Best Religious Studies Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026
India is home to 356 Religious Studies colleges in India and there is a split of colleges by ownership, public / government 108, public private 93 & private 89.
Location wise
India is home to Religious Studies colleges. Listing below the cities/states offering Religious Studies courses with no. of colleges.
| Location Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 160 Colleges |
| Uttar Pradesh - Other | 39 Colleges |
| Rajasthan | 25 Colleges |
| Bihar | 22 Colleges |
| Varanasi | 21 Colleges |
| Maharashtra | 19 Colleges |
| Karnataka | 14 Colleges |
| Orissa | 14 Colleges |
| Tamil Nadu | 13 Colleges |
| Delhi/NCR | 13 Colleges |
| Gujarat | 12 Colleges |
| Himachal Pradesh | 12 Colleges |
| Allahabad | 10 Colleges |
| Punjab | 10 Colleges |
| Madhya Pradesh | 9 Colleges |
| Jaunpur | 9 Colleges |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 8 Colleges |
| Darbhanga | 8 Colleges |
| Delhi | 7 Colleges |
| Jaipur | 7 Colleges |
Specializations
Islam is the most popular specialisations offered by Religious Studies in India. Below is the table showing specilasations offering by no. of colleges.
| Specialization Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Islam | 21 Colleges |
| Hinduism | 20 Colleges |
| Theology | 11 Colleges |
| Christianity | 8 Colleges |
| Sikhism | 5 Colleges |
| English | 2 Colleges |
| Ethics | 2 Colleges |
| Hindi | 2 Colleges |
| Computer Science | 1 Colleges |
| Human Rights & International Humanitarian Law | 1 Colleges |
| Mathematics | 1 Colleges |
| Public Administration | 1 Colleges |
| Counseling | 1 Colleges |
| Sanskrit | 1 Colleges |
Entrance Exams
There are various exams accepted by Religious Studies in India like CBSE 12th, ISC, UP 12th and many more. Below table showing exams accepted by no. of colleges.
| Exam Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| CBSE 12th | 253 Colleges |
| ISC | 253 Colleges |
| UP 12th | 152 Colleges |
| RBSE 12th | 19 Colleges |
| BSEB 12th | 17 Colleges |
| CUET-PG | 13 Colleges |
| Odisha CHSE | 12 Colleges |
| CUET | 9 Colleges |
| HPBOSE 12th | 9 Colleges |
| Maharashtra HSC | 9 Colleges |
| MPBSE 12th | 8 Colleges |
| GSEB HSC | 8 Colleges |
| Tamilnadu 12th | 7 Colleges |
| CBSE 10th | 6 Colleges |
| ICSE | 6 Colleges |
| AUAT | 3 Colleges |
| PSEB 12th | 2 Colleges |
| CGBSE 12th | 2 Colleges |
| HBSE 12th | 2 Colleges |
| GATE | 1 Colleges |
India is home to 356 Religious Studies colleges in India and there is a split of colleges by ownership, public / government 108, public private 93 & private 89.
Location wise
India is home to Religious Studies colleges. Listing below the cities/states offering Religious Studies courses with no. of colleges.
| Location Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 160 Colleges |
| Uttar Pradesh - Other | 39 Colleges |
| Rajasthan | 25 Colleges |
| Bihar | 22 Colleges |
| Varanasi | 21 Colleges |
| Maharashtra | 19 Colleges |
| Karnataka | 14 Colleges |
| Orissa | 14 Colleges |
| Tamil Nadu | 13 Colleges |
| Delhi/NCR | 13 Colleges |
| Gujarat | 12 Colleges |
| Himachal Pradesh | 12 Colleges |
| Allahabad | 10 Colleges |
| Punjab | 10 Colleges |
| Madhya Pradesh | 9 Colleges |
| Jaunpur | 9 Colleges |
| Jammu and Kashmir | 8 Colleges |
| Darbhanga | 8 Colleges |
| Delhi | 7 Colleges |
| Jaipur | 7 Colleges |
Specializations
Islam is the most popular specialisations offered by Religious Studies in India. Below is the table showing specilasations offering by no. of colleges.
| Specialization Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| Islam | 21 Colleges |
| Hinduism | 20 Colleges |
| Theology | 11 Colleges |
| Christianity | 8 Colleges |
| Sikhism | 5 Colleges |
| English | 2 Colleges |
| Ethics | 2 Colleges |
| Hindi | 2 Colleges |
| Computer Science | 1 Colleges |
| Human Rights & International Humanitarian Law | 1 Colleges |
| Mathematics | 1 Colleges |
| Public Administration | 1 Colleges |
| Counseling | 1 Colleges |
| Sanskrit | 1 Colleges |
Entrance Exams
There are various exams accepted by Religious Studies in India like CBSE 12th, ISC, UP 12th and many more. Below table showing exams accepted by no. of colleges.
| Exam Details | Colleges |
|---|---|
| CBSE 12th | 253 Colleges |
| ISC | 253 Colleges |
| UP 12th | 152 Colleges |
| RBSE 12th | 19 Colleges |
| BSEB 12th | 17 Colleges |
| CUET-PG | 13 Colleges |
| Odisha CHSE | 12 Colleges |
| CUET | 9 Colleges |
| HPBOSE 12th | 9 Colleges |
| Maharashtra HSC | 9 Colleges |
| MPBSE 12th | 8 Colleges |
| GSEB HSC | 8 Colleges |
| Tamilnadu 12th | 7 Colleges |
| CBSE 10th | 6 Colleges |
| ICSE | 6 Colleges |
| AUAT | 3 Colleges |
| PSEB 12th | 2 Colleges |
| CGBSE 12th | 2 Colleges |
| HBSE 12th | 2 Colleges |
| GATE | 1 Colleges |
Best Religious Studies Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026
Commonly asked questions On Best Religious Studies Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026
To pursue Bachelor of Theology course you should have completed Class 12 or equivalent qualification such as BVoc, Diploma etc. You could have studied in any stream such as Science, Commerce and Arts. But make sure that you have studied in a recognised institute.
Theology courses are degrees that involve the study of religious belief systems, traditions and other social and cultural facets of the particular faith. By pursuing a theology degree, students can enhance their knowledge associated with a belief system. A degree of theology has close links with fields like Philosophy, History, Anthropology and Religion Studies.
To become a professor, the first step that you need to clear is pursuing a Master. After completing the Masters, you should go for the UGC NET Exam. The UGC NET (University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) is conducted by the National Testing Agency NTA to select the candidates for Lectureships and Junior Research Fellowships.
The exam is conducted twice a year in 81 subjects like Humanities, English Literature, Management, etc. Make sure that you meet the required eligibility criteria before applying for this exam like qualification, age norms, etc. There are also other exams like CSIR NET SET, GATE, etc. That can help you pursue your dream of becoming a Professor.
Placement sessions are conducted in several colleges for Theology students. Some of these are as follows:
Theology Course Colleges | Average Fees (in INR) |
|---|---|
Faculty of Arts, Dayalbagh Educational Institute | 4 LPA |
Aliah University -City Campus (Park Circus) | 1 - 3.4 LPA |
Department of Jainology and Comparative Religion and Philosophy, Jain Vishva Bharti Institute | 2.9 LPA |
Aliah University -Old Campus (Taltala) | 1.8 - 2.5 LPA |
Christ College, Bangalore is famous for its MBA, BTech, and Law courses as the university is ranked by NIRF for these streams. Also these course students are placed in top companies such as Sandisk, McKinsey & Co, Vedanta, Engagely AI, and others. Yes, Christ University is a good university which is renowned for its placements and infrastructure.
Religious Studies Applications open. Apply Now
Commonly asked questions On Best Religious Studies Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026
There are several colleges that offer Theology courses with low fees. Some of these are as follows:
Theology Course Colleges | Average Fees (in INR) |
|---|---|
SHUATS - Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences | 1 K - 90 K |
Aliah University -Old Campus (Taltala) | 1.2 K - 2.8 K |
Faculty of Arts, Dayalbagh Educational Institute | 1.8 K |
Department of Jainology and Comparative Religion and Philosophy, Jain Vishva Bharti Institute | 2 K |
Aliah University -City Campus (Park Circus) | 4.5 K - 6.6 K |
Directorate of Distance Education, Madurai Kamaraj University | 5 K |
Christ University | 86 K |
There are many good books on Theology. Some of these are as follows:
Theology Books | Authors |
|---|---|
Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine | Wayne Grudem |
On being a servant of God | Warren Wiersbe |
A Theology of Biblical Counseling: The Doctrinal Foundations of Counseling Ministry | Dr. Heath Lambert |
The Screwtape Letters | C. S. Lewis |
The Moody handbook of theology | Paul Enns |
The Weight of Glory and Other Addresses | C.S. Lewis |
Building Healthy Churches | Nick Roark |
School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jain University is a moderately competitive institute to get into, as its acceptance rate stands at 50%. This figure tells us that almost 50 out of every 100 applicants manage to get enrolled in the institute, which is more than half of all the applicants. Therefore, once an applicant fulfills School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Jain University admission requirements i.e., competitive grades, standardised test scores, English language requirements as well as relevant documents, they are most likely to secure an admission in the institute. However, students must not take this lightly and apply to the institute within the deadlines in order to get enrolled as a student.
DU admission is open. Admission in Delhi University is based on CUET-UG & CUET-PG scores. Below are the upcoming events for DU admission:
- University of Delhi (DU) has released the admission cutoff for 5-yr integrated BA LLB and BBA LLB courses through Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) scores.
- The CUET PG 2026 registration process for admission to PG courses is expected to begin in Jan 2026.
- DU CSAS-PG 2025 Spot Round 3 allocations have been released for admission to various PG courses based on the CUET-PG 2025 scores, and the last date for fee payment is Aug 20, 2025.
Commonly asked questions On Best Religious Studies Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026
Mumbai University admission to various courses is based on merit or entrance exam. Mumbai University admission process is conducted through an online application. Candidates can refer to the steps below to fill out the Mumbai University application form:
- Visit the official website of MU
- Fill MU pre-enrolment form
- Fill out the application form of MU affiliated colleges
- Wait for the release of MU merit lists which are published on the official websites of the affiliated colleges
Candidates must wait for the Mumbai University cutoff after submitting their application for admission. Those who make the university's merit list must report to the college for document verification and counselling.
According to the University of Madras NIRF report, 483 PG 2 year students were placed in 2024 with a median package of INR 4.2 LPA. In PG 3 year program, 7 students got placements with a median salary of INR 4.80 LPA.
Jamia Millia Islamia is an excellent choice with the State Public University being most well-known for its liberal and scholarly atmosphere with the university producing many well-known alumni and free thinkers such as Shah Rukh Khan, Kabir Khan, Mouni Roy, Arfa Khanum Sherwani, Barkha Dutt, and many more.
The liberal atmosphere of JMI Delhi extends to its faculty and courses with the university having a curriculum design with the latest breakthroughs and changes in mind.
Further the university has approvals from a number of national bodies such as the AICTE, BCI, CoA, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, INC, NCTE, National Medical Commission, PCI, and Rehabilitation Council of India.
IGNOU admission cycle opens twice in a year i.e. January and July. The registrations for January session usually begins in December and close by March. The July session for ODL/ Online programmes begin in May and continue till July. The mode of application is online for all the courses.
There are multiple courses offered by Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University. These courses are offered at the UG and PG levels in course field like MSc, MBA, MA, BTech. Admission to these Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University courses is subject to fulfilment of eligibility & selection criteria.
Commonly asked questions On Best Religious Studies Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026
The particular scores needed for acceptance into the Undergraduate (UG) Diploma programmes at the Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras, can change based on the programme and the academic year. UG Dimploma at IDE requires about 33% in marks. The formal admission notification or prospectus that the institute releases for each academic session normally includes information about the qualifying requirements, including the minimal score requirement.
Lucknow University has a huge campus of 219.01 acres and provides modern facilities to students. Some of the facilities provided by the university are listed below:
- Well-stocked library
- Media and Entertainment Lab
- Seminar halls
- Indoor Sports Ground
- Medical facilities
For a few courses, such as MA, BA, MLib, etc., admissions are completely based on merit in the last qualifying examination. Students must go through the Panjab University CHD-conducted/ national-level entrances and then appear for the university-level selection rounds for final admission at Panjab University.
Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University courses are offered to students in streams such as Arts, Commerce, Management, Science, Law, Engineering, etc. The university offers BTech and MBA programmes to students as its popular programmes. These courses are offered in several specialisations for a duration of 4 years and 2 years, respectively.
Faculty at University of Mysore deliver instruction through blend of high quality, experienced teaching with strong emphasis on theoretical knowledge particularly in early years. Approach combines traditional lectures with research focused guidance aiming to develop analytical, problem solving & professional skills.
Commonly asked questions On Best Religious Studies Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026
Punjab University Patiala offers various courses to students at UG, PG, and PhD levels. The university offers BTech and MBA programmes to students as its popular programmes. These courses are offered for a duration of 4 and 2 years, respectively.
Direct admissions are not available for many courses at Jamia Hamdard. Candidates who have missed the entrance examinations accepted by Jamia Hamdard University Delhi, must not worry. These candidates can apply again the next year. Students who wishes to get admission must take part in the Jamia Hamdard Delhi admission process before the date of application has gone. For the application purpose, candidates can visit the official site of the university.
GNDU offers admission as per notification issued by Punjab Government. The University offers admission to its UG and PG courses on the basis of both merit and entrance-based. Admission to most of the courses is based on candidates performance in the Hence, the university does not offer direct admission. Aspirants can further reach out to the university admission office to get more details related to direct admission.
Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences provides the flagship Bachelor of Science (BSc) program, which provides a solid Scientific foundation to students. The course is available in various specializations, and is geared towards the Agricultural fields. The SHUATS BSc programme is available in various relevant specializations like Nursing, Agriculture, Biotechnology, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Community Science, among others.
Veer Narmad South Gujarat University is located in Surat, Gujarat and is also known as VNSGU. It has been accredited by NAAC with B+ grade in 2022 and has also been recognised by the UGC. At present, there are 34 government, 190 self-financed colleges, and 150 postgraduate teaching centres affiliated with VNSGU.