SRINAGAR: The University of Kashmir has been granted Category-I status by the University Grants Commission under the UGC (Categorisation of Universities for Grant of Graded Autonomy) Regulations, 2018, giving the institution greater academic, administrative and financial autonomy.
The decision was approved during the UGC’s 598th meeting held on July 6, 2026, according to an official communication issued by UGC Secretary Prof Shyama Rath. The status makes the university eligible for the benefits available to top-performing higher education institutions under the graded autonomy framework.
With the new status, the university will be able to introduce new academic programmes, revise curricula, promote interdisciplinary education, strengthen research and innovation, and enter into national and international collaborations with fewer regulatory approvals. It will also have greater flexibility in academic and administrative decision-making.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Nilofer Khan termed the recognition a significant milestone in the university’s academic journey. She said the Category-I status reflected the institution’s sustained academic progress and would be used to expand opportunities in research, innovation, institutional collaborations and academic programmes.
She also said the enhanced autonomy would help the university strengthen its international presence by facilitating collaborations with leading overseas institutions, engaging foreign faculty, admitting international students and offering new Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes in accordance with UGC regulations.
The recognition comes months after the university secured an A++ grade with a CGPA of 3.68 in the 2025 NAAC re-accreditation cycle, the highest accreditation score in its history. Under the UGC regulations, universities with a NAAC score of 3.51 or above are eligible for Category-I status.
University officials said the new status would support the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by providing greater flexibility in academic planning, research initiatives and institutional development, while enhancing the university’s standing among leading higher education institutions in the country.
