Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University is a state university situated near Katra, in Jammu and Kashmir, northern India. It takes its name from the nearby religious shrine of the Mata Vaishno Devi.
The 474-acre campus sits in the Trikuta foothills, an area of natural beauty, and is surrounded by mountains on three sides. It is well connected to Jammu Airport, 45km away, and the town of Katra, 14km away by bus.
The university provides postgraduate and undergraduate teaching across engineering, management, philosophy and sciences, alongside some shorter, technical courses.
The university was set up in 1998 following calls from the local community for a higher education institute in the region. It was granted university status in 1999 and has since grown to a student community of around 2,000.
Students are admitted to the university on merit, and postgraduate candidates must sit an entrance test and attend interviews to earn a place.
Teaching is organised into four core schools of learning, known as colleges. These are: the college of engineering, which is home to a range of engineering programmes as well as architecture and landscape design; the college of management, which hosts business and economics; the college of sciences, including maths and physics; and the college of philosophy, culture and languages.
The staff and student community enjoy a rich social calendar, with college festivals organised at various points through the year across architecture, management, sports and culture.
Learning facilities on campus are good – the university has 35 laboratories and each subject school has its own reference library as well as access to the main central library. The campus itself is fully residential and has its own bank, a post office, fitness centre, medical centre and shops.
Furthering social mobility is a key aspect of the university’s principles and students organise a number of outreach programmes, including one for underprivileged children in the local community.
