Central University of Andhra Pradesh

Overview

The Central University of Andhra Pradesh (CUAP), established in 2018, is a rapidly growing higher education institution of national importance located in Ananthapuramu. Its location has both ancient (located near the seat of the Vijaynagar Empire) and modern (Indian operations hub of KIA, the worldwide auto major) significance. Currently, the University offers a total of 31 UG, PG, and PhD programs in disciplines like Telugu, English, Business Administration, Psychology, Economics, Political Science, Artificial Intelligence, and Data Science.

The Placement Cell of CUAP conducts training sessions throughout the academic year on Campus to Corporate upskilling, functional enhancement, and personal confidence. 124 students were given job offers in the most recent placement season, and prominent companies (e.g. PWC, Asian Paints, Tata Consultancy Services, Deloitte) participated in the final job interview process despite the relatively young age of the University.

Given that the University is relatively new, it operates out of a temporary transit campus. However, the location of this campus is ideal; in the IT Incubation Center in JNTUA, Ananthapuramu. The permanent campus is under construction, and is expected to cover almost 500 acres, with extensive sports grounds, green areas, well-stocked academic buildings, and recreational spaces. The existing transit campus has all the basic academic and library infrastructure required in addition to two hostels that together accommodate all the male and female students of CUAP. The University students and staff participate enthusiastically in multiple national level campaigns (e.g. Run for Unity), in addition to holding seminars on the Telugu language. 

Highlights

Fees

The academic fees for students of the Central University of Andhra Pradesh have multiple components e.g. tuition fees, examination charges, registration fees, and caution deposits. For example, the overall academic fees for different categories of courses are:

• Between INR 7,000 and INR 8,000 per semester: More than 80% of programs offered by CUAP fall into this category, including all Bachelor’s courses, and all MA and MSc programs.
• Between INR 10,000 and INR 20,000 per semester: Only MSc (Molecular Biology) - INR 17,025 per semester, falls into this category.
• More than INR 30,000 per semester: All MTech programs (e.g. Artificial Intelligence and Data Science) have program fees of INR 35,000 per semester. The highest tuition fees are associated with the MBA (Travel & Tourism Management) course (INR 37,025 per semester).

The living costs are significantly higher than in many other Central Universities. There are 5 components which add to INR 29,500 per semester:

• Hostel rent: INR 7,000 per semester.
• Hostel maintenance fee (electricity, water, cleaning, wi-fi): INR 3,000 per semester.
• Mess advance: INR 15,000 per semester.
• Admission fee: INR 500.
• Caution Deposit: INR 4,000 (this is refundable if no harm is caused to the hostel property).

Admissions

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

• UG programs:
  • Applicants to UG programs must have a 10+2 pass certificate issued by a recognized Board of Secondary Education in India or abroad. Students in Standard XII are also allowed to apply. However, any admission offer made to them will be canceled if they do not submit the final pass certificate before joining CUAP.
  • Applicants must have a valid CUET (UG) score.
  • The cut-off is 50% in the Standard 12 Board Examination for all courses, or 45% for reserved category candidates.
• PG programs:
  • All Master’s programs offered by CUAP require a UG degree offered by a recognized University in a related discipline.
  • Most Master’s degree programs offered by the University require an aggregate UG percentage of either 50% or equivalent CGPA (usually 5.5 out of 10). This is relaxed by 5% for reserved category applicants.
  • All Master’s programs only admit students with a valid CUET PG score.
• PhD programs:
  • Applicants must hold a Master’s degree in a related subject.
  • The cut-off across all PG semester examinations is 55% for general category students.
  • A relaxation of 5% is allowed for reserved category students as per the UGC guidelines.

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

• Applying online for the CUET UG or CUET PG test, choosing the correct subjects based on the course brochure and eligibility criteria, and noting the test dates for the chosen subjects.
• Obtaining valid scores in each of the chosen subjects, and visiting the Samarth portal website of CUAP to fill up the application form.
• Creating an applicant account by validating contact details.
• Paying the application fee to access the online application form.
• Filling up the application form with accurate academic and personal information.
• Uploading soft copies of identity documents, academic transcripts, and caste certificates (if applicable).
• The CUAP admission process starts immediately after the CUET results are received.
• The merit list preparation and counseling steps are conducted entirely online.
• The final results are declared on the CUAP website and announced via the other official channels of the University. Selected students must pay the first installment of the academic fee to confirm their joining.

Placements

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

• 127 students received at least one job offer (UG and PG combined).
• 12 companies made final job offers to students, with English Edge and Data Marshall making the highest number of offers, at 26 and 22 respectively.
• Other large recruiters include PWC India, Asian Paints, ETV, AstraGen, Noble Institute of Communicative English, Ramoji Film City, Planet Spark, and Viraj Tech.
• The large number of average offers per company (more than 10) shows the success of CUAP's corporate relations. This also allows a relaxed recruiting season with pre-placement talks in person by each company.
• The Placement Calendar of CUAP has three phases:
  • Intensive Training Program: September and October every year (ongoing seminars and training sessions happen throughout the year).
  • Pre-Placement Talks by company representatives: October to December every year.
  • Final interviews and release of offer letters: January to April.

Cut-Offs

In a manner similar to other Central Universities, there are no CUET UG or CUET PG cut-offs announced ahead of time for admission to the undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered by the Central University of Andhra Pradesh. However, there are cut-offs based on the Standard XII Board Examination average (for UG aspirants) or UG aggregate (for PG applicants). Candidates must have a minimum percentage of 50% in the 10+2 examination, or over all UG semesters, or equivalent GPA. This is relaxed by 5% for SC, ST, EWS, and PwD applicants.

Faculty & Alumni

The Central University of Andhra Pradesh is home to 25 full time Faculty members. There are at least 2 Professors in each of the eight Departments of the University. In addition to these, there are two superannuated Faculty members, 1 Senior Faculty members, and 2 Distinguished Professors. The educational reach is increased further through 46 guest lecturers who give regular invited talks; they are typically senior Professors from other Universities who conduct online classes. 

Despite the relatively young age of CUAP, it has already taken proactive steps to establish a long lasting Alumni Association. The first step is to collect details of all graduating students in terms of initial career choices, contact details, and location. This is done entirely online, through a website hosted on the central Samarth server. Over the next decade, the University authorities envisage its alumni playing a major role in the development of CUAP, primarily through donations and financial aid, but also through mentorship of current students as they choose their career paths.

Scholarships

The various Central Government and State Level Scholarships offered by the Central University of Andhra Pradesh to its UG, PG, and PhD students are:

1. Jnanabhumi State Scholarship Portal: The Government of Andhra Pradesh awards social welfare scholarships in multiple categories via its website. Students in these categories who satisfy the eligibility criteria must apply online and visit their campus Scholarship Office to verify their original copies of caste certificates, ration card number (or income certificate details), bank account details, a recent passport sized photograph, and details of their entrance test completion (e.g. score card and hall ticket number).

2. National Scholarships: These are awarded either by the UGC or different Government Departments via the National Scholarship Portal (NSP). There are six main scholarships under this umbrella, including the National Scholarship for SC students, the National Fellowship for Higher Education for ST students, the National Fellowship for OBC students, the National Fellowship for Students with Disabilities, the Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Single Girl Child, and the Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students. These financial aid schemes typically cover the full cost of tuition and provide a stipend to help with living costs.

3. Andhra Pradesh State RTF Scholarships: All students from Scheduled Castes whose family income does not exceed INR 2 LPA are eligible to apply for RTF Scholarships awarded by the AP Government; these cover the full amount of the non-refundable fees payable according to the program chosen at CUAP.

4. Andhra Pradesh State MTF Scholarships: These have similar eligibility criteria as RTF Scholarships. However, instead of covering the full non-refundable fee amount irrespective of the total amount, a monthly stipend is provided to cover all or part of the tuition fee and living cost. The amount paid is INR 1,200 for Professional course students, INR 820 for other PG courses, and INR 570 per month for other UG programs.

5. Scholarships from other State Governments: CUAP is home to students from almost all states of India; they are welcome to apply to their home state Governments for scholarships, provided that they have not already been selected for other financial aid options. Currently, students of CUAP receive scholarships from the Governments of 5 other states: Jharkhand, Bihar, Kerala, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.

Preparation & FAQs

Admissions to the Central University of Andhra Pradesh are based on either the CUET UG or CUET PG entrance examination. Candidates must first choose the subjects needed for their courses of interest, before going through the syllabus for those subjects carefully. The exam portals for either test on the central Samarth website have an Information Bulletin and an Application Guide, so that interested applicants can choose the best resources to prepare for their combination of papers. Finally, students should consider purchasing a test series for their chosen subject(s) if they are already familiar with the subject material, or attending in-person training classes if they need to strengthen their theoretical understanding of their subjects. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the top University in India?

The Central University of Andhra Pradesh is one of the best Universities in India. It is ranked #32 among the top Universities in India, according to the IIRF 2024 ranking list.

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

The application fees to the Central University of Andhra Pradesh vary according to the level of the program to which the student is applying (undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD). The CUET PG fee is INR 1,200, while the CUET UG application fee is INR 1,000 for general category students.

Q. What are the Central University of Andhra Pradesh reviews?

As a relatively new University, CUAP has achieved strong placement results in less than a decade, and has ensured that a large percentage of graduating students receive at least one job offer.

Q. What is the schedule for the Central University of Andhra Pradesh recruitment?

CUAP has a recruitment page on its website where it publishes details of open positions. This page also provides deadlines and notifications about the mode of application.

Q. What is the specialization of the MTech program offered by the Central University of Andhra Pradesh?

CUAP offers an MTech program in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science.

Q. What is the specialization of the MBA program offered by the Central University of Andhra Pradesh?

CUAP offers an MBA program in Tourism and Travel Management.