The Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh (CTUAP) is a central university being established in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It is intended to serve as a dedicated institution of higher learning for tribal students and for advancing teaching and research in tribal studies, culture, language, and development.
The university traces its statutory origin to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, under which the Government of India committed to setting up specialised central institutions in the residual State of Andhra Pradesh following the bifurcation that created Telangana. It is being set up under the administrative purview of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, through the University Grants Commission framework that governs central universities.
| Name | Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh |
|---|---|
| Type | Central university |
| Focus | Tribal education, tribal studies and research |
| Location | Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Statutory basis | Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 |
| Country | India |
The bifurcation of the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 created the new States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The reorganisation legislation listed several institutions of national importance to be set up in the successor State of Andhra Pradesh, including a tribal university. The proposal recognised that the State has a substantial Scheduled Tribe population, particularly in the agency areas of north Andhra and the Eastern Ghats, and that a dedicated central university could focus on the educational, cultural and developmental needs of these communities.
As a central tribal university, CTUAP is envisaged with academic programmes and research centres oriented towards:
The institution is also expected to provide regular undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes across disciplines, with a focus on improving access to higher education for students from Scheduled Tribe communities.
CTUAP is one of a small group of central universities in India with a specific tribal mandate, complementing institutions such as the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Madhya Pradesh. Its establishment is significant for the higher education landscape of Andhra Pradesh, where it adds to the State's network of central institutions created in the post-bifurcation period.