Central University of Tamil Nadu

Overview

The Central University of Tamil Nadu (CUTN) is a prominent higher education institution located in Thiruvarur. In a decade and a half since its inception, it has established extensive teaching and research facilities, including 28 Departments with 13 Schools, and collaborations with large research institutes in Coimbatore. In addition to its 64 UG and PG programs, CUTN is also a center for professional certifications and industrial diplomas, and delivers popular BVoc programs via its Community College.

CUTN has a strong Placement Cell. In contrast to many similar associations in other Universities, it supports both students who wish to join companies and those who want to pursue higher studies after appearing for graduate entrance tests. Prominent blue chip recruiters are mainly from the IT and Finance sectors, including Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Capgemini, Federal Bank, and ESAF Small Finance Bank. Approximately 200 students are successfully placed each year, with a similar number receiving offers to join various higher studies programs in India and abroad.

The Central University of Tamil Nadu has two adjacent campus locations on either side of the Vettaaru river. The main Neelakudi campus has most of the academic buildings and extracurricular facilities. The Nagakudi campus has some hostels and the bulk of the faculty housing complexes. The University is a green and biodiverse location, with rice fields and sports grounds providing ample opportunities for recreation and exercise. The main campus is also home to a yoga hall, an indoor stadium, and a medical center which is open 24 hours, ensuring physical and mental wellness.

Central University of Tamil Nadu Highlights

Central University of Tamil Nadu Fees

The academic fees for students of the Central University of Tamil Nadu have four components:

• PG students:
  • One time fees: INR 5,822.
    • Admission fee: INR 3,322.
    • General Caution Deposit: INR 2,000 (refundable at the time of graduation if all the no-objection certificates are obtained).
    • Alumni Fee: INR 500 (payable during the last year).
  • Semester fees (tuition fees): Varies according to the PG program. For example, the lowest tuition fees are linked to certain 5 year Integrated programs (MA English: INR 9,625 per semester), and the MBA programs have the highest tuition fees (INR 15,565 per semester).
• UG students:
  • One time fees: INR 5,520.
    • Admission fee: INR 3,020.
    • General Caution Deposit: INR 2,000 (refundable at the time of graduation if all the no-objection certificates are obtained).
    • Alumni Fee: INR 500 (payable during the last year).
  • Semester fees (tuition fees): Varies according to the UG program and year. For example, BSc students in Year 1 pay INR 10,850 per semester, and third year BSc students pay INR 13,120 per semester.

The two main components of living costs (for students who choose to stay in the CUTN hostel) are hostel rent and mess fees:

• Hostel fees: INR 2,000 per semester.
• Hostel security deposit: INR 2,000. This is a one time deposit, and is refundable after the student leaves the hostel, provided that his/her conduct has been good.
• Mess deposit: INR 3,000. Students who incur a mess bill higher than the deposit must pay the difference, while students who spend less will receive a refund.

Students who choose to stay at home and commute to the CUTN campus must additionally budget for daily transportation costs.

Central University of Tamil Nadu Admissions

The eligibility criteria for admission to the Central University of Tamil Nadu, are as follows:

• PG programs:
  • All Master’s programs offered by CUTN require a UG degree in a related discipline. PhD programs require a Master’s degree in a relevant discipline.
  • Most Master’s degree programs offered by the University require an aggregate UG percentage of 50% or equivalent CGPA. This is relaxed by 5% for reserved category applicants.
  • Most Master’s programs only admit students with a valid CUET PG score.
• Integrated UG + PG programs:
  • Candidates must have a Standard XII pass certificate issued by any Board of Higher Secondary education recognized in India or abroad.
  • General category applicants to most programs must have an aggregate percentage of 50% or higher. This is relaxed by 5% for reserved category applicants.
  • Students must have a valid CUET UG score to apply to CUTN.
• International applicants: The documents required are similar to those for domestic applicants; however, students must obtain an Equivalence Certificate from the Association of Indian Universities to prove that their degree/diploma is valid. All documents must be translated into English if they are in any other language.

Both UG and PG aspirants must follow similar steps to apply to CUTN:

• Checking the UG or PG prospectus for eligibility criteria before visiting the CUET Samarth website for application to the University.
• Filling up the Application Form with valid personal and academic history details.
• Uploading digital scans of the photograph, signature, and caste certificate (if required for admission under a special category).
• Paying the application fee and noting the application number for future processing.
• Downloading the Hall Ticket and printing it before the expected date of the entrance test.
• Appearing for the CUET PG examination (multiple papers may be required if the candidate is applying to more than one program).
• Participating in the counseling process and filling up the appropriate choices (of the chosen course and CUTN) in the counseling choice sheet.
• If the total score of the candidate exceeds the cut-off at the end of the last counseling period, he/she will receive an offer to join the Central University of Tamil Nadu.
• Chosen candidates must pay the first year’s tuition and academic fees to confirm their acceptance of the offer of admission.

Central University of Tamil Nadu Placements

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

• Prominent recruiters include Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Capgemini, Federal Bank, ESAF Small Finance Bank, Timac Agro, eHash Software Solutions, Byju’s, Anthem Biosciences, the Indian Department of Horticulture and Plantation Crops, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, and the Tamil Nadu Uniformed Service Recruitment Board.
• Roughly equal numbers of students are placed in companies and appear for competitive examinations for admission to higher education.
• For example, over the past five years for which data is available, the number of students successfully placed in the corporate sector were respectively 167, 186, 171, 130, and 170.
• The competitive examinations that most students successfully passed were NET/JRF (264 over the past five years), GATE (133 over the past five years), JAM (13), and CTET (55).
• Four year UG programs have, on average, the highest number of candidates choosing progression to further studies.
• The median salaries offered to students of various degree programs during the most recent placement season for which data is available were:
  • UG 4 year programs: INR 2.08 LPA.
  • PG 2 year programs: INR 2.9 LPA.
  • UG + PG Integrated 5 year programs: INR 4.89 LPA.

Central University of Tamil Nadu Cut-Offs

There are no CUET PG or UG cut-offs based on entrance test scores announced in advance. However, after each of the 3 rounds of counseling, total score cut-offs are published on the CUTN website. Therefore, the cut-offs are only decided at the end of the process. Individual programs may mandate cut-offs based on the aggregate UG percentage; the details can be found in the PG prospectus under the eligibility criteria section. For example, most UG programs require an average of 50% or higher (for General Category applicants) in the 10+2 Board Examination.

Central University of Tamil Nadu Faculty & Alumni

The Central University of Tamil Nadu is home to 170 full time Faculty members. Of these, 118 (69%) are Assistant Professors, 25 (15%) are Associate Professors, and the remaining 27 (16%) are full Professors. 9 Faculty members work on a contract basis, and the others are regular members of the University staff. Together, all the Professors work to create a unique curriculum and assist students with placement readiness. Finally, 167 out of 171 Faculty members (98%) hold PhD degrees, with the remainder having relevant Master’s degrees.

The Alumni Association of CUTN (CUTNAA) was established in 2016, registered in 2022, and provides multiple services to 5,337+ graduates of the University. Its primary function is to maintain the alumni portal, on which all graduates are required to register to avail the benefits of the CUTNAA. The other functions include:

• To connect with alumni and leverage their networks to act as goodwill ambassadors of the University.
• To promote academic and professional interactions along alumni of CUTN.
• To conduct regular events to strengthen the relationship between current students of the University and its alumni.
• To organize symposia, conferences, workshops, and seminars to spread industry knowledge and increase the corporate readiness of the students of CUTN.
• To recognize exceptional talent among the alumni of the University by presenting awards to distinguished achievers in the field of corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, and social work.
• To leverage the full network of the University's ex-students by encouraging philanthropy and raising funds for infrastructural development through donation drives.
• To use the online portal to allow alumni to track the usage of their funds for student welfare and equipment upgrades.

Central University of Tamil Nadu Scholarships

As in other top Universities in India, there are multiple financial aid options available to students of the Central University of Tamil Nadu. There are four main scholarship schemes, each of which have multiple options within them:

1. National Scholarship Portal schemes: These Post Matric scholarship schemes provide 100% tuition fee waivers to meritorious reserved category students whose family income is below a certain limit. They also provide them with a living stipend so that they can pursue their studies with dignity.

2. Hakeem Abdul Hameed Scholarship Financial Aid: This is awarded annually by the Hamdard Foundation, and seeks to assist students from the SC, ST, OBC, EBC, MBC, and minority communities to pursue higher studies in technical, degree, and professional courses. It is a merit-cum-means scholarship, and helps students manage their tuition fees.

3. Scholarships for Higher Education for Young Achievers Scheme (SHREYAS): This aims to help achievers in multiple fields - academic, sports, cultural, and others - to fund their studies by providing tuition fee scholarships and living stipends. Continued award of financial aid may be contingent on maintaining a minimum level of achievement in the field for which the student was selected for the scholarship.

4. Free Coaching Schemes for meritorious SC and ST candidates: This allows SC and ST candidates who are above the income limit for 100% scholarships to avail of funding schemes by virtue of exceptional academic performance in the qualifying examination (either Standard XII or UG).

The total number of CUTN students currently receiving 100% tuition fee scholarships from various sources are as follows:

• Central and State Government Scholarships: 510.
• Scholarships from University funds: 391.
• Scholarships from Private Bodies (Trusts and Companies: 10.

Central University of Tamil Nadu Preparation & FAQs

Admissions to the Central University of Tamil Nadu are based on either the CUET UG or PG entrance examination. Candidates must first go through the syllabus for their chosen subjects carefully. Either website also has an Information Bulletin and an Application Guide, so that interested applicants can choose their study and practice resources carefully. 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 the subject. 

Central University of Tamil Nadu Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the top University in India?

The Central University of Tamil Nadu is one of the best Universities in India. It is ranked #99 among the top Universities in India, according to the NIRF 2024 ranking list. It is ranked #17 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 Tamil Nadu?

The application fees to the Central University of Tamil Nadu vary according to the level of the program to which the student is applying (undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD). For example, UG applicants pay INR 1,000 to appear for the CUET UG test, and PG aspirants pay INR 1,200 as CUET PG application fees.

Q. Which integrated programs are offered by the Central University of Tamil Nadu?

CUTN offers six integrated 5 year UG+PG programs (e.g. Integrated MSc in Physics, Integrated MA in Economics, Integrated MPA in Music), and two integrated 4 year UG programs (e.g. Integrated BSc + BEd in Mathematics, Integrated BPA in Music).

Q. What are the expected dates of CUET UG 2025?

CUET UG 2025 is expected to be held over the third and fourth weeks of May 2025.

Q. What are the expected dates of CUET PG 2025?

CUET PG 2025 is expected to be held over the second, third and fourth weeks of March 2025.