Top Government Universities in India 2024: The country’s education sector has undergone innovative changes that have led the path to academic excellence, and better career opportunities for students. Currently, India boasts 106 government universities known to impart standard education across various streams at UG, PG, and doctoral levels. As you must be aware, universities play a pivotal role in shaping a student’s future prospects, so when choosing a university a lot of care should be taken. Most students prefer government-owned institutes to private ones for better recognition, accreditation, and affordable fees. To choose the best out of the rest, we suggest you base your decision on factors like ranking, accreditation, facilities, infrastructure, fees, and placement. To save you from indulging in the complex process of shortlisting, we have prepared a list of top government universities in India. Continue reading and discover facts about these institutions to make a wise choice.

1. IISc Bangalore

Founded in 1909 by the notable industrialist Jamshedji Tata, it is among the top government universities in India nestled in Bangalore. Currently, the varsity has a total of 45 academic departments that offer 738 UG and PG programs including BSc, B.Tech, MTech, M.Mgt, MDes, and PhD. The varsity has collaborated with top organizations like DRDO, ISRO, and Indian Ordinance Factory which help students secure the best opportunities.

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 1st 
• Approved by: University Grants Commission
• Campus Size: 400 acres
• Entrance Accepted: IISER Entrance Exam
• Median Package (UG): INR 22.5 LPA
• Median Package (PG):  INR 22.5 LPA

2. Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Jawaharlal Nehru University owes the honour of the “University of Excellence” for exceptional academic performance. Per the QS World University Rankings 2024, this varsity has been ranked among the top 10 universities. The university provides premier quality education through its 14 schools, 50+ learning centers, and 8 special centers. Students can opt for around 100+ courses at the UG, PG, and doctoral levels at affordable fees (INR 16,000 for 2 years).

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 2nd
• Approved by: University Grants Commission
• Campus Size: 1000 acres
• Entrance Accepted: CUET
• Median Salary (UG): INR 6 LPA
• Median Salary (PG): INR 7.9 LPA

3. Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi

Jamia Millia Islamia is a central university located in Delhi and was established in 1920 by An Act of the Parliament of India. The varsity offers 41 degree programs and 294 courses across various disciplines including engineering, management, science, law, and medicine. All its courses have been duly approved and accredited by UGC, AICTE, BCI, and the Council of Architecture.

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 3rd
• Approved By: AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) and NCTE and NBA (National Board of Accreditation)
• Campus Size: 239 acres
• Entrance Accepted: JMI Entrance Exam
• Median Salary (UG): INR 4.80 LPA
• Median Salary (PG): INR  8.66 LPA

4. Jadavpur University, Kolkata

Accredited by NAAC and NBA, Jadavpur University was established in 1955. This top government university in India dedicatedly imparts quality education in 130+ courses across 36 departments at UG, PG, and PhD levels. Besides providing a full-time academic program, it also has facilities for distance learning. JD Birla Institute and the Institute of Business Management are two of its prominent affiliated colleges.

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 4th
• Approved By: National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)
• Campus Size: 56 acre
• Entrance Accepted: GPAT, WB JECA
• Median Salary (UG): INR 5.70 LPA
• Median Salary (PG): INR 8 LPA

5. Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi

Formerly named Central Hindu College, Banaras Hindu University is perhaps the oldest university in India that has gained recognition from UGC and NAAC.  Per data, the varsity is regarded as the largest residential university in Asia. To offer better opportunities and exposure to students, this reputed university has signed MOUs with over 40 international and national universities. Find further details about BHU, featured in the list of top government universities in India.

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 5th
• Approved by: UGC
• Campus Size: 1300 acres
• Entrance Accepted: CUET
• Median Salary (UG): INR 8 LPA
• Median Salary (PG): INR 13 LPA

6. AMU Aligarh - Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh

Founded in 1877 by the great visionary and social reformer, Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, the university offers top-notch programmes in Agricultural Sciences, Arts, Commerce, Engineering & Technology, Law etc., each comprising several Departments of Studies. The AMU administers 7 colleges, namely, Women's College, Zakir Hussain College of Engineering & Technology, Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Ziauddin Ahmad Dental College, Community College, and Academic Staff College.

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 9th
• Approved By: NAAC
• Campus Size: 467.6 hectares
• Entrance Accepted: CUET, AMU Entrance Exam
• Median Salary (UG): INR 3.5 LPA
• Median Salary (PG): INR 5.6 LPA

7. University of Hyderabad

Recognized by UGC and accredited by NAAC with a grade of A, this is one of the top government universities in India. Globally, the varsity secured 156th position for its academic excellence. It offers multiple academic programs through its 41 departments and 12 schools.

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 10th
• Approved By: UGC
• Campus size: 2,300 acres
• Entrance Accepted: CUET
• Median package (PG-2 years): INR 6.75 LPA
• Median Package (PG-5years): INR 7.30 LPA

8. University of Delhi

This central university is a well-known university that attracts a large number of students to pursue around 2338 courses in streams of allied sciences, arts, social science, IT, computer application, management, and many others. UGC has honoured this varsity with the “Institute of Excellence” title. Delhi University is segregated into north and south campuses; there are a total of 91 colleges affiliated with the university. The university offers Bachelor's degree programmes in Geography, Philosophy, Political Science, English & History, etc. and postgraduate programmes in Sociology, Linguistics, East Asian Studies, Psychology, Economics, Sanskrit, etc. The average admission fee at DU stands at INR 42,480.

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 11th
• Approved By: UGC
• Campus Size: 406 acres
• Entrance Accepted: CUET
• Median Package (UG): INR 5 LPA
• Median Package (PG): INR 15.5 LPA

9. Calcutta University - University of Calcutta, Kolkata

Founded in 1857, the university offers courses in Agriculture, Arts, Commerce, Social Welfare & Business Management, Education, Journalism & Library Science, and
Engineering & Technology. There are 151 affiliated undergraduate colleges and 16 institutes in Kolkata under CU. The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has awarded "Five-Star" status to the University of Calcutta. Candidates can apply for undergraduate courses—Arts (BA), Commerce (B.Com.), and Science (BSc) streams (except engineering courses) on the basis of their Higher Secondary School Certificate examination or any equivalent exam results. For seeking admission to engineering courses, the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) rankings will be taken into consideration. The average fee to seek admission to the university is INR 1.02 lakhs.

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 12th
• Approved By: UGC
• Campus Size: 119.7 acres
• Entrance Accepted: WBJEE for UG, university-level exam for PG
• Median Package (UG): INR 5.40 LPA
• Median Package (PG): INR 9.8 LPA

10. Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai

Established in 2005 under Section 3 of the UGC Act, the primary aim of the institute is to make students proficient in the areas of nuclear science and engineering and to facilitate basic research and enable technology development. The institute offers programmes like PGD in Chemical, Engineering, and Life Sciences, MSc in Engineering Sciences, M Phil in Chemical Sciences, Integrated MSc-PhD (Double Degree) in Engineering Sciences, MSc (Medical and Radiological Physics, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging technology, Public Health and Epidemiology, Occupational Therapy in Oncology), etc. The enrollment fee for the MSc and PhD programmes stands at INR 10,000. Its constituent institutes are Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai; Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam; Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore; Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata; Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar; Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar, etc. 

• NIRF Ranking 2023: 17th
• Approved By: UGC
• Campus Size: 260 acres
• Entrance Accepted: GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)
• Median Package (UG): INR 6 LPA
• Median Package (PG): INR 11.40 LPA

India has several world-class universities offering varied academic programs across Arts, Science, and Commerce streams. Government universities generally offer education at PG, UG, and doctoral levels at affordable fees. Admission to these universities is often done through entrances including Common University Entrance Test (CUET), GATE, IIT JAM, ICAR JEE, KCET, and many others, as mentioned above.