The Central University of Andhra Pradesh (CUAP) is a public central university located in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India. It was established by the Government of India following the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh, as part of the commitments made under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes across a range of disciplines.
| Name | Central University of Andhra Pradesh |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | CUAP |
| Type | Central university (public) |
| Location | Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Country | India |
| Statutory basis | Central Universities (Amendment) Act |
| Recognising body | University Grants Commission (UGC) |
The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, which provided for the formation of the new state of Telangana, included a set of educational and institutional commitments for the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. Among these was the establishment of a central university to serve the state, since the Hyderabad-based central university (the University of Hyderabad) fell within the territory of Telangana after bifurcation. The Central University of Andhra Pradesh was set up to fulfil this commitment.
The university was instituted by the Government of India through an amendment to the Central Universities Act, bringing it under the purview of the Ministry of Education (formerly the Ministry of Human Resource Development). It is funded through the University Grants Commission and operates as an autonomous degree-granting institution.
CUAP offers academic programmes spanning the sciences, humanities, social sciences, and management studies. The university confers Bachelor's, Master's, MPhil, and PhD degrees, and aims to develop research and teaching capacity across multiple schools and centres of study.
As a centrally funded institution, CUAP plays an important role in the higher education landscape of Andhra Pradesh, complementing the network of state universities and institutes of national importance in the region. Its creation reflects the broader policy goal of expanding access to central universities across Indian states and supporting research-led higher education in the post-bifurcation Andhra Pradesh.