University of Kashmir (UoK), informally known as Kashmir University (KU), is a public state university located in the Hazratbal neighbourhood, on the western side of Dal Lake in the city of Srinagar, in Jammu and Kashmir, India, which was established in 1948.
The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs in the fields of liberal arts, business, commerce & management studies, education, law, applied sciences & Technology, biological sciences, physical & material sciences, social sciences, medicine, dentistry, engineering, oriental learning, and music & fine arts. It was awarded Grade "A++" by the NAAC in June 2025. It was awarded rank 34 among universities in India by NIRF ranking 2025.
History
The inception of the University of Kashmir dates back to the establishment of Jammu and Kashmir University in 1948. In 1969, it was made into two full-fledged universities: University of Kashmir at Srinagar and University of Jammu at Jammu.
The University of Kashmir, since its establishment, has been focused at Hazratbal and encompasses three adjacent areas: Amar Singh Bagh, Naseem Bagh and Mirza Bagh. This campus is spread over . It is the largest university by a number of full-time students in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
A major part of Amar Singh Bagh and Naseem Bagh constitute the Hazratbal campus which is laid out on the northeastern bank of Dal Lake. Earlier, many postgraduate departments, research and other centres were housed in Naseem Bagh Campus. But the university resolved to develop Naseem Bagh into a heritage site and, thereafter, many departments were shifted to other areas of the Hazratbal campus. 2025, Zakura Campus, which was being developed on 300 kanals of land in close proximity to Hazratbal campus to meet expansion requirements of the university, consists of the University's largest engineering academic hub i.e. Institute of Technology (IOT),Institute of Technology (IOT), Iot.uok.edu.in which offers four-year B.Tech courses in Civil, Mechanical, Electronics and Communication, Electrical Engineering, 2 year M.Tech in E&C, Electrical and Mechanical and 4-Year B.S. through Design Your Degree, followed by other campuses which are also providing several PG/Integrated/UG Courses. Mirza Bagh or "University Town" constitutes buildings housing quarters for the university staff.
The idea of extending postgraduate programmes to colleges and establishing new campuses at Anantnag and Baramulla was conceived by the then Vice Chancellor Prof Raees Ahmad in 2002. He mobilised over 300 million for the development of the university from the prime minister's fund for the overall development of the main campus and the establishment of the new campuses. The foundation stones were laid by Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and the plans of buildings were approved. The locations of the campuses had to be changed because of likely floods. After Prof Tareen the development of campuses took a long time and became operational in 2008/2009. The new social science block, the life science block, the examination block, the humanities block, the distance education block, the media block and many other buildings were constructed in 2001 and 2004 during Prof Tareen's period out of the PMs special fund. The 200-capacity convention centre was also completed.
The South Campus established on 259 kanals of land at Fateh Garh, Anantnag was started in October 2008. The North Campus on 559 kanals at Delina, Baramulla was started in December 2009. One Campus at Kupwara is also established and functional, as of 2025. Post-2019, Kargil and Leh Campuses were merged with the University of Ladakh.
Present form There are 14 schools, more than 50 academic departments, 21 centres, 36 colleges and six (privately managed) recognised institutes spread all over the state. The two largest departments in student enrolment include the School of LawSchool of Law, Law.uok.edu.in and the School of Business Studies.School of Business Studies, Deanbs.uok.edu.in
The School of Law, being one of the oldest academic departments, runs four full time academic programmes 3-Year LL.B (Hons.), 5-Year Integrated B.A.LL.B (Hons.), 2-Year LLM and Integrated Ph.D. The School's student body, "Law Society," actively organises debates, seminars, and moot court competitions. The School publishes a refereed research journal, Kashmir University Law Review (KULR).
The School of Business Studies consists of four academic departments, the largest one being the Department of Management Studies,Department of Management Studies, Tbs.uok.edu.in which offers academic programmes like Integrated MBA, MBA-FM and MBA.
The other academic departments/research centers offer a variety of academic programmes through PG/UG/Integrated at Main and other satellite sampuses to meet the demand of the student community.
Campus The university has 247 acres campus in Hazratbal. To make education more accessible to people living in remote areas of Kashmir Valley, the university has established satellite campuses at Zakura Campus (Zakura, Srinagar), North Campus (Delina, Baramulla), South Campus (Fatehgarh, Anantnag) and Kupwara Campus (Wayan, Kupwara).
Library The university has a central library called Allama Iqbal Library. It is headed by the university librarian. It has a collection of over 600,000 books including 415 rare manuscripts. It was established to cater to the needs of scholars, researchers and students of the university. With the split of the university in 1969, the library was shared by the two universities (University of Kashmir and University of Jammu).
Hostels The university provides residential facilities on a first-come-first-served basis to the teaching and non-teaching staff at Main Campus and Mirza Bagh Campus, as well as to students at the following-mentioned places. The hostels (boys'/girls') located at the Main as well as Zakura Campus, are directly supervised by the concerned Provost Office, while as those falling under the other satellite campuses are supervised and managed by the Hostel Allotment Committee of the concerned satellite campus.
In 2020, the varsity enacted a new hostel accommodation-cum-residential policy,hostel accommodation-cum-residential policy, Provostboys.uok.edu.in superseding the previous 2018 policy.
Boys' hostels International Gani Kashmiri Hostel (Main Campus) Mehboob-ul-Aalam Hostel (Main Campus) Maulana Anwar Shah Kashmiri Hostel (Main Campus) Gani Kashmiri Hostel for Research Scholars (Zakura Campus) Shaikh-ul-Alam Boys (A) and (B) Hostels (Zakura Campus) Syed Meerak Shah Hostel (Zakura Campus)
Girls' hostels Habba Khatoon Hostel (Main Campus) Rabia Basiri Hostel (Main Campus) Qurat-ul-Aen Hostel (Main Campus) Bibi Amina Hostel (Main Campus) Lal Ded Hostel (Main Campus)
Affiliated colleges The University of Kashmir has 45 affiliated and 21 constituent colleges.
Constituent colleges Government Medical College, Srinagar Government Medical College, Handwara, Kupwara Government Medical College, Anantnag Government Medical College, Baramulla Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar Government College of Education, M.A. Road, Srinagar Institute of Music & Fine Arts, Srinagar Government College of Physical Education, Ganderbal DOEACC, Rangreth Srinagar Composite Regional Centre, Bemina By-pass, Srinagar S.S.M. College of Engineering, Pattan, Baramulla Kashmir Law College, Nowshera, Srinagar Vitasta School of Law & Humanities, Nowgam, Srinagar Sopore Law College, Sopore, Baramulla KCEF Law College, Payer Road, Pulwama Institute of Asian Medical Science Unani, Zakura, Srinagar Bibi Haleema College of Nursing and Medical Technology, Srinagar Kashmir Tibbia College, Hospital and Research Centre, Saida Kadal, Srinagar Kausar College of Computer Science, Nowshera, Srinagar S.E.M College of Education, Computer Science, Management Studies and Training, New Airport (IG) Road, Humhama, Budgam Max-Well College of Computer Science, Pulwama Iqbal Institute of Technology and Management, Laloo Sheshgaribagh, Hyderpora, Srinagar CASET College of Computer Science, Near Gole Market, Karan Nagar, Srinagar Master Institute of Information Technology, Pulwama Kashmir College of Engineering & Technology, Ranbirgarh, Srinagar
Permanently affiliated government colleges
Islamia College of Science and Commerce, Srinagar Government College for Women, Anantnag Government College for Women, Baramulla Government College for Women, Nawakadal Srinagar Government Degree College for Boys, Anantnag Government Degree College, Bemina Government Degree College, Kupwara Government Degree College, Sogam lolab Government Degree College, Handwara Government Degree College, Sopore Government Degree College, Pulwama Government Degree College, Tral Government Degree College, Shopian Government Degree College, Ganderbal Government Degree College, Kulgam Government Degree College, Kelam Government Degree College, Doru Government Degree College, Pattan Government Degree College, Beerwah Government Degree College, Uri Government Degree College, Bijbehara Government Degree College, Budgam Government Degree College, Bandipora Government Degree College for Women, Sopore Government Model Degree College Tangmarg Gulmarg Vishwa Bharti Women's College, Srinagar Government Degree College, Bomai Sopore
Organisation and administration
Core administrative officers Section 9 of the Kashmir and Jammu Universities Act, 1969 (Act. No. XXIV of 1969) enumerates the university officers, namely the chancellor, pro-chancellor, vice‑chancellor, pro‑vice‑chancellor (if any), financial advisor, registrar, controller of examinations, joint registrar (if any), and other officers the statutes may prescribe
Chancellor: The university is headed by the lieutenant‑governor of the UT of J&K, who presides over University Council and convocations, and confirms honorary degrees. Pro-chancellor: The chief minister, Government of J&K, acts as ex-officio pro‑chancellor. In the chancellor’s absence, he/she presides over Council/convocations. He/she holds inspection/inquiry powers into university affairs and may direct corrective actions. Vice-chancellor (VC) The vice-chancellor is the principal executive and academic officer of the university, who is appointed by the chancellor in consultation with the pro‑chancellor from names recommended by a selection committee. Section 13 establishes the vice‑chancellor as the university’s principal executive and academic officer, chairing the Academic Council and other bodies in the absence of the chancellor and pro‑chancellor, and vested with authority to convene meetings, ensure compliance with all statutes and regulations, make necessary appointments, manage discipline, take emergency action, enforce decisions of statutory bodies, and delegate powers as prescribed. Pro-vice-chancellor (PVC): Section 15 and related provisions confer on the pro‑vice‑chancellor such powers as may be assigned by the VC or can be prescribed in the statutes and regulations, always under the VC’s control. For a very long time, no one has been appointed as the PVC; the position has been remained vacant. Financial advisor: Section 16 designates the Administrative Secretary, Department of Finance, Government of J&K (or his/her nominee), as the ex-officio financial advisor to the University, who supervises university finances, advises on budgetary policy, presents annual estimates and accounts, and may undertake additional duties prescribed by statutes.