University of Calcutta
Kolkata, India • Founded 1857 • World Rank #2387
Overview
Established in 1857, the University of Calcutta is a non-profit public higher education institution located in the urban setting of the large metropolis of Kolkata (population range of over 5,000,000 inhabitants), West Bengal.
Officially recognized by the University Grants Commission of India, University of Calcutta (CU) is a large-sized coeducational Indian higher education institution. University of Calcutta (CU) offers courses and programs leading to officially recognized higher education degrees such as bachelor's degrees in several areas of study.
This 167-year-old Indian higher-education institution has a selective admission policy based on entrance examinations. International applicants are eligible to apply for enrollment.
CU also provides several academic and non-academic facilities and services to students including a library, housing, sports facilities, financial aids and/or scholarships, study abroad and exchange programs, as well as administrative services.
Location & Contact
Address book entry for University of Calcutta: location, phone, email, web, and social channels. The press or media office handles institutional inquiries; admissions handles student-specific queries.
Academic Details
The academic indicators below give context on how University of Calcutta operates at scale. A lower staff-to-student ratio generally signals more faculty access, though research-heavy institutions skew the read.
Academic Structures
To understand where programmes live within University of Calcutta, the academic structure is mapped below. Some institutions run joint faculties with external bodies — credentialing in those cases is shared.
Unit 8 items
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Commerce, Social Welfare and Business Management
- Faculty of Education, Journalism and Library Science
- Faculty of Engineering and Technology
- Faculty of Fine Arts, Music and Home Science
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Science
Faculties & Divisions
All faculties operate under University Grants Commission of India.
Agriculture (Faculty) 6 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Agriculture
- Agronomy
- Horticulture
- Plant and Crop Protection
- Soil Science
- Veterinary Science
Common Career Paths
- Agricultural Scientist
- Agronomist
- Farm Manager
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Arts (Faculty) 24 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Ancient Civilizations
- Ancient Languages
- Arabic
- Archaeology
- Arts and Humanities
- Asian Religious Studies
- Economics
- English
- Heritage Preservation
- Hindi
- History
- Indic Languages
- Islamic Studies
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Museum Studies
- Persian
- Philosophy
- Political Sciences
- Sanskrit
- Sociology
- South Asian Studies
- Southeast Asian Studies
- Urdu
Commerce, Social Welfare and Business Management (Faculty) 2 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Business Administration
- Business and Commerce
Common Career Paths
- Business Analyst
- Operations Manager
- Strategy Consultant
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Education, Journalism and Library Science (Faculty) 9 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Education
- Educational Administration
- Film
- Journalism
- Library Science
- Mass Communication
- Media Studies
- Psychiatry and Mental Health
- Radio and Television Broadcasting
Common Career Paths
- Teacher
- Educational Administrator
- Curriculum Specialist
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Engineering and Technology (Faculty) 19 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Applied Physics
- Bioengineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Computer Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Electronic Engineering
- Electronics and Automation
- Engineering
- Materials Engineering
- Measurement and Precision Engineering
- Meteorology
- Optics
- Petroleum and Gas Engineering
- Pharmacology
- Polymer and Plastics Technology
- Power Engineering
- Radiophysics
- Rubber Technology
- Technology
Common Career Paths
- Engineer
- Project Manager
- Technical Consultant
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Fine Arts, Music and Home Science (Faculty) 4 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Fine Arts
- Home Economics
- Music
- Nutrition
Common Career Paths
- Artist
- Curator
- Art Educator
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Law (Faculty) 3 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Civil Law
- Criminal Law
- Law
Common Career Paths
- Lawyer
- Legal Consultant
- Compliance Officer
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Science (Faculty) 35 subjects offered
Specialisations & Subjects
- Analytical Chemistry
- Anthropology
- Applied Mathematics
- Archaeology
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Biotechnology
- Botany
- Chemistry
- Clinical Psychology
- Computer Science
- Electronic Engineering
- Genetics
- Geography
- Geology
- Geophysics
- Industrial and Organizational Psychology
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Instrument Making
- Marine Science and Oceanography
- Mathematics
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Natural Sciences
- Nuclear Physics
- Optics
- Organic Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Physics
- Physiology
- Psychology
- Solid State Physics
- Statistics
- Toxicology
- Zoology
Common Career Paths
- Research Scientist
- Lab Technician
- Analyst
Illustrative career directions for this field; specific outcomes depend on programme and student choices.
Programs Offered
All active programmes at University of Calcutta are listed by degree level. Cross-reference against the divisions section to identify which faculty owns each programme — that determines admissions handling.
Bachelor's Degree
27 programmes
University of Calcutta delivers 27 programmes at bachelor's level, the qualifications school-leavers most commonly apply to as their first step into higher education.
Bachelor of Education Education & Teaching
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry Chemistry
Bachelor of Technology in Electrical Engineering Electrical Engineering
Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Communication Engineering Communication Studies
Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering Computer Sciences
Bachelor of Technology
Bachelor of Commerce Business & Management
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science Computer Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Zoology Biological Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Botany Biological Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Mathematics
Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering Civil Engineering & Construction
Bachelor of Science in Physics Physics & Astronomy
Bachelor of Science Natural Sciences
Bachelor of Arts in Sociology Social & Cultural Studies
Bachelor of Arts in Economics Economics
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Psychology
Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy Philosophy & Ethics
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Politics & International Relations
Bachelor of Arts in History History
Bachelor of Arts in English English Language Studies
Bachelor of Arts Liberal Arts
Bachelor of Library and Information Science Information Systems & Technology
Bachelor of Laws Law
Bachelor of Technology in Information Technology Information Systems & Technology
Bachelor of Technology in Chemical Engineering Chemistry
Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering Mechanical Engineering
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Master's Degree
28 programmes
Explore 28 programmes of postgraduate study at University of Calcutta. A master's degree sharpens specialist knowledge and often carries a dissertation or major project.
Master of Technology in Electronics and Communication Communication Studies
Master of Laws Law
Master of Library and Information Science Information Systems & Technology
Master of Technology in Polymer Science Materials Science
Master of Technology in Chemical Engineering Chemistry
Master of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering Computer Sciences
Master of Technology
Master of Commerce Business & Management
Master of Science in Environmental Science Environmental Sciences
Master of Science in Molecular Biology Molecular Biology
Master of Science in Electronics Robotics & Automation
Master of Science in Biotechnology Biotechnology
Master of Science in Computer Science Computer Sciences
Master of Science in Microbiology Microbiology
Master of Arts in Sociology Social & Cultural Studies
Master of Science in Zoology Biological Sciences
Master of Science in Botany Biological Sciences
Master of Science in Mathematics Mathematics
Master of Science in Chemistry Chemistry
Master of Science in Physics Physics & Astronomy
Master of Science Natural Sciences
Master of Arts in Sanskrit Literature
Master of Arts in Economics Economics
Master of Arts in Philosophy Philosophy & Ethics
Master of Arts in Political Science Politics & International Relations
Master of Arts in History History
Master of Arts in English English Language Studies
Master of Arts Liberal Arts
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Master of Philosophy
2 programmes
Explore 2 programmes of postgraduate study at University of Calcutta. A master's degree sharpens specialist knowledge and often carries a dissertation or major project.
Master of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology Clinical Psychology
Master of Philosophy Philosophy & Ethics
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Master of Business Administration
1 programme
Explore 1 programme of postgraduate study at University of Calcutta. A master's degree sharpens specialist knowledge and often carries a dissertation or major project.
Master of Business Administration Business Administration
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Doctorate
18 programmes
University of Calcutta lists 18 programmes awarding a doctorate — the apex qualification for those pursuing research leadership or an academic career.
Doctor of Philosophy in English Language and Literature English Language Studies
Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics Mathematics
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry Chemistry
Doctor of Philosophy in Physics Physics & Astronomy
Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science Philosophy & Ethics
Doctor of Philosophy in Physiology Biological Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Microbiology Microbiology
Doctor of Philosophy in Zoology Biological Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Botany Biological Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Sanskrit Literature
Doctor of Philosophy in Geography Philosophy & Ethics
Doctor of Philosophy in Electronic Science Robotics & Automation
Doctor of Philosophy in Computer Science and Engineering Computer Sciences
Doctor of Philosophy in Law Law
Doctor of Philosophy in Education Philosophy & Ethics
Doctor of Philosophy in Commerce Business & Management
Doctor of Philosophy in Economics Economics
Doctor of Philosophy in History Philosophy & Ethics
No programmes match your filter in this level.
Associate, Certificate & Other Qualifications
5 programmes
University of Calcutta offers 5 programmes as shorter-cycle and preparatory qualifications, a flexible tier for skills-focused learners or those bridging into undergraduate study.
Diploma in Pali Language Literature
Diploma in Urdu Language Linguistics & Language Studies
Diploma in Journalism and Mass Communication Communication Studies
Diploma in Computer Applications Computer Science & IT
Postgraduate Diploma
No programmes match your filter in this level.
How to apply to University of Calcutta
Step-by-step guidance for applying to University of Calcutta, covering the typical sequence from programme selection to admissions follow-up.
- 1 Research programmes at University of Calcutta
Begin by reviewing the programmes section above. University of Calcutta offers 81 programmes grouped by qualification level. Decide on a target tier (bachelor's, master's, or doctoral) before narrowing by subject.
- 2 Review admissions criteria
Each programme at University of Calcutta has its own entry requirements — academic minimums, language proficiency, supporting documents, and sometimes interviews or portfolios. Check the programme-specific page or contact admissions to confirm eligibility.
- 3 Gather supporting documents
Most applications require certified academic records, identification documents, language test certificates (IELTS, TOEFL, or equivalent for English-medium programmes), CV/résumé, and a statement of purpose. Allow extra time for document authentication.
- 4 Lodge your application
Apply directly via University of Calcutta's online portal at www.caluniv.ac.in. Complete the application form, upload supporting documents, and pay any application fee. Confirmation emails typically arrive within a few business days.
- 5 Confirm receipt and track progress
After submitting, confirm receipt with the admissions office and track your application status through the portal. Reach the institution by phone at +91 (33) 2241 3288. Set reminders for any interview requests, additional document submissions, or admission decision deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions about University of Calcutta
Quick reference for University of Calcutta: founding, control type, student body, rankings, and recognition status in one place.
When did University of Calcutta open?
University of Calcutta traces its founding to 1857 (approximately 169 years ago).
Where is University of Calcutta located?
University of Calcutta is located in Kolkata, India.
What is University of Calcutta's control type?
It is a public higher-education institution.
What is the student enrolment at University of Calcutta?
Student enrolment at University of Calcutta is around 15,000-19,999.
What is University of Calcutta's ranking?
It ranks #2387 globally and #68 in India.
What programmes are available at University of Calcutta?
University of Calcutta delivers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes across its academic units.
What is University of Calcutta's academic structure?
University of Calcutta has 8 academic units.
Is University of Calcutta accredited?
University of Calcutta is accredited by University Grants Commission (UGC).
How do I find University of Calcutta online?
You can find University of Calcutta online at www.caluniv.ac.in.
Top-Ranked Universities in India
These are the most highly ranked universities in India. Putting University of Calcutta alongside them gives a clearer picture of where it sits in the national academic landscape, especially when reputation matters for credential portability.
Members of Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
Other Association of Indian Universities (AIU) members offer mobility and exchange compatibility with University of Calcutta. Exchange compatibility is one of the more practical benefits of shared network membership.
Faculties at Nearby Universities
Universities near University of Calcutta often have cross-enrolment or visiting-student arrangements that let students take modules at the partner institution. Worth checking if subject coverage at University of Calcutta is narrow in your area.
Where Else to Study Philosophy & Ethics
If University of Calcutta is on your shortlist for studying Philosophy & Ethics, these peer institutions in India offer comparable academic depth, industry links, and graduate outcomes. Cross-applying to multiple is common practice in this discipline.
Universities Often Compared with University of Calcutta
Yield rates (proportion of admitted students who enroll) cluster among peer institutions. High-yield universities signal strong applicant preference compared to peers at the same selectivity level.
