Top autonomous colleges in India are Loyola College, Chennai, Bishop Heber College, Tiruchirapalli, St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, The Women's Christian College, Chennai, P.S.G. College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore, Madras Christian College, Kancheepuram and many more.
Top autonomous colleges in India come under the government-affiliated universities, where they are independent to form their academic structure. These autonomous colleges don't have the autonomy to award a degree.
The higher education system of India is provided under government (public) colleges/ institutes/ universities controlled by the Government of India and other private colleges/ institutes/ universities controlled by the respective societies. Both the public and private universities are controlled by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
Best Autonomous Colleges in India
Autonomous colleges are self-governance colleges with academic freedom, approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC), where the College/ Institute must get AICTE approval a minimum of three times. Here is the list of the top 10 colleges under the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF).
Top Autonomous Colleges for Popular Streams in India
The top autonomous colleges in India offer courses in many fields. The six most popular fields and the colleges which are the best choice for them have been given below. These courses have become increasingly relevant in today’s times.
Top Autonomous Engineering Colleges in India
The top autonomous colleges in India for engineering and science and the universities they are affiliated with are given below. These colleges offer courses such as B.Tech, B.Sc, and B.E in many engineering specializations such as computer science, mechanical, chemical, etc.
| Colleges | Affiliated to |
| College of Engineering, Pune | Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune |
| PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore | Anna University, Chennai |
| Velammal Engineering College, Chennai | Anna University, Chennai |
| Dayananda Sagar College of Engineering, Bangalore | Visvesvaraya Technological University |
| Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata | Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal |
| Sardar Patel College of Engineering, Mumbai | University of Mumbai |
| The National Institute of Engineering, Mysore | Visvesvaraya Technological University |
| Amritsar College of Engineering and Technology, Amritsar | I.K.Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar |
| Sardar Patel College of Engineering, Mumbai | University of Mumbai |
| M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore | Visvesvaraya Technological University |
Top Autonomous Science Colleges in India
The top autonomous science colleges in India are given below and the institutions they are affiliated with. These colleges offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses in science and technology. Many of these colleges also offer Humanities & Sciences or courses such as Management Science.
| Colleges | Affiliated to |
| Madras Christian College, Madras | Madras University |
| Loyola College, Madras | Madras University |
| P.S.G. College of Arts & Science, Coimbatore | Bharathiar University |
| St. Xavier College, Kolkata | University of Calcutta |
| Fergusson College, Pune | Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune |
| Mount Carmel College, Bangalore | Bangalore University |
| St. Xavier’s College, Ahmedabad | Gujarat University, Ahmedabad |
| B.K. Birla College of Arts Science & Commerce, Maharashtra | University of Mumbai |
| Sacred Heart College, Kochi | Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam |
| Ethiraj College for Women, Chennai | Madras University |
Top Autonomous Law College in India
The autonomous law schools imply either a deemed university or a university status that empowers them to grant the law degree. Autonomous universities and colleges are recognized under the norms of the University Grants Commission.
Earlier, law degrees were granted only to the candidates with a graduation degree after three years of formal legal education. However, after autonomous status, the eligibility to apply for law school is made to 12th or equivalent degree.
| Colleges | Affiliated to |
| JSS Law College, Mysore | Karnataka State Law University, Hubballi |
Top Autonomous Computer Application Colleges in India
The BCA degree or the Bachelor of Computer Applications is one of the most sought-after degrees for going into information technology. It is a three-year course with a strong focus on programming, computer applications, and analytical skills. It is of the same status as the B.Tech and B.E degrees.
The top autonomous colleges offering this degree are as follows.
| Colleges | Affiliated to |
| Symbiosis Society’s College of Arts & Commerce, Pune | Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune |
| Loyola College, Madras | Madras University |
| Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore | Bangalore University |
| Women’s Christian College, Madras | Madras University |
| St. Joseph’s College of Arts & Science, Cuddalore | Thiruvalluvar University |
| Stella Maris College, Chennai | Madras University |
| Presidency College, Madras | Madras University |
| DAV College, Orissa | Sambalpur University |
Top Autonomous Management Colleges in India
The top autonomous colleges in India offering an MBA degree are given below and the universities they are affiliated to. These colleges offer postgraduate diplomas or programs in MBA specializations of Marketing, Finance, HR, and more.
| Colleges | Affiliated to |
| CMR Institute of Management Studies, Bangalore | Bangalore University |
| Prestige Institute of Management, Indore | Devi Ahilya University |
| Indira Institute of Management, Pune | Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune |
| PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore | Anna University, Chennai |
| Dr. Ambedkar Institute of Technology, Mallathahalli | Visvesvaraya Technological University |
| Regional College of Management, Bhubaneswar | Biju Patnaik University of Technology |
| Coimbatore Institute of Management and Technology, Coimbatore | Bharathiar University |
| Institute of Engineering and Management, Kolkata | Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology, West Bengal |
Top Autonomous Medical Colleges in India
All India Institute of Medical Science is the group of autonomous public medical colleges for higher education in medicine funded by the Government of India. They are recognized as the foremost medical institution in the country, with AIIMS Delhi being number one in India for its medical care.
| Colleges | Affiliated to |
| AIIMS- New Delhi | AIIMS |
| AIIMS- Bhopal | AIIMS |
| AIIMS- Bhubaneswar | AIIMS |
| AIIMS- Jodhpur | AIIMS |
| AIIMS- Raipur | AIIMS |
| AIIMS- Rishikesh | AIIMS |
| AIIMS- Mangalagiri | AIIMS |
| AIIMS- Nagpur | AIIMS |
| AIIMS- Patna | AIIMS |
Total Number of Autonomous Colleges in India
There are 708 autonomous colleges approved by University Grants Commission (UGC), India. Among all the states, Tamil Nadu has the highest total of 193 Autonomous Colleges. Listed below are the total number of autonomous colleges in each state:
| State | Autonomous colleges |
| Andhra Pradesh | 104 |
| Assam | 02 |
| Bihar | 02 |
| Chhattisgarh | 11 |
| Goa | 01 |
| Gujarat | 04 |
| Haryana | 01 |
| Himachal Pradesh | 05 |
| Jammu & Kashmir | 03 |
| Jharkhand | 05 |
| Karnataka | 71 |
| Kerala | 19 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 41 |
| Maharashtra | 86 |
| Manipur | 01 |
| Nagaland | 03 |
| Odisha | 47 |
| Pondicherry | 03 |
| Punjab | 11 |
| Rajasthan | 05 |
| Tamil Nadu | 193 |
| Telangana | 60 |
| Uttar Pradesh | 11 |
| Uttarakhand | 04 |
| West Bengal | 15 |
| Total | 708 |
Benefits of an Autonomous College in India
An autonomous college carries a prestigious image for the students and the teachers. They carry a special privilege conferred upon them by the UGC by their status. Autonomous colleges enjoy many benefits, and these trickle down to the students as well. Some of the benefits of autonomous colleges are given below.
- They assert efforts for academic excellence.
- Self-governance capability.
- Improvement in the quality of education.
- They can determine their courses of study and syllabus.
- Restructure and redesign the courses to suit needs.
- Offer students with a wide choice of courses.
- Wide range of electives.
- Freedom in the choice of courses.
- Periodical change in the syllabus can be framed as per the changing needs.
Difference Between Autonomous and Non-Autonomous Colleges in India
Which one do you think is better: Autonomous Colleges or Non-Autonomous Colleges? The comparison is not quite as clear-cut as it may seem. While autonomous colleges enjoy many special privileges, they also lack a few features that make life easier for non-autonomous colleges. See below the differences between Autonomous and Non-Autonomous Colleges in India.
| Autonomous Colleges | Non-Autonomous Colleges |
| They can frame their syllabus, curriculum, and set their exam papers. | They follow the University syllabus, curriculum, and exam papers. |
| Exam papers are set by faculty. | Exam papers are set by the university committee. |
| The academic structure is different from others. | The academic structure is the same as the university. |
| The grading system is followed where the highest mark obtained in the class decides the marks of others. | Most colleges follow the traditional percentage system. |
