91-1/2024(SU-1)/142186), the decision was approved during the Commission’s 598th meeting held on July 6, 2026, making the University eligible for enhanced academic, administrative, and financial autonomy available to India’s top-performing higher education institutions. “The University shall now be eligible for all the benefits as stipulated under Clause 4, i.e., Dimensions of Autonomy for Category-I Universities, of these Regulations,” the UGC communication states. “The grant of Category-I status by the UGC reflects the University’s sustained academic progress and our collective commitment to quality. We will utilise the enhanced autonomy to further expand academic opportunities, research, innovation, and institutional collaborations,” she said. Under the UGC Regulations, Category-I status is conferred on universities that achieve a NAAC score of 3.51 or above.