Karnatak University, Dharwad.

Karnatak University is the second oldest University in the state of Karnataka after the Mysore University. Established initially at Mumbai in 1949, the location was shifted to Dharwad in October, 1949. (The Bombay Legislature of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency established Karnatak University through the Karnatak University Act 1949. It became a statutory University on 1st March 1950.)

Karnatak University, Dharwad is a hub of higher education and a pivot of traditional University in North Karnataka. This University has many feathers in its cap like NAAC accredited ‘A’ Grade, recognition as a University with Potential for Excellence by UGC. As per assessment made by Karnataka State Universities Rating Framework (KSURF), under the Established Universities, Karnatak University stands second among the State funded universities with a 3 Stars Rating and the Institute of IPL, Leiria has recognised our University as a valued International partner and has awarded our University a Certificate to that effect.

Covering a vast expanse of 888 acres on the hill named 'Chota Mahabaleshwar' one of seven hillocks on which Dharwad is beautifully perched inviting comparison with Rome; the University has its own ambience with a sylvan setting amidst lush greenery. The rocky edifice built in magnificent style is a tribute to his genius as the architect with a matching academic input the faculty, to earn the campus the name, Pavate Nagar for posterity. The catchment of the University covers Dharwad, Gadag, Haveri and Uttara Kannada districts. It has several postgraduate centres. The University is offering courses in the Faculty of Arts, Commerce, Education, Law, Management, Science and Technology and Social Sciences.

Symbolic of the University’s vision and mission, the emblem of the University consists of a peepal tree at the centre, an open book, figures of a bull, a rising sun and the legend ‘Arive Guru’ i.e., Wisdom is Guru, implying that both wisdom and knowledge should be all pervading like the ramifying peepal tree and light up the world with knowledge and eradicate illiteracy.

The University today is rated as one of the Universities in the Country with a potential for Excellence, by the UGC and identified by NAAC by giving a five star status which only a handful of Universities have been able to achieve. The second oldest in the state, Karnatak University with 48 P.G. Departments, 5 P.G. Centers, 5 Constituent College : 256 Affiliating Colleges with 264 P.G. teachers, 4252 UG teachers, 4531 PG students and 1,01,142 UG students in a community of academics, all drawn in the adventure of learning from the erstwhile seven districts of Northern Karnataka.

Its P.G centre at Belgaum has been upgraded to form “Rani Channamma University”, Belgaum, covering the districts of Bijapur, Bagalkot and Belgaum. In the nearly 1000 km stretch between the erstwhile Bombay and Bangalore, Karnatak University, Dharwad with its tower and the clock with radium hands and figure, as time ticks by, radiate the light of learning beckoning alumni all around. This University has undertaken a number of maiden collaborative research institutions in India and abroad. Its faculty members have established ties with researches in countries such as USA, Germany, France, UK etc.

The University is fortunate to have distinguished statesmen, scientists, educationists and literary figures including a Nobel Laureate, Prof. Allan McDermott etc visiting the University. The university is now recognized as the "University with Potential for Excellence" by UGC (University Grants Commission of India). It is also being considered as one of the two Universities to be declared as “Innovative University” under the prospective “Innovative Universities Bill”.

Karnatak University is a vibrant combination of scientific, social, linguistic and cultural achievers/achievements, the fragrance of which is spread across the country in the form of Bhatnagar Awardee, Jnanapeeth Awardees, Poet Laureates, Musicians and Social Scientists. Being the second oldest University in the state of Karnataka, it has contributed immensely to the social fabric of India providing skilled manpower in all the Government and Non-Government sectors in the last six decades. The University has made its presence felt in USA, UK, Canada, Taiwan, Korea through its large number of students over the last sixty years. It has adopted several educational reforms and is now catching up with new ICT-methods related to e-governance.

To face the challenges due to sweeping changes in policies, prospects and progress in the field of higher education and to make a mark in the global scenario, the University proposes to augment its infrastructure and research facilities matching International standards. Hence, this proposal for Centres of Excellence focuses on the overall development of the university to provide necessary intellectual input and to enhance its image as a high quality university, which it richly deserves.

During the year 2018, MHRD, Government of India, New Delhi had recognised UGC-Human Resource Development Centre, Karnatak University, Dharwad as National Resource Centre (NRC) for conducting annual Refresher Courses for all in-service faculty in the subject area of Sociology through SWAYAM. However, due to technical difficulties, the same has been discontinued in the year 2019.