[1][2] According to the ministry's definition, the accreditation indicates, "an Institution of higher education, other than universities, working at a very high standard in specific area of study" and the accreditation grants "the academic status and privileges of a university".
[3] The higher education system in India includes both private and public universities.
[4] In addition to this, 15 Professional Councils are established, controlling different aspects of accreditation and coordination.
[5] The status of a deemed to be university allows full autonomy in courses, syllabus, admissions and fees.
[6] As of December 2024[update], the UGC lists 137 institutes which were granted the deemed to be university status.