The Central University of Himachal Pradesh has achieved a remarkable milestone in its debut appearance in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings.
The university has been placed in the 701–800 band globally, while securing the 17 th rank among Indian universities and higher educational institutions.
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Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sat Prakash Bansal hailed this as a proud achievement for the institution, noting that the university has built a strong national and international reputation in a relatively short period.
According to the Vice-Chancellor, the university’s performance has been outstanding among nearly 1,400 universities and higher education institutions in the country. It also led the performance charts among public higher educational institutions in Himachal Pradesh, outperforming several older and well-established institutions in the rankings.
4th Place Among 56 Central Universities
Prof. Bansal stated that the Central University of Himachal Pradesh secured 4th place in the overall rankings among the country’s 56 Central Universities, and 3 rd place based on research score alone. This reflects the strength of the institution’s research initiatives and output quality.
The World University Rankings assess universities across five core pillars: Teaching, Research Environment, Research Quality, International Outlook, and Industry engagement.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the university achieved a score of 76.2 in Research Quality. This strong performance has placed the institution on solid footing alongside prestigious national universities and technical institutes.
He attributed this success to ongoing research initiatives, high-impact publications, and sustained efforts to cultivate a strong research culture on campus.
Prof. Bansal acknowledged that while the university performed well overall, further progress is required in industry partnerships and international outlook. Both areas will become primary focused once operations fully transition to the permanent campus.
Key plans include building dedicated facilities for international students, such as an international hostel, actively recruiting foreign students and faculty, and expanding corporate tie-ups to create broader opportunities for students and scholars.
Highlighting past accolades—including an 8th rank in the NIRF rankings, a NAAC A+ grade and graded autonomy status, Prof. Bansal remarked that this latest recognition in the THE rankings reflects continuous growth in academic and research standards.
He expressed confidence that once the permanent campus is fully equipped with modern infrastructure, expanded global collaborations, and enhanced industry
engagement, the university will climb further up the global charts, with a long-term goal of entering the world’s top 200 institutions.
Prof. Bansal noted that across central universities, the institution placed among the top tier (3 rd in research, 4 th overall) and ranked 1 st among government
higher education institutions in Himachal Pradesh. The ranking evaluates 17 performance indicators across the five primary pillars.
The university scored 35.4 in Teaching.
Institutional growth over the past three years has been driven by active projects, collaborations with ISRO, and multiple international MoUs.
This year, the university received approximately ₹11 crore in grants under the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), with nearly ₹7 crore allocated
specifically for advanced equipment.
Addressing questions about the permanent Dharamshala campus, Prof. Bansal reiterated that it remains a top priority. While budgetary formalities temporarily slowed progress, clearances are moving forward, with hopes of shifting into parts of the campus by January if conditions remain favorable.
He also mentioned six acres of land have been earmarked in Dehra to develop a large botanical garden, including a Navagraha Vatika. The facility will serve researchers and students while remaining open to schools, colleges, tourists, and the general public.
Prof. Bansal concluded by congratulating the university community, emphasizing that despite limited resources, the institution has firmly established its presence on the global stage.