Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Gurajada, Vizianagaram (commonly abbreviated as JNTU-GV) is a state public technical university located in Vizianagaram in the northern coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, India. The university is named in honour of Gurajada Apparao, the noted Telugu playwright, poet and social reformer, in combination with the legacy of Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, after whom the broader JNTU system of technological universities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana is named.
| Name | Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Gurajada, Vizianagaram |
|---|---|
| Short name | JNTU-GV |
| Type | State public university |
| Field | Engineering, technology and allied disciplines |
| Location | Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Named after | Jawaharlal Nehru and Gurajada Apparao |
| Country | India |
The Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU) system in undivided Andhra Pradesh was established in 1972, bringing together earlier engineering colleges under a unified technical university. After the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014, the JNTU system was reorganised, and the residual state of Andhra Pradesh continued to operate JNTU campuses at Kakinada and Anantapur. To improve regional access to technical higher education, the Government of Andhra Pradesh subsequently created additional technological universities, of which JNTU-GV at Vizianagaram is one, serving the North Andhra region comprising the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Parvathipuram Manyam, Alluri Sitharama Raju and Visakhapatnam.
The "Gurajada" in the university's title commemorates Gurajada Venkata Apparao (1862–1915), who hailed from the Vizianagaram region and is regarded as a pioneer of modern Telugu literature. The naming reflects the local cultural identity of the host district along with the institutional lineage of the JNTU brand.
As a technological university, JNTU-GV offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes principally in engineering and technology, along with related disciplines in sciences, management and humanities. The university also functions as an affiliating body for engineering and technology colleges in its jurisdiction in northern Andhra Pradesh, conducting common examinations, prescribing curricula and awarding degrees.
Vizianagaram is a historic town in northern coastal Andhra Pradesh, situated inland from Visakhapatnam. The town has long been associated with classical Telugu learning, music and literature, and hosts several established educational institutions. JNTU-GV adds to this academic landscape by anchoring technical higher education in the region.
The creation of JNTU-GV is part of a wider effort by the state of Andhra Pradesh to decentralise technical education governance, reduce the affiliating load on the older JNTU campuses at Kakinada and Anantapur, and bring administrative and academic resources closer to colleges and students in the North Andhra region.