Utkal University: Admission, Fees, Courses, Ranking, Placement

Established in 1943, Utkal University is a public state university located in the Khordha district of Odisha, India. The university is the oldest university in the state of Odisha, while 17th oldest in the country. The teaching-cum-affiliating university is accredited with Grade A+ by NAAC with a score of 3.53 out of 4 point scale. The institute is ranked #93 in the university category by NIRF Ranking 2023. The university has academic affiliations with UGC, AIU, AICTE, and PCI. 

Admission to Utkal University is determined by the results of its entrance test. For admission to the M.Tech. and MBA programs, respectively, the institution also accepts scores of national-level exams like GATE and CAT. The MA/M.Sc program at Utkal University costs about INR 12000 for both years. Candidates for the M.Phil. program must pay a total of INR 6,910 in fees. Candidates who are SC/ST/Women are also excused from paying the tuition fee. Disabled students are also exempted from paying 75% of tuition and other costs.

Utkal University Ranking and Affiliations

• Ranked #93 in the university category by NIRF Ranking 2023
• The university is also included in the rank band of 151-200 in the overall category by NIRF Ranking 2023.
• Accredited with Grade A+ by NAAC with a score of 3.53 out of 4 point scale.
• Ranked #88 in the university category by NIRF Ranking 2022
• Academic affiliations with UGC, AIU, AICTE, and PCI. 

Utkal University Location

The university has a total of 9 districts, namely viz, Cuttack, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Nayagarh, Khurda, and Puri and is spread over an area of 24,973 sq. kilometers. Situated at the Khordha district of Odisha, the nearest airport from the campus is Biju Patnaik International Airport, which is located 5 km away from the institute. Similarly, the closest railway station is Bani Bihar Railway, which is merely 3 km away. Acharya Vihar Bus Stop, with a distance of 1.6 km, is the closest bus station. The university is situated in the middle of the city, which makes it easier for the students to travel back and forth from the market to the campus. 

Utkal University Courses 

The university offers various courses at PG, UG, and Doctorate levels. The university has 32 departments, including an affiliated medical college that provides more than 100 postgraduate and research programs in various specialities. Additionally, the institution provides B.Pharm and M.Pharm programs for which OJEE results are accepted. Apart from this, the institute also offers management courses, along with many other programmes of different streams. 

Utkal University Admissions 

The admission process in the institute is conducted differently for different courses. A total of 554 seats are available for Utkal University's MA programs, while 339 seats are available for M.Sc. programs. The university's B.Ed and M.Ed programs each have 50 seats available, while its B.Pharm and M.Pharm courses each have 60 & 40 seats available. At Utkal University, there are 32, 40, and 30 seats available for the MBA, MBA (FM), and LLM programs, respectively. With a 40-seat capacity, the institute also offers an Executive MBA program. 

Admission process for some of the integral UG programs:

Utkal University B Pharma Admission 

• Obtain a valid score in OJEE
• Check the merit list that would be released by the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination Board (OJEEB)
• Shortlisted candidates will have to undergo the counselling process conducted by OJEEB
• Eligible candidates will be selected and seats will be allocated accordingly 
• Last process would be the verification of documents and the payment of fee

Utkal University MBBS Admission

• Obtain a valid score in NEET UG
• Check the merit list to see if you are eligible 
• Shortlisted candidates will have to undergo the counselling process and seats will be allocated accordingly after further rounds
• Last process would be the verification of documents and the payment of fee

Utkal University B.Sc Nursing Admission 

• Obtain a valid score in university’s entrance test
• Check if you are part of the merit list 
• Shortlisted students will have to sit for personal interviews
• Seats will be allocated accordingly 
• Last process would be the verification of documents and the payment of fee

Admission process for some of the integral PG Programmes:

Utkal University MBA Admission 

• Get a valid score in CAT/MAT or appear for the university’s entrance examination
• Shortlisted students on the basis of the merit list will be called for an interview and a group discussion round
• Students will be selected based on the overall performance 
• Selected students will have to come for document verification and 

Utkal University M Pharm Admission

• Complete graduation in B Pharm or relevant subjects
• Get a valid score in OJEE
• A merit list will be released by Odisha Joint Entrance Examination Board (OJEEB)
• College and seats will be allocated based on OJEE score and overall performance
• Selected students will be called for document verification and the payment of fee

Utkal University MA and M.Sc Admission

• Appear for the Common Post- Graduation Admission Entrance Test (CPET) and get a valid score
• Higher authorities will release a merit list
• Shortlisted students will be called for further rounds, including personal interview and group discussion
• Selected students will be called for document verification and the payment of fee 

Utkal University Placements 

Utkal University placement cell conducts campus recruitment drives and offers career counselling and pre placement training to its students. The career counselling shows students a way to a stable career path according to their taste and capability. The cell trains all the students before the placement drive, so that they have good communication skills, IT skills and any other skills that are relevant to their job roles. Moreover, the cell conducts mock tests that help students to know where they’re lacking and can improve on before the actual placement drive takes place. 

• According to NIRF Report 2021, the median package was INR 3.94 LPA.
• More than 550 students got placed.

Utkal University Facilities 

The 399 acres university’s campus accommodates more than 4300 students and 187 faculty members. The campus includes facilities such as 14 hostels for boys and girls with a total capacity of more than 2500 students.  In honor of renowned botanist Prana Krushna Parija, the college also has a main library with the name "Parija Library." More amenities at Utkal University include a canteen, an auditorium, student clubs, a sports complex, and a few other facilities for staff and students.

Hostels- The university is not completely residential, yet it provides hostel facilities to the students looking for accommodation. There is a well-established residence committee that helps in solving hostel related issues from time to time. At present, there are a total of 13 hostels inside the campus, wherein 6 are for men and 7 are for women. These hostels are well furnished, while also providing food and water facilities. 

Library- The central library is named Parija library and was established in 1946. Since then, it has been catering for the academic and research needs of the students and the faculty.  Named after Professor Pranakrushna Parija, the first vice-chancellor of the university, the library is well stocked with books, magazines, and various other reading materials. 

Cafeteria- The canteen is managed by a private vendor and offers a wide range of meals and beverages, which are both affordable and hygienic. 

Sports- A sports council manages all the sports related events on the campus, and is an important part of the university. It encourages students to develop general interest in all sorts of sports activities. Sports such as Football, Hockey, Cricket, Basketball, and Athletics are active in the institute, and students from different universities come to participate and initiate a healthy competition. 

Utkal University Collaborations

The institute has collaborated with various public institutes and causes, while also collaborating with some international universities. These tie-ups help students in networking and finding contacts. Some of the significant collaborations are: 

• University of Sussex, UK (Public Health)
• University of Miami, USA (Rare Manuscripts)
• RIKEN, Japan (Computational Biology) 
• Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology (CSIR)
• Universities of Tubingen & Gothe, Germany (Anthropology)
• John Hopkins University, USA (Biotechnology)
• National Council of Rural Institute, Hyderabad
• Institute of Life Sciences (DBT-GoI)
• Regional Medical Research Center
• AIIMS, Bhubaneswar
• Max-Planck Institute, Germany (Physics)
• CIPET, Bhubaneswar, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizer, Govt of India
• Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar
• NISER, Bhubaneswar

Utkal University Notable Alumni

With 104 affiliated colleges having jurisdiction over 9 districts, Utkal University has grown to be one of the nation's leading institutions. It has given birth to several well-known personalities who are employed in a variety of professions, including politics, business, well-paying occupations, etc. Some of these alumni include:

• Subroto Bagchi, co-founder of Mindtree
•  Dharmendra Pradhan, minister of education
•  Amulya Patnaik, commissioner of the Delhi Police
• GB Pattanaik, a former chief justice of India