Sikkim University

Overview

Sikkim University (CUS) is a Central University located in the Eastern Himalayas. In accordance with its overall aim - to train skilled graduates to aid the further development of Sikkim state - the University works to provide courses in fields common to other Central Universities (e.g. sciences, humanities, social sciences), and in topics relevant to the state, with Forestry being a key focus area. It is currently located in multiple temporary locations within Gangtok, the capital city of Sikkim. The permanent campus of the University is being constructed at Yangang in the southern part of the state.

The Placement and Career Counseling Cell of Sikkim University organizes internship and recruitment drives. The curriculum also includes regular field visits, and students can additionally prepare themselves for the final interview stage through annual internships. Some examples of blue chip recruiters are ICICI Bank, Amazon, Amity University, Oracle India, Zydus Healthcare, Thomson Digital, and CIPLA Pharma.

As of the 2024-25 Academic Year, Sikkim University has already shifted three Departments to the futuristic permanent campus in Yangang, which is designed to use solar energy and organic gas in its hostels and Department buildings. It will also have a large Sports Complex to ensure that students are able to improve their overall health and wellness, while strengthening their resumes with extracurricular activities. The University has also spearheaded two unique initiatives to improve the quality of its academic offering: micro-teaching to create better learning outcomes, and the University Research Fund Award, for the most socially relevant research projects by younger members of the Faculty.

Sikkim University Highlights

Sikkim University Fees

The academic fees for students of Sikkim University have multiple components e.g. tuition fees, examination charges, registration fees, and caution deposits. The tuition fee varies from program to program as follows:

• One Time Fees: Between INR 3,228 and INR 5,956 for all UG and PG programs. These are divided into two parts:
  • Common Fees: These have eight components, including Certificate fees and Medical Charges (INR 366 each), Marksheet, Registration, and Student Association Fees (INR 244 each), and Library Fees (INR 610).
  • Examination Fees: Between INR 1,020 for most programs and INR 2,440 for practically intensive courses e.g. MSc Chemistry.
  • Admission Fees: Either INR 610 or INR 1,220.
• Tuition Fees: Range from INR 612 to INR 6,600 per semester, depending on the course.
  • Some programs (e.g. MA in Buddhist Studies) have semester fees of INR 612.
  • Many programs have semester fees of INR 732 e.g. MA Hindi, MA History.
  • Most programs (e.g. BA in Psychology, MA in Anthropology, MCom, BSc Geology) have semester fees of INR 1,220.
  • The MEd program in Education and the MBA course are both associated with fees of INR 6,600 per semester, as is the LLM graduate program.

The living costs for students who choose to live in the Sikkim University hostels have four components:

• Hostel Admission Fee: INR 610.
• Hostel Caution Deposit: INR 3,000. This is fully refundable at the time of graduation subject to good conduct.
• Hostel Rent: Either INR 612 per month (quadruple seating), INR 737 per month (triple occupancy), or INR 1,110 per month (double seating).
• Mess Fee: INR 1,800 per month.

SC and ST students are exempted from Hostel Rent fees.

Sikkim University Admissions

The eligibility criteria for admission to Sikkim University, are as follows:

• UG programs:
  • Applicants must have completed their Standard XII Board Examination from any recognized Higher Secondary organization in India or abroad with a pass  certificate.
  • The aggregate in the relevant subjects varies from program to program for the 3 UG courses:
    • 50% for BA Psychology applicants.
    • 45% for BA Hindi aspirants.
    • 40% for BPA Music applicants.
    • There is a relaxation of 5% for reserved category candidates.
  • There is no restriction based on subjects studied at 10+2 level.
• PG programs:
  • All Master’s programs offered by Sikkim University require a UG degree offered by a recognized University in a related discipline. MPhil and 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 either 45% or 50% or equivalent CGPA. This is relaxed by 5% for reserved category applicants. 
  • All Master’s programs only admit students with a valid CUET PG score.

Students who wish to apply to Sikkim University must follow these steps:

• Checking the announcement of the admission notice by the Registrar of Sikkim University in late April or early May each year.
• Registering online via the Sikkim University portal on the CUET Samarth website.
• Appearing for the relevant CUET papers.
• Creating an applicant account on the Sikkim University website.
• Submitting relevant academic and personal details.
• Paying the application fee and submitting the candidature.
• After Sikkim University releases the first shortlist of eligible candidates, they must register online for the Admission Counseling round.
• Certain programs have further rounds for selection: for example, MBA applicants must appear for Group Discussion and Personal Interview rounds, while BPA aspirants must qualify via a practical performance.
• All students must present their original documents for verification. Any discrepancy can lead to cancellation of the admission offer.
• Two lists are published during the counseling process, and hostel allocation is done with academic registration.
• If any seats are left vacant due to students not accepting their offers, a spot admission round is conducted in mid-July every year.
• The admission process concludes by early August, when the classes start.

Sikkim University Placements

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

• Prominent recruiters include ICICI Bank, Amazon, Amity University, Oracle India, Zydus Healthcare, Thomson Digital, CIPLA Pharma, Glenmark Pharma, Wuhan University of Technology, Teach for India, and WNS Global.
• The Placement and Career Counseling Cell of Sikkim University has one major function: to organize hiring drives in partnership with companies located in and outside Sikkim.
• The curriculum has been designed to include practical training, with many programs having compulsory field visits. The University provides financial aid to students who choose field visits in industries located away from the University.
• Many programs have up to one compulsory internship per year. This must be completed during the vacation period, and additional funding may be provided by the University.
• Internships are encouraged to help students discover their fields of interest and provide pre-placement offers for full time employment after graduation.

Sikkim University Cut-Offs

As in other Central Universities, there are no CUET UG or PG cut-offs announced ahead of time for admission to the programs offered by Sikkim University. 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 either 45% or 50% over all UG semesters, or equivalent GPA. This is relaxed by 5% for SC, ST, EWS, and PwD applicants.

Sikkim University Faculty & Alumni

Sikkim University is home to 183 full time Faculty members. Of these, 119 (65%) are Assistant Professors, 28 (15%) are Associate Professors, and the remaining 36 (20%) are full Professors. Most Faculty members (156 out of 183, or 85%) hold PhD degrees. The Faculty members work closely with the students and management to create a strong research and academic community during the first few years of the University, as it stabilizes and moves into permanent quarters. They also assist students with career counseling and entrance exam preparation (mainly for UG graduates).

Sikkim University has an active Alumni Association, with regulations set forth on the CUS website. It holds multiple meetings every year, and carries out critical functions such as maintaining an online alumni database, inviting distinguished ex-students of the University to hold interactive sessions with current students, providing internships and job opportunities for students through alumni working in different companies, recognising distinguished alumni for their achievements through awards and felicitation ceremonies, and facilitating professional networking among alumni from different batches and departments.

Sikkim University Scholarships

As in other top Universities in India, there are multiple financial aid options available to students of Sikkim University. The most prestigious scholarships are:

1. Merit-cum-Means Scholarship: This has two levels of eligibility - the family income of each applicant must be lower than INR 60,000 per year, and the student must have a qualifying examination aggregate above 55%. There are three levels of financial aid offered: a full Fellowship (INR 3,000 per month), a Freeship (full waiver of tuition and laboratory fees), and a half Freeship (50% scholarship based on tuition and lab fees). There is no limit on the number of scholarships awarded under this scheme; all applications that are adjudged to be eligible by the Award Committee are allowed. Only students who do not avail of any scholarship from any other source are eligible to apply.

2. National Scholarships and Fellowships: 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. State Scholarships: These are offered by various State Governments to students who are domiciled in those states before securing admission to Sikkim University. The applications must typically be made to the respective State Governments after the admission offer is received, and before the student starts attending classes.

The University also assists PhD students who do not have UGC funding with non-NET scholarships so that they can pursue their Doctoral studies with a living stipend. Currently, no students receive full tuition fee waivers from Central and State Government or Private Trust schemes (though partial scholarships are possible). 147 students (9% of the total enrollment) receive full scholarships from University funds.

Sikkim University Preparation & FAQs

Admissions to Sikkim University are based on either the CUET UG or PG entrance examination. Candidates must first go through the syllabus for their chosen subjects carefully. Both exam websites also have 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 their subjects. 

Sikkim University Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. Which is the top University in India?

Sikkim University is one of the best Universities in India. It is ranked #23 among the best Central Universities in India, according to the IIRF 2024 ranking list.

Q. What are the application fees to Sikkim University?

The application fees to Sikkim University vary according to the level of the program to which the student is applying (undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD). The Admission Form costs INR 1,000 for General candidates, INR 750 for OBC category candidates, and INR 500 for SC, ST, and PwD applicants.

Q. How many Schools are present in Sikkim University?

Academic and research activities within Sikkim University are organized into six Schools, including Human Sciences, Languages & Literature, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Professional Studies, and Social Sciences.

Q. When is the Sikkim University result declared every year?

The Sikkim University result for UG, PG, and MPhil examinations is declared on the cus.ac.in website for odd and even semesters within two months of the examinations, twice a year. The admission results are posted at different times for different courses, between April and September every year.

Q. What are the criteria for admission to the MBA program offered by Sikkim University?

In addition to the 50% qualifying examination cut-off, the merit list for admission to the MBA program offered by Sikkim University is prepared based on the CUET PG score (70% weightage), Group Discussion (20% weightage) and Personal Interview performance (10% weightage).

Q. Does Sikkim University conduct its own entrance test?

Sikkim University uses CUET UG and CUET PG scores for admission to most programs. However, some courses (e.g. MPA in Music) have an additional practical or viva test conducted by the University for shortlisted students, based on which the final selection is done.