Universities in Kerala 2026

Universities
19
State private
0
State and central
16
Online / distance
4

Checked by Career Bhavan on 2 November 2026

against UGC’s published university lists

UGC has declared 2 institutions in Kerala fake: International Islamic University of Prophetic Medicine (IIUPM); St. John’s University. They are not on this list and cannot award degrees. See UGC’s full fake list.

Showing 1–19 of 19 universities

  • A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technological UniversityKerala · StateUGC 2(f)
    UGC status
    2(f). Included in UGC’s list of universities under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956: set up by a central or state law and able to award degrees.
    Address
    CET Campus, Alathara RdAmbady Nagar,Thiruvananthapuram 695016
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    ktu.edu.in
  • Calicut UniversityKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12BOnline / distance
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    Calicut University P.O.Malappuram DistrictCalicut 673635
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    uoc.ac.in

    Online and distance: Online · Entitled on UGC-DEB’s current lists, 10 programmes.

    See its programmes
  • Central University of KeralaKerala · CentralUGC 2(f) and 12B
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    Tejaswini Hills,Periye (PO),Kasaragod (DT) 671316
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    cukerala.ac.in
  • Chinmaya VishwavidyapeethKerala · DeemedUGC Deemed (Section 3)
    UGC status
    Deemed (Section 3). Declared a deemed-to-be university by the central government under Section 3 of the UGC Act, so it can award its own degrees.
    Address
    Adi Sankara Nilayam, Ernakulum 682313
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    cvv.ac.in
  • Cochin Unviersity of Science & TechnologyKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12B
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    Cochin University of Science and technology, Kochi, Ernakulam, Kerala State 682022
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    cusat.ac.in
  • Indian Institute of Space Science and TechnologyKerala · DeemedUGC Deemed (Section 3)
    UGC status
    Deemed (Section 3). Declared a deemed-to-be university by the central government under Section 3 of the UGC Act, so it can award its own degrees.
    Address
    Valiamala Post, Thiruvananthapuram 695547
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    iist.ac.in
  • Kannur UniversityKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12B
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    MangattuparambaDistt- Kannur 670567
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    kannuruiversity.ac.in
  • Kerala Agricultural UnviersityKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12B
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    Kerala Agricultural University KAU Main Campus KAU P.O., Vellanikkara, Thrissur, Kerala, 680656Thrissur - 680 654.
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    kau.edu
  • Kerala KalamandalamKerala · DeemedUGC Deemed (Section 3)
    UGC status
    Deemed (Section 3). Declared a deemed-to-be university by the central government under Section 3 of the UGC Act, so it can award its own degrees.
    Address
    Vallathol Nagar, Cheruthuruthy, Thrissur 679531
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    kalamandalam.ac.in
  • Kerala UniversityKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12BOnline / distance
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    Thiruvananthapuram - 695 0
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    keralauniversity.edu

    Online and distance: Online · Entitled, Distance · Recognised on UGC-DEB’s current lists, 5 programmes.

    See its programmes
  • Kerala University of Digital Sciences Innovation and TechnologyKerala · StateUGC 2(f)
    UGC status
    2(f). Included in UGC’s list of universities under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956: set up by a central or state law and able to award degrees.
    Address
    Technology CampusKuracode, MangalapurammThonnakkal P.O., Thiruvananthapuram 695317
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    duk.ac.in
  • Kerala University of Fisheries & Ocean StudiesKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12B
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    Panangad P.O, Kochi Kochi 682506
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    kufos.ac.in
  • Kerala University of Health SciencesKerala · StateUGC 2(f)UGC notice
    UGC status
    2(f). Included in UGC’s list of universities under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956: set up by a central or state law and able to award degrees.
    Address
    Trissur 680596
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    kuhs.ac.in

    UGC lists it among HEIs that have not appointed an ombudsperson for student grievances.

    UGC’s list(opens in a new tab)
  • Kerala Veterinary & Animal Sciences UniversityKerala · StateUGC 2(f)
    UGC status
    2(f). Included in UGC’s list of universities under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956: set up by a central or state law and able to award degrees.
    Address
    Kerala Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Pookode, Wayanad, KeralaWayanad 673576
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    kvasu.ac.in
  • Mahatma Gandhi UnversityKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12BOnline / distance
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    Kottayam,PIN - 686 560. (KERALA).
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    mgu.ac.in

    Online and distance: Online · Entitled on UGC-DEB’s current lists, 13 programmes.

    See its programmes
  • Shree Sankaracharaya University of SanskritKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12B
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    P.B.No. 14, Kalady District,ErnakulamKalady
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    ssus.ac.in
  • Sree Narayanguru Open UniversityKerala · StateUGC 2(f)Online / distance
    UGC status
    2(f). Included in UGC’s list of universities under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956: set up by a central or state law and able to award degrees.
    Address
    Kollam 691601

    Online and distance: Distance · Recognised on UGC-DEB’s current lists, 30 programmes.

    See its programmes
  • Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam UniversityKerala · StateUGC 2(f) and 12B
    UGC status
    2(f) and 12B. Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.
    Address
    Vakad po, Vakad, Tirur, Malappuram DistrictVakkad PO, Tirur,Malappuram 676502
    Website (as listed by UGC)
    malayalamuniversity.edu.in/en

The short answer

By Career Bhavan’s count of UGC’s lists, checked on 2 November 2026, Kerala has 19 UGC-recognised universities: 1 central, 15 state, 0 state private and 3 deemed to be universities. 4 of them are on UGC-DEB’s 2026-27 lists for online or distance programmes. UGC has also declared 2 institutions in Kerala fake universities.

  1. 1

    Search the university above. If it isn’t listed and isn’t an institution set up by an Act of Parliament (IITs, NITs, AIIMS and the like), it cannot award a valid degree. Check UGC’s fake-universities list too.

  2. 2

    Open the row: its UGC status shows whether it is a 2(f) university (with or without 12B) or a deemed university.

  3. 3

    Studying online or by distance? Check the separate UGC-DEB approval for your exact programme as well.

Reading the list

What 2(f), 12B and deemed mean

  • 2(f)

    Included in UGC’s list of universities under Section 2(f) of the UGC Act, 1956: set up by a central or state law and able to award degrees.

    765 universities

  • 2(f) and 12B

    Under Section 2(f), and also declared fit under Section 12B to receive grants from UGC and the central government. 12B is about funding, not degree validity.

    375 universities

  • Deemed (Section 3)

    Declared a deemed-to-be university by the central government under Section 3 of the UGC Act, so it can award its own degrees.

    164 universities

By state

Universities in your state

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Method

Where this data comes from

Every university here comes from UGC’s own lists of central, state, state private and deemed to be universities on ugc.gov.in(opens in a new tab). Fake universities and the compliance notes (PhD regulations, ombudsperson, defaulter universities) come from UGC’s list of HEIs violating regulations(opens in a new tab). Names, addresses and websites are as UGC publishes them; online and distance approvals are matched from UGC-DEB’s lists. Checked 2 November 2026.

Who may award degrees is set by Section 22 of the UGC Act, as UGC explains in its public notice on fake universities(opens in a new tab). Institutions set up by an Act of Parliament are listed separately in the Ministry of Education list of Institutions of National Importance(opens in a new tab).

Free to reuse with credit to CareerBhavan. Get the data (CSV)

Cite as: CareerBhavan, “UGC-recognised universities in India 2026, with UGC notices and the fake-universities list”, careerbhavan.com/ugc-recognised-universities (checked 2 November 2026)

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

How many universities are there in Kerala?

19, according to UGC’s lists as checked on 2 November 2026: 1 central, 15 state, 0 state private and 3 deemed to be universities.

How many private universities are there in Kerala?

None. UGC’s list has no state private university in Kerala.

Which central universities are in Kerala?

Central University of Kerala.

Which universities in Kerala offer UGC-approved online or distance degrees?

4 are on UGC-DEB’s 2026-27 lists: Calicut University, Kerala University, Mahatma Gandhi Unversity and Sree Narayanguru Open University. Approval is programme by programme, so check your exact programme.

Are there fake universities in Kerala?

Yes. UGC’s fake-universities list names International Islamic University of Prophetic Medicine (IIUPM) and St. John’s University in Kerala. UGC says they cannot award any degree.

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