Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) is a central university located in Amarkantak in the Anuppur district of Madhya Pradesh, India. Established by an Act of the Parliament of India, the university was created with a special mandate to provide higher education and research opportunities primarily for the tribal population of the country, while also being open to all sections of society.
| Name | Indira Gandhi National Tribal University |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | IGNTU |
| Type | Central University |
| Established | 2007 |
| Establishing legislation | Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Act, 2007 |
| Location | Amarkantak, Anuppur district, Madhya Pradesh |
| Country | India |
| Recognition | University Grants Commission (UGC) |
The demand for a dedicated central university addressing the educational needs of Scheduled Tribes culminated in the passage of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University Act in 2007 by the Parliament of India. Amarkantak, a town of cultural and ecological significance situated on the Maikal range and known as the source of the Narmada and Son rivers, was chosen as the site of the university.
The institution is named after Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India. As a centrally funded institution, it falls under the purview of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, and is regulated by the University Grants Commission.
The university's statutory objectives include:
The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, M.Phil. and Ph.D. programmes across faculties broadly covering the arts, humanities, social sciences, sciences, education, management, commerce, and tribal studies.
The main campus is located at Lalpur, near Amarkantak in Madhya Pradesh, in a region surrounded by the forested terrain of the Maikal hills. The location places the institution close to communities belonging to the Gond, Baiga, Korku and other tribal groups of central India, which is in keeping with its outreach mandate.
IGNTU is one of the few central universities in India established with a specific focus on tribal education and indigenous knowledge systems. Its creation reflected a broader policy effort to expand access to higher education for Scheduled Tribes and to institutionalise the academic study of tribal languages, cultures and livelihoods. The university also serves as a regional centre of higher learning in eastern Madhya Pradesh, an area historically underserved by institutions of higher education.