Central University of Himachal Pradesh

Overview

The Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) is a recently established Higher Education Institution located in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh. Even though it currently operates from a temporary location, it will have two permanent campuses at Dharamshala and Dehra.  Academic and research activities at the University are organized into 12 Schools which have 10 Centers and 23 Departments within them.

In addition to being a hub of research experience excellence, CUHP is also home to a Special Guidance Center, which aims to ensure that differently abled students are able to access the highest quality education, during both the entrance and application process, and during their time at the University. The University is also home to the Institute Innovation Council and an active Incubation Center; these bodies interface with corporate leaders to provide mentorship and funding to students who are interested in startups. It is also a hub for digital learning in the state of Himachal Pradesh through the CUHP Digital Learning Management System.

CU Himachal has an active central Training and Placement Cell to maintain strong corporate relations and conduct training sessions. Different Schools and Departments have their own Placement teams as well to invite domain specific companies for specialized roles. Prominent recruiters are mostly from the BFSI sector, including HDFC Bank and State Bank of India.

Even though CU Himachal currently operates from a temporary campus, it is still equipped with world class academic facilities including multiple seminar and conference halls. It also has indoor and outdoor sports halls and fields, and multiple trainers for the University's sports teams.

Highlights

Fees

The academic fees for students of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh have multiple components e.g. tuition fees, examination charges, registration fees, and caution deposits. The fee structure is as follows:

• One time fees (common to students of most courses):
  • University registration and enrolment fee: INR 100 to INR 500 (highest for students of professional programs e.g. MBA).
  • Alumni registration fee: INR 100.
  • University caution deposit: INR 500 to INR 3,000. This will be refunded when the student graduates, subject to his/her good conduct.
  • Students’ Cooperative Society Membership Fee: INR 100.
  • Convocation Fee: INR 500.
• Recurring fees:
  • Tuition fee: Ranges from INR 500 per semester (for non-professional UG programs e.g. BSc) to INR 2,400 per semester (for MBA and MSc).
  • Examination fee: Ranges from INR 250 per semester (BSc) to INR 2,000 per semester (BVoc - self financing).
  • Development Fee: Up to INR 500 per semester (for MBA students).
  • Practical Lab Fee: Up to INR 200 per semester.
  • Library Fee: Up to INR 100 per semester.
  • Medical and Magazine Fees: INR 50 per semester each.
  • Students’ Welfare Fund: INR 50 per semester.
  • Subject Association Fund: INR 50 to INR 200 per semester.
  • Campus Development and Beautification Fund: INR 20 per semester.
  • Cultural Activities Fund: INR 20 to INR 100 per semester.
  • ICT Lab Fee: INR 10 to INR 100 per semester.

The hostel fee for PG students is INR 4,750 per semester. PhD students and other research scholars pay INR 5,700 per semester. Students who live in any of the three hostels must also budget for the monthly mess fee and other personal costs (e.g. shopping, purchase of academic materials).

Admissions

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

• UG programs:
  • The applicant must have a Standard 12 pass certificate issued by any recognized Board of Higher Secondary Education anywhere in India or abroad, or an equivalent examination.
  • Students in the final year of such a program can also apply, provided that they submit the final marksheet before joining the Central University of Himachal Pradesh.
  • Most programs have no specified cut-off based on 10+2 Board Examination marks. However, a pass score is compulsory.
  • CUET UG scores are compulsory.
• PG programs:
  • Applicants must have a Bachelor's degree in a discipline directly related to that of the Master's program, except for MBA applicants (any Bachelor's degree is accepted).
  • Most programs have a cut-off of 50% across all semesters of UG study, or 45% for reserved category applicants.
  • A valid CUET PG score is necessary for application.

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

• Creating an applicant account on the CUET Samarth website, and registering using valid contact details.
• Filling up the application form with accurate personal and academic history details. Any error can lead to a cancellation of the application.
• Paying the application fee.
• Submitting the application form after attaching soft copies of documents issued by state/national/college authorities in support of the details entered.
• Appearing for either the CUET UG or CUET PG examination and submitting the scores to CUHP.
• Selected candidates in each merit list are given a deadline to pay their first semester fees online.
• All candidates who do not pay the fees by the stipulated dates are removed from the merit list and the vacant seats are filled during the next round of counseling.

Placements

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

• Each School has its own Placement Cell, with the Central Training & Placement Cell coordinating activities for companies which hire from multiple Centers and Departments, while providing functional and soft skills training to students from their first year in CUHP. One of the most active Placement Cells is in the HPKV Business School (the Management Department of CU Himachal).
• Internships are an integral part of the learning process at CUHP; 100% participation of all students in the pre-final year internship is incentivized by allotting 2 credits to the report. The duration is usually 6-7 weeks, and the highest stipend was INR 60,000 per month.
• Prominent recruiters include HDFC Bank, EY India, Axis Bank, Tata Power, Reliance Industries Limited, Thomas Cook India, Tech Mahindra, State Bank of India, FutureBridge Consulting, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, Bank of Baroda, ITC Limited, and Google India. Several students also choose to launch entrepreneurial ventures and/or join their family businesses.
• The highest CTC is usually from the MBA Department, and has consistently exceeded INR 8.5 LPA, even during the pandemic years.
• Each type of program offered by the Central University of Himachal Pradesh reports the median CTC offered to its graduating students; the numbers are:
  • UG 3 year programs: INR 2.5 LPA.
  • PG 1 year programs: INR 2.5 LPA (up 400% from INR 50,000 per year two years earlier).
  • PG 2 year programs: INR 2.75 LPA (up almost 100% from INR 1.5 LPA two years previously).
• The ratio of students receiving at least one job offer during the final placement season to the total number of graduating students varies by program type. It is uniformly low across the board:
  • UG 3 year programs: 1 out of 22 (5%).
  • PG 1 year programs: 1 out of 70 (1.4%).
  • PG 2 year programs: 102 out of 513 (20%).

Cut-Offs

The only cut-offs related to admission to the UG and PG courses offered by the Central University of Himachal Pradesh are based on the aggregate in the qualifying examination: either the Standard XII Board Exams or UG semester tests. Most PG programs require an UG aggregate of 50%. However, most UG courses have no cut-offs, and a pass grade in Standard XII is sufficient. All cut-offs are relaxed by 5% for SC and ST applicants. Entrance examination cut-offs are only decided after the selection process is completed.

Faculty & Alumni

The Central University of Himachal Pradesh is home to 188 full time Faculty members. Of these, 123 (65%) are Assistant Professors, 40 (21%) are Associate Professors, and the remaining 25 (14%) are full Professors. Most Faculty members (172 out of 188, or 91%) hold PhD degrees. All except 5 Faculty members are regular employees of the University; a very small fraction work on contractual basis. Therefore, all Professors are highly qualified, and are able to create the curriculum and research focus of the relatively young University.

The Central University of Himachal Pradesh maintains a detailed database of alumni on its website, organized by year of graduation and current field of work. This allows current students and potential recruiters to contact alumni with which they have professional interests in common. The University conducts virtual and in person alumni meets at its campus and in local city chapters, and encourages alumni to give back to CU Himachal through donations, mentorship, and interfacing with the Placement Cell to provide internships and full time job opportunities at their current places of work.

Scholarships

As in other top Universities in India, there are multiple financial aid options available to students of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh. As of 2024, 72 out of 1,579 students (5%) receive full tuition fee waivers from the Central and State Governments, 175 students (11%) receive full scholarships via University funds, and 1 student receives a full tuition fee scholarship from private bodies and Trusts. The most popular scholarship schemes are:

1. Dr. Ambedkar Post Matric Scholarship: This aims to support Economically Backward Students from Himachal Pradesh with their tuition fees by providing students who qualify to join CUHP from all categories whose family income falls under the BPL threshold with a  monthly support amount.

2. Merit-cum-Means (MCM) Scholarships: These Central Government Scholarships are awarded to academically excellent students enrolled in professional and technical courses offered by the Central University of Himachal Pradesh - for example, Computer Science and Engineering. Students must submit their family income certificates to verify that they satisfy both the financial need and academic merit criteria.

3. Post Matric Scholarships: These are awarded by various Departments of the Government of India to students from various reserved categories, and cover a 100% tuition fee waiver in addition to a living stipend to cover part of the hostel fees.

4. Research Fellowships: These primarily support PhD students, including the UGC non-NET Fellowship, the Fifth Year Financial Assistance Program offered by the University to PhD students in the final year of research, Fellowships from various Government Organizations (e.g. the Prime Minister’s Research Fellow program, the DST-Inspire Scholarship), and the Swami Vivekananda / Savitribai Jyotirao Phule Fellowships for Single Girl Children.

5. Scholarships awarded by other State Governments: Several State Education Departments assist students from socially disadvantaged backgrounds domiciled in their states who study in the Central University of Himachal Pradesh. For example, the Post Matric Scholarship to ST students awarded by the Government of Assam assists tribal students with fee payments.

6. Prime Minister Scholarship Scheme for Central Armed Police Forces: These are intended to support wards of ex-servicemen and current police officers and special forces members. Most scholarships of this type have a flat payment made every semester which is usually sufficient to cover the full academic fee.

7. The Urban Learning internship scholarship: Students of all categories and course levels (from UG to PhD) can pay to various City planning teams through the central TULIP AICTE portal; selected students will be funded throughout the duration of the internship.

Preparation & FAQs

Applicants to the Central University of Himachal Pradesh should consider attending online or in-person tuition classes to help them prepare for the CUET UG or CUET PG examinations in their chosen subjects. Many successful students also appear for mock tests to improve their overall speed and accuracy. It is also helpful to refer to the previous year’s final CUET cut-offs before using those as reference goals while attempting sample papers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the top University in India?

The Central University of Himachal Pradesh is one of the best Universities in India. It is ranked #49 among the best Central Universities in India, according to the IIRF 2024 ranking list.

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

The application fees to the Central University of Himachal Pradesh vary according to the level of the program to which the student is applying (undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD). The registration fee for students applying to self financed professional courses is INR 1,000. For most other programs, the corresponding application fee is INR 500.

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

The expected dates, mode of application, and submission deadlines for all part time and full time roles offered by the Central University of Himachal Pradesh in 2025 can be found on its website. Both teaching and non-teaching roles are notified and published on this page.

Q. Which MBA specializations are offered by the Central University of Himachal Pradesh?

The Central University of Himachal Pradesh offers 3 MBA specializations: Marketing Management, Finance, and Human Resource Management. Since it has a dual specialization system, MBA students can choose up to two of these.

Q. Which MBA specializations are offered by the Central University of Himachal Pradesh?

The Central University of Himachal Pradesh offers 3 MBA specializations: Marketing Management, Finance, and Human Resource Management. Since it has a dual specialization system, MBA students can choose up to two of these.

Q. What is the deadline for the Central University of Himachal Pradesh PhD admission 2025?

The Central University of Himachal Pradesh publishes notifications for PhD admissions throughout the year; it also releases the results on its website.

Q. What is the cut-off for applicants to the Central University of Himachal Pradesh PhD admission 2025?

Applicants to all PhD programs offered by the Central University of Himachal Pradesh require an aggregate of 55% or higher across all semesters of their postgraduate studies. This is relaxed by 5% for reserved category applicants.

Q. How does the Central University of Himachal Pradesh encourage its students who are interested in entrepreneurship?

One of the first centers established at the Central University of Himachal Pradesh was the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, which provides end to end startup services from mentorship and incubation to intellectual property protection and incorporation.