Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh

Overview

The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh (CTUAP) is located in the Vizianagaram district of Andhra Pradesh. As one of the newest Central Universities (established in 2019), it aims to provide world class education to college-age students of the state, with a particular focus on tribal learners. Its academic and research activities are organized into 3 Schools (Humanities & Social Sciences, Management Studies, Sciences), 13 Departments, and 14 Programs. All UG programs last up to 4 years (with multiple early exit options e.g. with a diploma), and all PG courses last 4 semesters.

Providing career opportunities to all members of the CTUAP community is a priority. The Placement Cell works at a central level to provide logistical support for interviews and organize functional and soft skills training sessions for students. Individual Departments also establish corporate relations with companies relevant to their fields of study. Prominent recruiters include ICICI Lombard, Thomas Cook, Piramal Foundation, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories.

The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh provides world class academic facilities to its students, including smart classrooms and an audio-visual production lab. It also has computer labs with high processing power to support the practical work of BSc students who study Artificial Intelligence. Student life is also vibrant, with multiple events organized every month, some of which are in line with national Central University events, and some of which are workshops based on the unique tribal nature of the University. There are also multiple cells formed to further the University’s efforts in research and innovation.

Highlights

Fees

The academic fees for students of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh have multiple components e.g. tuition fees, examination charges, registration fees, and caution deposits. The total fee payable by students of different Departments is as follows:

• Tier 1: INR 6,600 as total program fee.
  • MA Sociology.
  • Master of Social Work.
  • Master of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication.
  • MA in English.
  • MA in Tribal Studies.
• Tier 2: INR 7,480 (total program fee).
  • MSc Chemistry (additional charges are mostly due to laboratory fees).
• Tier 3: INR 8,160.
  • MSc Biotechnology.
• Tier 4: INR 10,800.
  • BCom (Vocational).
• Tier 5: INR 11,880 (total program fee).
  • Master of Business Administration.
• Tier 6: INR 13,640.
  • BSc Chemistry (Honors).
  • BSc Geology (Honors).
  • BSc Botany (Honors).
• Tier 7: INR 14,880 as total program fee.
  • BSc Artificial Intelligence.
• Tier 8: INR 15,720.
  • BBA - Travel and Tourism Management.

Other fees include security deposits that will be refunded to students when they graduate if they have a clean disciplinary record, and some course-specific fees (for example, additional caution deposits of INR 1,000 for students of MSc Biotechnology, Chemistry, and BSc Chemistry, Botany, Geology, and Artificial Intelligence).

Given that the University is in its relative infancy, there is no hostel facility available on campus. However, paying guest and private hostel options are available near the University location, and therefore students from other cities must budget for monthly rent, food, shopping for personal items, and transportation (if necessary).

Admissions

The eligibility criteria for admission to the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh are as follows:

• PG programs:
  • Applicants must have completed (or be in the final year of) a Bachelor’s degree of at least 3 years’ duration. Most PG courses allow any combination of subjects. However, MA English applicants must have English as a subject, MSc Biotechnology candidates must have a related Biology or Biotechnology-based UG major, and MSc Chemistry applicants must have Chemistry as a subject.
  • All PG programs offered by CTUAP require general category students to have a UG aggregate above 50% (or its equivalent cumulative grade point average). All general category cut-offs are relaxed by 5% for reserved category candidates.
  • Applicants must have a valid CUET PG score.
• UG programs:
  • Candidates must have a 10+2 pass certificate issued by any Board of Higher Secondary education recognized in India or abroad.
  • For most programs, general, OBC, and EWS category students must have an aggregate percentage of 45% or higher. This is relaxed to 40% for reserved category applicants (SC, ST, and PWD students).
  • Candidates must have a valid CUET UG score.

Students who wish to apply to the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh must follow these steps:

• Registering for an applicant account on the Samarth portal of CTUAP with recent valid contact details.
• Adding contact details, academic history information, and uploading soft copies of official documents to prove identity and academic performance data.
• After this, candidates must lock their preferred courses and appear for the CUET UG or PG examination.
• After all applications have been submitted, CTUAP prepares an initial merit list of all students who satisfy the eligibility criteria for the courses in which they are interested. The final merit list is prepared based on the performance in the relevant subjects of the CUET examination.
• Each of the 14 programs offered by CTUAP publishes 2 merit lists, which transparently provide the total entrance test score of all students admitted in each category.
• Students who wish to join CTUAP must pay the first installment of the semester fee and submit original copies of their certificates for verification. After these two steps, they may complete the academic registration process.

Placements

As one of the top Universities in India, the placement highlights of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh are as follows: 

• Despite the relatively young age of CTUAP, with only 3 UG batches having graduated, there is a fully functional Placement Cell, which assists UG and PG students of the University with obtaining internships and full time jobs.
• Prominent recruiters at the University level include Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Piramal Foundation, and Hetero Drugs Limited.
• Individual Departments also have their own Placement Cells that work in coordination with the Central Placement Cell.
  • For example, the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management has one of the most active Department Placement Cells.
  • The salary range for successfully placed students of this Department ranges from INR i.8 LPA to INR 3.5 LPA.
  • The top firms in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and the rest of India participated in the final placement process, including ICICI Lombard, Thomas Cook, Polo Tours, GAR Holidays, and Prajvi Voyages.
  • The Department Placement Cells also provide pre-final year internships to their students, including at many of the same firms which provide full time jobs.
• The Placement Cell also organizes workshops, guest lectures, invited talks, and one day interactive sessions to empower the students of CTUAP with industry knowledge and the soft skills required to succeed during the placement season.

Cut-Offs

The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh does not release CUET UG or CUET PG cut-offs before the seat allocation procedure begins every year. The cut-off is only computed at the end of the counseling process, after each seat is allotted to an interested candidate through two rounds of matching. However, there are cut-offs based on the percentage in the qualifying examination. All general category Bachelor’s degree aspirants will need 45% in their Standard XII Board Examination. Similarly, general category Master’s degree applicants need a UG aggregate of 50%, or equivalent Cumulative Grade Point Average, computed across all semester examinations. All qualifying examination cut-offs are relaxed by 5% for SC, ST, and PwD category applicants. After the admission process is completed, the CTUAP authorities publish entrance test cut-offs in four categories: General, SC, ST, and EWS for each of the 14 courses offered by the University.

Faculty & Alumni

The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh is home to 18 full time Faculty members. Of these, 10 (55%) are Assistant Professors, 5 (28%) are Associate Professors, and the remaining 3 (17%) are full Professors. All Faculty members hold PhD degrees, with most of them having additional relevant degrees in their fields of specialization. As a fledgling University, there are only 1-3 Professors in each Department, but this number is expected to grow rapidly.

Even though CTUAP is a relatively young University, it still has an alumni portal page on its website. This aims to fulfill five major functions:

• Facilitating professional networking among students from different batches and Departments.
• Providing a common ground for current students of the University to connect with potential mentors from among their seniors.
• Conducting events for the alumni community including reunions, workshops, interactive sessions, and using the online medium to communicate the dates of these events.
• Leveraging the alumni network to provide career opportunities to current students, and allowing alumni to use the University resources to find job opportunities for themselves, if required.
• Communicating CTUAP achievements, research awards, and alumni achievements to the larger community of students and ex-students instantly.

Scholarships

Most students of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh apply to flagship scholarships awarded by the AP State and Central Governments. There are three categories of financial aid that are extremely popular:

1. JnanaBhumi Scholarship: CTUAP actively supports its students while applying for the flagship scholarship scheme of the Andhra Pradesh state government. The Social Welfare Department of the AP Government provides scholarships in multiple categories to eligible students, including:

• Post Matric Scholarships at the State Level: These are provided to students from socially disadvantaged categories. RTF Post Matric Scholarships provide full academic and tuition fee scholarships to all eligible students. MTF Scholarships provide a flat amount (e.g. INR 20,000 per year) to allow all degree college students to pay their academic fees and cover part of their living costs.
• Ambedkar Overseas Vidya Nidhi Scheme: The state government provides financial aid to students who wish to apply to various high ranked Universities abroad for higher studies. Most CTUAP students who avail of this scheme are undergraduates, but PG students who wish to apply for doctoral programs abroad are also eligible.
• Civil Services Examination Scholarships: The AP Government authorities provide INR 1 Lakh to all students of CTUAP who pass the UPSC Main Examination, and INR 50,000 to all students who pass the UPSC Preliminary Examination.
• Andhra Pradesh Government Scholarships (Social Welfare and Tribal Welfare Departments): The AP Government funds coaching classes for eligible SC and ST students of CTUAP who wish to appear for the DSC examination. Students who pass the examination can work as teachers in Government Schools in Andhra Pradesh.

2. NSP Post Matric Scholarships: These are offered by the Central Government to various socially disadvantaged groups of students, and the applications must be submitted via the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). For example, there are separate Post Matric Scholarships for SC and ST students whose family income is below the annually specified threshold. They cover all education costs, and provide an additional stipend for living costs.

3. Research Central Scholarship Schemes: These are the same as those available to students of other Central Universities, and range from Research Fellowships (offered by UGC) to social welfare research Scholarships (that provide full research grants - non-NET - and monthly stipends to students from underprivileged communities who have additional financial hardships) and scholarships for single girl children, wards of defense personnel, and students admitted under the sports quota based on regional or national achievements. Students can typically not avail of more than one scholarship (either State or Central) at the same time.

Students of CTUAP are also free to apply to private organizations and charitable trusts for financial aid if they satisfy the merit (academic or extracurricular) criteria.

Preparation & FAQs

Students who wish to apply to the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh for PG programs must go through previous years’ CUET UG and CUET PG exam papers to understand the exam pattern and acclimatize themselves to the difficulty level. It is also recommended to go through relevant textbooks to understand topics in detail, particularly in areas in which the student achieves lower scores in mock tests. Attending online or offline classes to improve projected exam performance in weak areas is also recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the top University in India?

The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh is one of the best Universities in India. It is ranked #50 among the best Central Universities in India, according to the IIRF 2024 ranking list.

Q. What are the application fees to the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh?

The application fees to the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh vary according to the level of the program to which the student is applying (undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD). The amount for each category can be found on the CUET webpage for UG and PG courses.

Q. What are the expected dates of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh recruitment 2025?

The expected dates, mode of application, and submission deadlines for all part time and full time roles offered by the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh in 2025 can be found on its website. Both teaching and non-teaching statutory role applicants can use the common application link.

Q. What is the date of Open Counseling for admission to the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh?

If any seats are left vacant after two rounds of counseling, CTUAP conducts an open counseling session one day every year. The announcement is made on the University website, and there are different time slots for each course. Candidates who satisfy the eligibility criteria must carry original copies of all certificates to complete the registration process if they are offered a seat.

Q. What support does the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh provide to students who are startup enthusiasts?

CTUAP has an active Institution Innovation Council (IIC). This body works with faculty members and students of the University who have original ideas to assist them with patent filing, monetization, and mentorship to acquire industry projects and funding.

Q. Which specializations are offered to MBA students of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh?

MBA students of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh can choose any one or two specializations out of three options: Marketing Management, Finance, and Human Resource Management.

Q. Which companies offer jobs and internships to MBA students of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh?

Prominent recruiters of the Department of Business Management, offering internships and jobs to MBA students of CTUAP, are Muthoot Finance, Novotel, Vizag Steel, Sarda Metals, Coromandel, NCC, and JK Paper.