts, commerce and science, were only considered. The lists of the universities were drawn up using published reports and association of Indian universities handbook.

To derive the overall score for the universities, a weightage of 50% was applied to the overall perceptual score and 50% to overall factual scores. After assigning these weights, the overall score was indexed to 100. Thus the methodology of ranking, based on both perception and factual data, provides a comprehensive picture of each university rated.

Here is a list of top 10 universities:

University of Delhi -

University of Delhi (DU), Delhi was established in 1922. Delhi University is one of the most prestigious universities of the country. The University of Delhi has maintained its number one rank in the list of Indian universities in the most recent list of rankings released by the India Today-Nielsen survey of Indian universities. The University of Delhi has a wide range of faculties and nearly 80 Delhi University colleges are spread all over the city.

The colleges in North and South Delhi are divided as per area between Delhi University North Campus and Delhi University South Campus. The University has recently laid fiber-optic network in the North and the South Campuses connecting all colleges and departments. University of Delhi holds the Combined Entrance Examination (CEE) for admission to first semester of bachelor of engineering courses for Delhi region.

University of Calcutta -

University of Calcutta, Kolkata was established in 1857, during the administration of Lord Canning, the Governor General of India. The University of Calcutta is the oldest of the modern universities in India and accredited as five star statuses by NAAC. It is a state government administered affiliating and Research University that has been recognized as a centre of excellence by the UGC.

The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate as well as PhD program Science and business disciplines offered by the university are in high demand as these fields are expected to have better job opportunities.

Jawaharlal Nehru University -

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi was established in 1969 under the Jawaharlal Nehru University Act 1966.  It is one of the most prestigious universities across the country. JNU is basically a research oriented university. Instead of colleges, JNU offers undergraduate, postgraduate, M.Phil and research courses through various schools and centers of the university that makes JNU different from other universities in the country. It is identified and is concentrating upon some major academic programs, which are of relevance to national progress and development. The University is located on a campus that is spread over approximately 1000 acres of land on the Aravalli range in New Delhi.

Banaras Hindu University -

Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi was established in 1916. It is founded by Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya with cooperation of great personalities like Dr Annie Besant, who viewed it as the University of India. The college played a crucial role in the independence movement and developed into a great center of learning in India. The institute has contributed a lot in the development of the country by producing a number of scholars, artists, scientists and technologists who have helped in building a modern India with their individual contribution to the society.

The main objective of the institute is to promote the study of the Hindu Shastras and of Sanskrit literature generally as a means of preserving and popularizing for the benefit of the Hindus in particular and of the world at large in general, the best thought and culture of the Hindus and all that was good and great in the ancient civilization of India.

University of Mumbai -

University of Mumbai established in 1857, was earlier known as University of Bombay, is one of the oldest and premier universities in India. As a sequel to the change in the name of the city from Bombay to Mumbai, the name of the University has been changed from "University of Bombay" to "University of Mumbai", vide notification issued by the government of Maharashtra and published in the Government Gazette dated in 1996. The University concentrated its efforts on controlling teaching at the undergraduate level and in conducting examinations.

The independence of the country led to the re-organization of the functions and powers of the University with the passing of the Bombay University Act of 1953. In the last five years it has seen 104% increase in under-graduate students, 112% increase in post-graduate students and 147% increase in distance - education students. There is 156% increase in the number of research papers published in International journals.

University of Hyderabad -

The University of Hyderabad (UoH), Hyderabad was established in 1974 with Prof. Gurbaksh Singh as its first Vice Chancellor, UoH - also known as Hyderabad Central University or HCU- has emerged as a leading centre of teaching and research. UoH is one of the major institutions of higher education in India is largely devoted to postgraduate studies and is widely known for its excellence in research and for its distinguished faculty.

With 46 different departments and centers organized in 10 schools of study, the university has over 400 faculties and over 5000 students. A School of Economics is proposed to be started at the university. The university offers close to 150 different programs of study ranging from doctoral studies to masters level degrees, as well as a range of post graduate diplomas and short term courses by distance mode.

Osmania University -

Osmania University (OU), Hyderabad established in 1918, is the seventh oldest in India, the third oldest in south India and the first to be established in the erstwhile princely state of Hyderabad. OU is a multi-faculty and multidisciplinary university, offering rich and varied courses in the fields of Humanities, Arts, Sciences, Social Sciences, Law, Engineering, Technology, Commerce and Business Management, Information Technology and Oriental Languages.

In recognition of its excellent academic achievements, Osmania University had the distinction of being awarded the 'A' Grade status by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) of the University Grants Commission, Government of India in 2008.

Aligarh Muslim University -

Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh was established in 1920 and evolved out of the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental College (MAO College) which was set up in 1877 by the great visionary and social reformer, Sir Syed Ahmad khan. It is one of the leading universities in India, is an academic institution of transnational repute. It occupies a unique position amongst universities and institutions of higher learning in the country.

The Aligarh Muslim University is the realization of a vision which was broad, far- reaching and realistic. It is a leading educational institution in India, drawing students from a number of countries, especially in Africa, West Asia and South East Asia. It has more than 28,000, students, 1,342 teachers and some 5,610 non-teaching staff on its rolls.

Jamia Millia Islamia University -

Jamia Milia Islamia University, Delhi was established in 1920 at Aligarh in United Provinces, India. It became a central university by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1988. It offers integrated education from nursery to research in specialized areas and is a saga of dedication, conviction and vision of a people who worked against all odds and saw it growing step by step.

Pondicherry University -

Pondicherry University (PU), Kalapet was established in 1985 by the Government of India through an Act of Parliament. Being a Central University Pondicherry University is fully supported by the University Grants Commission. Pondicherry University is outstanding among the central universities in India. Teaching and research are Pondicherry University's primary functions as in other Central Universities.

 Pondicherry University has also affiliated colleges located in Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, Yanam and the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The Union Territory of Lakshadweep is also expected to have a college affiliated to Pondicherry University in the near future.

Source – India Today