Aligarh Muslim University teaches through 13 faculties, from Arts, Science and Social Sciences to Engineering, Medicine, Law and Unani Medicine, along with colleges, centres and schools on its Aligarh campus. It also runs three off-campus centres at Malappuram in Kerala, Murshidabad in West Bengal and Kishanganj in Bihar.
How AMU is organised
AMU began as the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College, which started classes on 24 May 1875, and became a university under the Aligarh Muslim University Act of 1920. The main campus covers about 467 hectares (1,155 acres) and is about 2 km from Aligarh railway station. The college’s early years are covered in our History section.
Teaching is arranged in faculties, each with several departments. Some programmes are run by colleges with their own identity, such as the engineering and medical colleges. AMU also has centres for specialised study and a network of schools that award the Senior Secondary School Certificate.
Also readScholarships for AMU Students: Government and University Schemes
The 13 faculties
| Faculty | Typical programmes |
|---|---|
| Arts | BA (Hons), MA and PhD in languages, literature, philosophy and fine arts |
| Social Sciences | BA (Hons), MA and PhD in history, economics, political science, sociology and related subjects |
| Science | BSc (Hons), MSc and PhD in physics, chemistry, mathematics, statistics, geography and more |
| Life Sciences | BSc (Hons) and MSc in botany, zoology, biochemistry and allied areas |
| Commerce | BCom (Hons), MCom and PhD |
| Management Studies and Research | BBA, MBA and specialised MBA programmes |
| Engineering and Technology | BTech, BArch, MTech, Diploma in Engineering and BVoc courses |
| Law | BA LLB (Hons), LLM and PhD |
| Medicine | MBBS, BDS, MD and MS, and paramedical courses |
| Unani Medicine | BUMS and postgraduate Unani courses |
| Agricultural Sciences | BSc (Hons) Agriculture and related programmes |
| Theology | Courses in Sunni and Shia theology, taught in two departments |
| International Studies | BA (Hons) International Studies and foreign languages |
The programmes column gives examples, not a complete list. Course lists change from year to year, so check the current Guide to Admissions before applying.
The colleges inside the university
Several of AMU’s best known programmes are run by its colleges. Zakir Husain College of Engineering and Technology (ZHCET) runs the BTech programmes. Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College (JNMC) runs MBBS and postgraduate medical courses, and Ziauddin Ahmad Dental College runs BDS.
Ajmal Khan Tibbiya College is the Unani medical college. The Women’s College, the Community College and the Academic Staff College complete the list.
Popular programmes and how admission works
BTech and BArch
For 2026-27, AMU held its own test for BTech and BArch on 26 April 2026, with centres in Aligarh, Lucknow, Patna, Srinagar, Kozhikode and Kolkata.
Best for: students aiming for an engineering degree from a central university.
BA LLB (Hons)
The five-year law course has an AMU admission test and is offered at Aligarh as well as the Malappuram and Murshidabad centres.
Best for: students who have decided on law straight after Class 12.
BCom (Hons), BBA and MBA
Commerce and management courses draw large numbers of applicants. BCom (Hons) and BBA had an AMU test on 19 April 2026, and MBA on 7 June 2026.
BA (Hons) and BSc (Hons)
These are the largest undergraduate groups. For 2026-27, AMU held a test for most of them on 12 April 2026, while some subjects were filled through CUET (UG).
MBBS, BDS and BUMS
Medical seats are filled through NEET (UG). The medical faculty’s teaching hospital is part of JNMC on the Aligarh campus.
The off-campus centres
AMU Centre, Malappuram (Kerala)
Set up in 2010, the centre first held classes in a rented building in Perinthalmanna and moved to its own 336-acre campus on 1 June 2012, according to AMU. It is about 50 km southeast of Kozhikode. For 2026-27 it offered BA LLB, BBA, BEd and MBA.
AMU Centre, Murshidabad (West Bengal)
Also set up in 2010, the Murshidabad centre has a 288-acre campus about 250 km north of Kolkata on NH12. Its nearest railway station is Jangipur Road, about 8 km away. MBA and BA LLB began in 2011, and BEd was added in 2013. The 2026-27 Guide also lists BBA here.
AMU Centre, Kishanganj (Bihar)
The Kishanganj centre is at Chakla village near Kishanganj town, on land allotted by the Bihar government. Its first programme, BEd, began in 2013. For 2026-27 the centre offered BEd and MBA.
Admission tests for several courses are also held at centres in Kozhikode, Murshidabad and Kishanganj for 2026-27, according to the Guide. Courses offered at more than one location go through a single admission process. AMU’s rules say a student cannot change the study centre after the closing date for admissions.
Schools, centres and libraries
AMU runs its own schools, and admission to Class 11 (Senior Secondary School Certificate) and the Diploma in Engineering is through AMU tests. The university also has centres of specialised study, and several departments have been recognised by the UGC as Centres of Advanced Study.
The Maulana Azad Library is the central library, backed by over 100 departmental and college libraries. It began in 1877 as the Lytton Library, and its seven-storey building was opened by Jawaharlal Nehru in 1960.
Rankings
In the NIRF 2025 rankings released by the Ministry of Education, AMU was placed 10th among universities and 19th overall, according to AMU’s Internal Quality Assurance Cell. In NIRF 2024 it was 8th among universities. More university news is in our AMU Updates section.
Frequently asked questions
How many faculties are there in AMU?
AMU has 13 faculties, including Arts, Science, Social Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Medicine, Law, Unani Medicine, Theology and International Studies.
Which courses are offered at AMU Malappuram centre?
For 2026-27, the Malappuram centre offered BA LLB, BBA, BEd and MBA, with admission through the main AMU process.
Is AMU Kishanganj centre part of AMU?
Yes. It is one of three AMU off-campus centres. For 2026-27 it offered BEd and MBA, and admission is through amucontrollerexams.com.
What is the NIRF rank of AMU?
In NIRF 2025, AMU ranked 10th among universities and 19th in the overall category.
Sources: AMU Malappuram Centre; AMU Murshidabad Centre; AMU IQAC ranking results; Guide to Admissions 2026-27.
