Sister Nivedita University is a state private university located in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, India. It is named after Sister Nivedita (1867–1911), the Irish-born social reformer, educationist and disciple of Swami Vivekananda who is closely associated with the cause of women's education and social work in India.
| Name | Sister Nivedita University |
|---|---|
| Type | State private university |
| Location | North 24 Parganas, West Bengal, India |
| Country | India |
| Named after | Sister Nivedita |
Private universities in West Bengal are established through state legislation enacted by the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, with each institution governed by its own dedicated Act. Such universities are empowered to award degrees recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC), under the framework laid down for self-financed universities in the state.
Sister Nivedita University functions within this category of unitary, self-financed institutions and offers programmes across disciplines such as engineering and technology, management, law, basic sciences, humanities and social sciences, and allied professional fields commonly associated with multidisciplinary private universities in India.
The university is situated in the North 24 Parganas district, which forms part of the Kolkata metropolitan region. The district is one of the most populous in India and serves as a hub for educational and research institutions in eastern India, with proximity to Kolkata providing access to libraries, industry and cultural resources.
By bearing the name of Sister Nivedita, the university aligns itself with the legacy of an educator who founded a pioneering school for girls in Bagbazar, Kolkata, in 1898, and who advocated for indigenous education and women's empowerment in colonial Bengal. The institution contributes to the broader expansion of higher education capacity in West Bengal through the private sector, complementing public universities in the region.