Banaras Hindu University (BHU), previously Central Hindu College, is a central collegiate university in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, the Maharaja of Darbhanga Rameshwar Singh, the Maharaja of Banaras Prabhu Narayan Singh, Sunder Lal, and British Theosophist and Home Rule League founder Annie Besant founded it in 1916. It is Asia's largest residential University, with over 30,000 students living on site. The institution has been designated as an Institute of Eminence, one of ten public universities. The University's main campus, which spans 1,370 acres (5.5 km2), was established on land granted by Kashi Naresh Prabhu Narayan Singh, Banaras' hereditary monarch ("Kashi" being an alternative name for Banaras or Varanasi). The south campus, which is stretched on 2,700 acres (11 km2) of land granted subsequently by Maharaj Kumar Aditya Narayan Singh in Sunderpur, houses the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Agriculture Science Centre) and is located near Barkachha in Mirzapur district, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Varanasi. BHU is divided into six institutions, 14 faculties (streams), and around 140 departments. As of 2020, the total number of students enrolled at the institution is 30,698 from 48 nations. There are more than 65 hostels for resident students. Arts, Social Sciences, Commerce, Management Studies, Science, Performing Arts, Law, Agricultural Science, Medical Science, and Environment and Sustainable Development are among its faculties and institutes, as are departments of Linguistics, Journalism & Mass Communication, and others. In June 2012, the University's engineering institute was designated as an Indian Institute of Technology, and it is now known as the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU).

Banaras Hindu University Campus

Main campus

The main campus of Banaras Hindu University is located on the outskirts of Varanasi, near the banks of the Ganges. The main campus, which spans 1,300 acres (5.3 km2), began construction in 1916 on land granted by the then-Kashi Naresh Prabhu Narayan Singh. The campus is built out in the shape of a semicircle, with intersecting roadways laid out along radii or in arcs. Buildings constructed in the early part of the twentieth century are excellent examples of Indo-Gothic architecture. Nearly 65 hostels on campus provide residential housing for over 12,000 students. A majority of full-time faculty members have access to on-campus accommodation.The main entry gate and boundary wall were donated by the Maharaja of Balrampur, Maharaja Pateshvari Prashad Singh, and are known as the Singh Dwar (transl. Singh Gate).The biggest library on campus, the Sayaji Rao Gaekwad Library, holds around 1.3 million books as of 2011. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III of Baroda funded its construction, which was completed in 1941. In addition to the main library, students and professors have access to three institution libraries, eight faculty libraries, and over 25 departmental libraries. On-campus, Sir Sunderlal Hospital serves as a teaching hospital for the Institute of Medical Sciences. It was founded in 1926 with 96 beds and has since grown to nearly 900 beds, making it the region's largest tertiary referral hospital.The most visible feature on campus is the Shri Vishwanath Mandir, which is located in the heart of the campus. The foundation for this 252 foot (77 m) tall complex of seven temples was set in March 1931, and it took nearly three decades to finish. On-campus, there is an art and archaeology museum called Bharat Kala Bhavan. It was founded in January 1920 by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, with his nephew Abanindranath Tagore serving as vice-chairman. Rai Krishnadasa's efforts resulted in the museum's expansion and recognition. The museum's collection of Indian paintings is its most well-known feature, although it also has archaeological artifacts, textiles and costumes, Indian philately, and literary and archival resources. In 1989, the Alice Boner Foundation helped to establish the Alice Boner Gallery at Bharat Kala Bhavan to commemorate Alice Boner's birth centennial.

Rajiv Gandhi South Campus

The south campus is in Barkachha, Mirzapur district, some 60 kilometers (37 miles) southwest of the main campus. The Bharat Mandal Trust transferred it as a perpetual lease to BHU in 1979, covering an area of nearly 2,700 acres (11 km2). It is home to the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Agricultural Science Centre), which conducts research on agricultural practices, agroforestry, and biodiversity in the Vindhya Range region. In addition to administrative offices, the South Campus includes a lecture facility, library, student dormitories, and faculty housing.

Halls of residence

BHU is a fully residential institution with 66 hostels - 41 for male students, 21 for female students, and 4 for international students. Hostels at the University are organized by faculties, institutions, campuses, and colleges to meet their individual needs. Two of the four different hostels for international students are for male students, while the other two are for female students. The University's hostels are named after historical people like Raja Baldev Das Jugal Kishore Birla, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Rani Laxmibai, and M. Visvesvaraya. Some hostels are named after prominent rivers in India; for example, 'Triveni' was once a cluster of three ladies' hostels named after the rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Sarasvati; hence, the cluster was named Triveni Sangam. Later, hostels named after river Godavari and Kaveri were also added to the 'Triveni' block.

BHU Rankings

• BHU is placed under the rank band of 1001-1200 by QS World University Ranking 2022.

• BHU is ranked 3 among the Top Universities and 14 for the overall category by NIRF Ranking 2021.

• The University is ranked 7 for medical, 23 for Law, and 47 for MBA by NIRF Ranking 2021.

• Ranked 2 among top universities, 6 for Medical, and 9 for Engineering by The Week 2021.

• BHU is ranked 856 for the overall category by US News 2021.

BHU Scholarships

• 20 blind students shall be entitled to get Free Lunch and Dinner and also an amount of INR 5000 per annum under "Annadaan Yojana".

• First and Second Rank holders will be awarded a Cash Prize of INR 4000 and INR 300, respectively.

• A one-time grant of INR 4000 per student shall be provided to the Physically Handicapped students for their entire course tenure, subject to a maximum of 25 students.

• 50 poor students shall be provided Lunch and Dinner under the "Free Meal Facility" for at least 7 months. In the case of female hostellers, they will be reimbursed the actual Mess charges.

• Sleeper Class Rail Fare will be reimbursed to the students, other than research scholars, who participate in any national-level seminar/symposia/conference.

• A maximum of INR 5000 shall be provided as Financial Assistance for organizing Seminars/Workshops at the Faculty/Institute level, which should be beneficial to the students, subject to a maximum of 10 Seminars/Symposia/Workshops per annum.

• An amount of INR 2000 per annum shall be granted as Financial Assistance to the students belonging to poor family backgrounds. This will be subject to a maximum of 100 students.

BHU Facilities

Hostel: BHU has separate hostel accommodations for both males and girls. There are 41 hostels accessible for guys and 21 hostels available for girls. There is also a separate hostel for international students. Each hostel at BHU has basic amenities like as water purifiers, TVs, a common area, a mess, laundry facilities, a leisure room, a security and monitoring system, and so on.

Library: All BHU students have access to a fully air-conditioned cyber library. There are 115 departmental libraries with almost 1.5 million volumes, an unimaginable number of periodicals, magazines, weeklies, multilingual newspapers, and e-books. In other words, it is an educational utopia for those on a search for knowledge.

Sports Complex: The University provides students with a variety of facilities for sports and leisure activities. The University has badminton courts, basketball courts, a cricket pitch, a football ground, a squash court, a swimming pool, a tennis court, a table tennis court, a climbing club, a flying club, and many more facilities. The University provides competent trainers as well as practice space for students to engage in various events.

Labs: The University also provides several lab facilities for students to use for experimentation in accordance with their course requirements. Chemistry lab, Physics lab, Biotechnology lab, Mechanical lab, Zoology lab, Computer lab, CAD-CAM lab, and others are among the several labs.

Health Care: All BHU students and employees have access to health care 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The University's SS Hospital is equipped with all of the necessary medical equipment and technology for treatment. Students, scholars, and staff have access to these medical facilities for free or at a reduced charge.

BHU Admissions

Banaras Hindu University holds national level Banaras Hindu University Undergraduate Entrance Test (BHU-UET) and Banaras Hindu University Postgraduate Entrance Test (BHU-PET) in May–June for admission to over 24 undergraduate and over 100 postgraduate courses, with registration beginning on Vasant Panchmi, the University's foundation day. Admissions are made on the basis of merit in the admission exams and the Government of India's reservation policy, subject to the fulfillment of other qualifying conditions. The UET and PET exams are held in online and offline formats for 5166 seats in subject-specific papers. The exam lasts two hours and consists of multiple-choice questions. The total number of points varies depending on the exam. The Controller of Examinations oversees the whole admissions process.

Admission to Ph.D. programs is based on either the candidates' National Eligibility Test (NET) results or their CRET scores (Common Research Entrance Test). The PMT test is used to determine admission to IMS. The National Testing Agency began administering the UET and PET tests in 2021. Admissions to the diploma and Special Courses of Study (SCS) are handled differently depending on the faculty. BHU has a sizable number of overseas students. International students are admitted through a different admissions pathway at the University. International students who intend to continue their studies at BHU are asked to apply directly to the University's International Centre. JEE Advanced is the sole way to get into IIT-undergraduate BHU programs. 

BHU Courses

The University aims to impart quality education by providing various specializations in UG, PG courses and diploma courses. BHU University offers several Ph.D programmes in Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Sciences, Geophysics, Management Studies, Forensic Science, Horticulture.