University of Rajasthan

Its jurisdiction is currently limited to the districts of Jaipur and Dausa. The University of Rajasthan has nine faculties, 35 departments, 19 research centres and seven constituent colleges. The university also maintains a large network of affiliated colleges in its jurisdiction. The university is accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). In its third accreditation cycle, it received an A+ grade, following an A+ grade in the first cycle and an A grade in the second cycle.

• Name — University of Rajasthan • Native Name — राजस्थान विश्वविद्यालय • Former Names — University of Rajputana • Motto — Dharmo Vishwasya Jagatah Pratishtha • Motto Lang — sa • Motto Eng — Dharma is the firm foundation upon which the universe stands • Type — Public state university • Visitor — President of India • Chancellor — Governor of Rajasthan • Vice Chancellor — Alpana Kateja • City — Jaipur • State — Rajasthan • Country — India • Campus Type — Urban • Address — Jawaharlal Nehru Marg, Jaipur, Rajasthan 302004 • Accreditation — NAAC (A+) • Academic Affiliations — AIU • Website — https: www.uniraj.ac.in/

The origins of the University of Rajasthan can be traced to proposals for a separate university serving the princely states of Rajputana during the 1920s. The issue arose partly from changes in the conditions of affiliation associated with Allahabad University, to which colleges in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Ajmer were affiliated. The question of establishing a university for Rajputana was discussed at a meeting of the ruling princes and chiefs held at Mount Abu on 20 June 1924. The proposal was subsequently reconsidered during the 1940s. In 1942, Sir Mirza Ismail, then Prime Minister of Jaipur State, appointed J. C. Rollo as Special Education Officer to examine the establishment of a university. In December 1946, representatives of Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner and Alwar discussed the establishment of a university at Jaipur. Legislation was promulgated on 8 January 1947, and the colleges of the participating states were formally federated into the University of Rajputana. The university came into existence in July 1947. Dr G. S. Mahajani, then principal of Fergusson College, Poona (now Pune), became the university's first vice-chancellor. The University of Rajasthan Act, 1946, provided the statutory framework for the university. The Act was subsequently amended by state legislation, and the name of the institution was changed from the University of Rajputana to the University of Rajasthan by the University of Rajputana (Change of Name) Act, 1956.

The university's first office was established temporarily at Kesargarh Fort. The Maharaja of Jaipur State subsequently made available a site of more than 300 acres for the development of the university campus. The foundation stone of the university campus was laid by C. Rajagopalachari on 20 February 1949. During its early years, the university functioned primarily as an affiliating institution. Its jurisdiction initially extended across the Rajputana region and subsequently encompassed the state of Rajasthan after its formation. The university later developed into a teaching and affiliating university with an expanding network of academic departments and colleges. The University of Rajasthan has subsequently developed into a multi-faculty institution offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes as well as certificate and diploma-level programmes.

The University of Rajasthan operates under the University of Rajasthan Act, 1946, as amended. The Act establishes the statutory authorities and officers of the university and provides for its governance and academic administration. The President of India is the Visitor of the university, while the Governor of Rajasthan serves as Chancellor. As of September 2026, the Vice-Chancellor is Professor Alpana Kateja, who assumed office on 26 September 2023. The statutory governing bodies include the Senate, Syndicate, Academic Council and other bodies established under the Act and university statutes.

The university's academic organisation comprises nine faculties: • Faculty of Arts • Faculty of Commerce • Faculty of Education • Faculty of Engineering and Technology • Faculty of Fine Arts • Faculty of Law • Faculty of Management • Faculty of Science • Faculty of Social Science The university has 35 academic departments and 19 research centres. It offers programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels, together with certificate, diploma and postgraduate diploma programmes. Its academic disciplines include the arts & humanities, languages, social sciences, sciences, commerce, management, law, education, engineering and technology, fine arts and interdisciplinary fields. The university has implemented academic reforms associated with the National Education Policy 2020, including semester-based and multidisciplinary academic structures.

Research at the University of Rajasthan is conducted through its academic departments and research centres. The university's research activities encompass the sciences, social sciences, humanities, commerce and management, law, education and interdisciplinary areas. The university maintains central research and academic facilities, including the Central Library, University Science Instrumentation Centre and other specialised facilities. Its research activities have received support from national agencies and government programmes. Research-related activities include institutional ethics and biosafety committees, intellectual-property initiatives, research-development programmes and academic conferences, seminars and workshops.

The main campus of the University of Rajasthan is located on Jawaharlal Nehru Marg in Jaipur. It is an urban campus containing academic departments, administrative offices, libraries, hostels, sports facilities and other university infrastructure. The university also maintains a satellite campus associated with its constituent colleges. Among its central facilities are the Central Library, hostels, medical facilities and the University Science Instrumentation Centre. The university also maintains sports facilities, including a swimming pool and sports complex.

The University of Rajasthan has seven constituent colleges: • University Commerce College • University Five Year Law College • University Law College • University Law College Centre-II • University Maharaja College • University Maharani College • University Rajasthan College These colleges provide undergraduate and postgraduate education in disciplines including commerce, law, humanities and social sciences.

The jurisdiction of the University of Rajasthan currently extends over Jaipur and Dausa districts. The university maintains a large network of affiliated colleges. The University's 2023–24 annual report records 636 affiliated colleges, while subsequent university publications have continued to report a network of more than 600 affiliated institutions. Because the number of affiliated colleges can change with the granting, renewal or withdrawal of affiliation, figures should be treated as year-specific rather than as a permanent institutional total.

The University of Rajasthan is recognised by the University Grants Commission under sections 2(f) and 12(B) of the UGC Act, 1956. The university has undergone three cycles of assessment by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. It received an A+ grade in its first cycle, an A grade in its second cycle and an A+ grade in its third cycle. The University's 2026 PhD Information Bulletin reports the third-cycle A+ accreditation and describes the university's research and academic structure in terms of nine faculties, 35 departments and 19 research centres.

The Rajasthan University Student Union (RUSU) represents students of the University of Rajasthan. The union operates under the Rajasthan University Students' Union Constitution, 2017, and its electoral framework incorporates the recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee. The union includes elected representatives at university, constituent-college and departmental levels. Its office-bearers include a president, vice-president, general secretary and joint secretary, along with representation for research scholars. The university's student union has historically played a role in student politics in Rajasthan. Former student leaders associated with the university have subsequently entered state and national politics.

The University of Rajasthan has participated in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) process of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. The university is not listed among the ranked institutions in the 2025 NIRF University ranking table. Accordingly, no numerical NIRF rank is stated here.

The university's alumni include individuals who have subsequently held public, academic, legal, diplomatic, scientific, cultural and professional positions. The University's official alumni network identifies, among others, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Kamla Beniwal, Jagannath Pahadia, Hiralal Shastri, N. L. Tibrewal, Prem Chand Bairwa, Yoginder Alagh, Sanwar Lal Jat and Nawal Kishore Sharma among its notable alumni. Jagdeep Dhankhar, former Vice-President of India, studied at Maharaja's College, Jaipur, which was affiliated with the University of Rajasthan, and subsequently obtained his law degree from the University of Rajasthan. Arvind Panagariya, economist and Chancellor of Nalanda University, holds a master's degree in economics from the University of Rajasthan. Bhajan Lal Sharma, Chief Minister of Rajasthan, holds a master's degree in political science from the University of Rajasthan. Hanuman Beniwal, founder of the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party and Member of Parliament, was president of the Rajasthan University Student Union in 1997–98. Rajkumar Roat, Member of Parliament from Banswara, obtained a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Rajasthan.