Central University of Karnataka (CUK) is a centrally funded university set up in 2009 by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, under the Central Universities Act, 2009. The university is located at Kadaganchi, near Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Karnataka. It is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and has NAAC Grade "A" accreditation.

In NIRF 2025, CUK was placed in the 151 to 200 band for the Overall category. The campus covers 654 acres at Kadaganchi, about 13 km from Kalaburagi city.

  • CUK runs programmes in many fields, including Engineering, Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, Management, Law, Education, and Performing Arts:
    • B.Tech in CSE, AI and Machine Learning, ECE, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics and Computing (4 years)
    • BA.LLB (5-year integrated), BA in Economics, English, and History, BBA, BSW, and B.Sc in Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Geography, and Psychology
    • B.Ed and BPA (Bachelor of Performing Arts in Hindustani Vocal, Tabla, and Vocal)
    • MBA (regular and Travel and Tourism), MCA, M.Tech in AI/ML, Power and Energy Systems, and RF and Microwave Engineering
    • MA in English, Economics, History, Kannada, Linguistics, Hindi, Folkloristics and Tribal Studies, Mass Communication and Journalism, and Public Administration
    • M.Sc in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Life Science, Psychology, Applied Geography, Applied Geology, Statistics and Data Analytics, Botany, and Zoology
    • MSW, M.Ed, LLM, MPA, MVA (Visual Arts), M.Com, M.Lib and PhD in more than 30 disciplines

The total fee for B.Tech at CUK is INR 3.55 Lakhs for four years, with a yearly fee of INR 88,870. The MBA programme costs INR 1.95 Lakhs for two years.

Students can apply for government scholarship schemes such as Central Sector Scholarship, SC/ST Post-Matric Scholarship, and TFW. PhD scholars can also get fellowship support.

During the 2024-25 placement season, the highest package at CUK was INR 9 LPA. The average package stood at INR 4.50 LPA.

Admission Update: CUK admissions for the 2026-27 academic session have concluded. The 2027-28 admission cycle is expected to start after NTA releases the CUET notification in January 2027. B.Tech admission is through CSAB counselling based on JEE Main ranks.

CUK Courses and Fees

CUK offers more than 70 programmes at UG, PG, Diploma, and Doctoral levels. The fee table below lists the main course groups. For programmes where the fee entry is yearly, the total fee has been worked out for the full course duration.

CourseDurationAnnual FeeTotal Fees
B.Tech (CSE, AI/ML, ECE, Electrical, Mathematics and Computing)4 yearsINR 88,870INR 3.55 Lakhs
BA.LLB5 yearsINR 69,170INR 3.46 Lakhs
BBA3 yearsINR 37,670INR 1.13 Lakhs
BA (Economics, English, History)3 yearsINR 29,270 to 36,670INR 87,810 to 1.10 Lakhs
B.Sc (Chemistry, Physics, Geology, Geography, Psychology)3 yearsINR 37,170 to 41,670INR 1.12 to 1.25 Lakhs
B.Ed2 yearsINR 41,670INR 83,340
MBA2 yearsINR 97,570INR 1.95 Lakhs
MCA2 yearsINR 78,820INR 1.58 Lakhs
M.Tech (AI/ML, Power and Energy, RF and Microwave)2 yearsINR 84,670 to 85,670INR 1.69 to 1.71 Lakhs
MA (English, Economics, History, Kannada, Linguistics, Hindi, Mass Communication)2 yearsINR 26,670 to 42,670INR 53,340 to 85,340
M.Sc (Sciences, Geoinformatics, Statistics, Botany, Zoology)2 yearsINR 38,070 to 42,670INR 76,140 to 85,340
LLM1 yearINR 37,670INR 37,670

Subject to revision. Kindly check with the official sources to confirm

Other programmes at CUK include MA in Folkloristics and Tribal Studies, MSW, M.Ed, MPA in Music Vocal and Tabla, MVA in Painting, and M.Lib. The university is also known for Kannada language and Linguistics, supported by research centres in Folkloristics and Regional Studies.

CUK Admission Process

CUK admits UG and PG students mainly through CUET. NTA conducts CUET, and students have to choose CUK as one of their preferred universities while applying. B.Tech admission is different, as seats are allotted through CSAB counselling on the basis of JEE Main rank.

B.Tech Admission

For B.Tech, students must have passed 10+2 in the Science stream with PCM and at least 75% marks. The minimum is 65% marks for SC/ST/PwD students. A valid JEE Main rank is needed, followed by CSAB counselling. CUK fills seats in CSE, AI/ML, ECE, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics and Computing according to JEE Main rank and category choices.

UG Liberal Arts, Sciences, and Professional Programmes

Admission to BA, BBA, BSW, and B.Sc Honours is based on CUET-UG scores. Students appear for the subject papers linked to the course they want. For B.Ed, graduation with 50% marks is required. BA.LLB needs 10+2 with 45% marks, and CUET-UG is the qualifying test. BPA applicants must clear CUET-UG and also take a performance-based audition test held by CUK.

PG Programmes

CUET-PG scores are used for all PG admissions. MBA needs a graduation degree with 50% marks in any subject. MCA applicants must have studied Mathematics at graduation level. M.Tech requires B.Tech with 55% marks, and GATE scores are preferred for stipend eligibility. M.Sc requires a relevant B.Sc degree with 50% marks. LLM needs an LLB degree with 55% marks. For PhD, applicants need a PG degree with 55% marks and must clear the CUK Research Entrance Test or have a valid UGC NET/CSIR NET/IIT JAM score, followed by a personal interview.

CUK Placements

The placement cell at CUK manages recruitment for departments such as Engineering, Management, Law, and Social Sciences. In 2024-25, nearly 120 students got placed and nearly 20 recruiting organisations took part. The highest package was INR 9 LPA, the average package was INR 4.50 LPA, and the median package was INR 3 LPA.

Note: CUK has an overall placement rate of 50%. Many students from MA, M.Sc, and Humanities courses choose government services, competitive exams such as UPSC, KPSC, and SSC, or higher studies instead of campus jobs. Placement activity is stronger in Engineering and MBA departments.

Recruiters confirmed in recent CUK placement seasons include Azim Premji Foundation, TCS, Avanti Fellows, Home First Finance Company, Federal Bank, Accenture, QSpiders, ESAF Small Finance Bank, Wipro, Infosys, and Axis Bank.

Placement Metric2024-252022-23 (Reference)
Highest PackageINR 9 LPAINR 8 LPA
Average PackageINR 4.50 LPANot disclosed
Students Placed120Not disclosed
Companies Visited20Not disclosed

CUK Rankings

CUK has NAAC Grade "A" accreditation and is listed in the 151 to 200 band in the Overall category of NIRF 2025.

Ranking / Accreditation BodyCategoryStatus (2025)
NIRFOverall151 to 200 band
NAACUniversity AccreditationGrade "A"

The 151 to 200 NIRF Overall band places CUK among the better-ranked central universities in South India. Its work in Folkloristics, Geosciences, and Kannada Studies adds to its research profile under the NIRF framework.

CUK Scholarships

CUK students can apply for MHRD and Ministry of Social Justice scholarship schemes because it is a central university. Scholarship applications are submitted through the National Scholarship Portal (NSP).

ScholarshipEligibilityBenefit
Central Sector Scholarship (MHRD)12th with 80 percentile or above; family income below INR 8 Lakhs per annumINR 10,000 to 20,000 per year for degree courses
Post-Matric Scholarship (SC/ST)SC/ST category; income below INR 2.5 Lakhs per annumFull tuition, maintenance, and other fees as per scheme norms
OBC Post-Matric ScholarshipOBC category; income below INR 1 Lakh per annumPartial fee support as per scheme guidelines
TFW (Tuition Fee Waiver)Family income below the prescribed threshold, usually INR 4.5 Lakhs per annum50% tuition fee waiver per annum
UGC/CSIR JRF/SRFValid NET/JRF qualification; PhD candidatesINR 31,000 to 35,000 per month plus HRA

Students who qualify GATE and join M.Tech can receive a monthly stipend of INR 12,400. PhD students with DST-INSPIRE, CSIR-JRF, or UGC-JRF fellowships get full fellowship support during their research period at CUK.

CUK Campus and Infrastructure

CUK has a 654-acre campus at Kadaganchi village, about 13 km from Kalaburagi (Gulbarga), Karnataka. The campus has academic blocks, a central library, laboratories for science and engineering departments, administrative buildings, and a sports ground. Separate Boys’ and Girls’ hostels are available, and each hostel has an annual fee of INR 25,105.

The university is located in the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, which has been an educationally underserved area. CUK was set up there as part of the Government of India’s aim to improve access to quality higher education in the region. Its large campus also supports future expansion through new research and academic facilities funded by central government grants.

The Performing Arts and Visual Arts departments have dedicated studios and rehearsal areas. The Department of Folkloristics and Tribal Studies also has a research archive that supports fieldwork across Karnataka and the Deccan region.

CUK vs Central University of Andhra Pradesh vs Gulbarga University

Students from Hyderabad-Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh often compare CUK with the Central University of Andhra Pradesh (CUAP) and Gulbarga University. These three institutions attract many students from the Deccan belt.

ParameterCUK, KalaburagiCUAP, AnantapurGulbarga University
TypeCentral UniversityCentral UniversityState University (Karnataka)
Established200920091980
NAACGrade "A"Grade "A"Grade "A"
NIRF 2025151 to 200 (Overall)Not in NIRF Overall top 200Not in NIRF top 200
B.Tech Fees (Total)INR 3.55 LakhsINR 3 to 4 LakhsNo B.Tech (affiliated colleges)
Campus Size654 acres500+ acresCity campus

CUK stands out for its 151 to 200 NIRF 2025 Overall ranking and its 654-acre residential campus. CUAP is another central university in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and has a similar mix of courses and fees. Gulbarga University is an older state university with a wide affiliated college network in Hyderabad-Karnataka, but it does not have the same research-university mandate or central government funding pattern as CUK.

CUK FAQs

Ques. Where does CUK stand in NIRF 2025?

Ans. CUK is listed in the 151 to 200 band in the Overall category of NIRF 2025. The university also has NAAC Grade "A" accreditation.

Ques. What is the full B.Tech fee at CUK?

Ans. CUK charges INR 88,870 per year for B.Tech. For the four-year course, the total fee is INR 3.55 Lakhs. This applies to B.Tech branches such as CSE, AI/ML, ECE, Electrical Engineering, and Mathematics and Computing.

Ques. How can a student get B.Tech admission at CUK?

Ans. B.Tech seats at CUK are allotted through CSAB, which means Central Seat Allocation Board counselling. The allotment is based on JEE Main rank. Students must appear for JEE Main, register for CSAB counselling, and choose CUK with their preferred branch combination.

Ques. What is the campus placement percentage at CUK?

Ans. The overall placement rate at CUK is 50%. In 2024-25, the highest package was INR 9 LPA and the average package was INR 4.50 LPA. Many students from Humanities, Social Sciences, and Sciences choose higher studies or competitive exams for government jobs, so the overall placement rate is affected by those choices.

Ques. Is CUK run by the central government?

Ans. Yes. CUK is a Central University created under the Central Universities Act, 2009. It is fully funded by the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It is not a state university and is not affiliated to any state university or Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU).

Ques. Are hostels available at CUK?

Ans. Yes. CUK has separate hostels for boys and girls on its 654-acre Kadaganchi campus. The annual hostel fee is INR 25,105 for each. The campus is about 13 km from Kalaburagi city.

Ques. Which companies recruit from CUK?

Ans. Recruiters confirmed at CUK include TCS, Accenture, Wipro, Infosys, Axis Bank, Federal Bank, ESAF Small Finance Bank, Azim Premji Foundation, Avanti Fellows, Home First Finance Company, and QSpiders, among others.