GMR Institute of Technology gets deemed-to-be university status; plans expansion, new programmes
Aatif Ammad | February 17, 2026 | 07:34 PM IST | 1 min read
GMRIT plans to introduce programmes in multidisciplinary sciences and applied research following the autonomous status
The Ministry of Education has notified that the GMR Institute of Technology (GMRIT), Rajam, Andhra Pradesh, had been granted the status of a deemed-to-be university under the UGC Act.
Established in 1997 and governed by the GMR Varalakshmi Foundation, the institute has been autonomous since 2012. In a statement the GMRIT has said that the new status positions the institute for “its next phase of academic and institutional expansion”.
The institute holds NAAC accreditation across three cycles and NBA accreditation for all eligible programmes and has also featured in the Times Higher Education Rankings 2026, the statement added. It also noted that the institute maintains industry partnerships, mandatory internships for students and a consistent placement record across sectors including IT, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy and consulting.
GMRIT: Expansion plans and research
The statement added that the 130-acre campus and connectivity through the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport could help the institution expand national and international academic partnerships.
Commenting on the development, GMR Varalakshmi Foundation CEO Ashwini Saxena said, “The Deemed-to-be University status provides GMRIT with strategic autonomy to launch multidisciplinary programs, deepen research and innovation, and build global collaborations.”
The institute said in the statement that it plans to introduce programmes in multidisciplinary sciences and applied research areas, including medical and allied health sciences, as part of its expansion strategy.
Also read Maharashtra eases university teacher recruitment norms; academic weightage cut to 60% from 75%
As of February 2026, Andhra Pradesh has seven deemed-to-be universities, and with GMRIT’s inclusion the total will rise to eight. Across India, the University Grants Commission (UGC) recognized 146 deemed-to-be universities as of August 2025 while the total number of universities overall stands at 1,338.
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