UGC grants category-I graded autonomy to Kerala's MG University

Kottayam: Kerala's Higher Education Minister R. Bindu announced on Saturday that Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) has been granted Category-I Graded Autonomy, the highest level of autonomy awarded to universities.

In a Facebook post, Bindu revealed that the University Grants Commission (UGC) made this decision during its 588th meeting on March 13, 2025, in recognition of MGU's outstanding performance in global rankings and its A++ accreditation during the NAAC re-accreditation.

MGU, which achieved a CGPA of 3.61 in the fourth cycle of the NAAC re-accreditation, has consistently ranked between 400-500 in the Times Higher Education rankings for three consecutive years. With this achievement, the university has become the first in Kerala to receive Category-I Graded Autonomy, placing it among the top universities in India.

This prestigious autonomy status will allow MGU to design and implement innovative curricula and programs, establish study centers and constituent colleges, form academic partnerships, and set up science parks, in accordance with Clause 4 of the Graded Autonomy Regulations, 2018.

Another significant benefit of this status is that MGU will now be able to offer distance education programs without requiring prior UGC approval, further expanding its educational offerings.

MGU, a state-owned public university headquartered in Kottayam, is one of Kerala's leading higher education institutions.

With PTI inputs