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 |
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 |
Shri Shankarlal Sundarbai Shasun Jain College for Women admissions are based on merit. The college considers Class 12 score for UG programmes whereas graduation scores are considered for PG admission. Once selected, aspirants are called for document verification and fee payment.
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
Yes, Aligarh Muslim University admission to most of the courses is based on CUET scores. Admission to AMU undergraduate courses including BSc (Hons.) Community Science, BA (Hons/Research), BVoc in Production Technology, Polymer and Coating Technology and Fashion Design & Garment Technology and BSc (Hons/Research) is completely based on valid Central University Entrance Test (CUET-UG) scores. From the academic session 2022, all the central universities along with a few state-deemed universities and private universities started accepting CUET scores for admission to their UG and PG courses.
S.S. Jain Subodh PG College offers scholarships under various schemes initiated by the Central/ State Government institutions. Students who are from privileged, needy and physically challenged groups are endowed with scholarships. The below-mentioned are S.S. Jain Subodh PG College scholarships:
S.S. Jain Subodh PG College Scholarships | ||
|---|---|---|
Chief Minister Higher Education Scholarship | Kali Bai Bheel Medha | Endowment Scholarship |
Sumedha Scholarship | Scholarship for Class Merit Holders | Protsahan Scholarship for Excellence |
Admission to School of Humanities and Social Sciences courses is entrance-based. The institute conducts Jain entrance test to shortlist candidates for admission. The entrance test is conducted in three rounds and they are as mentioned below:
- Written Test
- Group Discussion
- Personal Interview
Candidates who clear all rounds are offered admission at School of Humanities and Social Sciences.
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.
The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda Rankings 2026 will be updated here once out. A few of the important MSU Baroda rankings are mentioned below:
| Ranking Body | Ranks |
|---|---|
QS Asian University Rankings - Southern Asia 2026 | 362 |
| QS Asian University Rankings Ranking 2026 | 1101-1200 |
| The Week 2025 under the Law category | 18 |
| NIRF 2025 under the Pharmacy category | 46 |
| NIRF 2025 under the engineering category | 201-300 |
Univerity of Madras is a state public university in Chennai. Madras University has also been recognised by the UGC. It ahs been ranked 38th under "University" category, 68th under "Overall" category & 18th under "State Public Universities" by NIRF 2025. BTech & MBA are the flagship courses of the university. Overall, it is a very good university in terms of rankings, infrastructure, faculty, etc.
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.
Commonly asked questions On Best Religious Studies Colleges in India - Courses, Fees, Admissions 2026
One of India's leading institutes is Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University. It has been consistently recognised by numerous national ranking agencies.
As per the NIRF 2025, the institute ranked #54 under Pharmacy category. Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University excellence in academics, distinguished professors.
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.
Yes, MDU Rohtak accept JEE Main scores for admission to the BTech and various other courses. Candidates must prepare well for the JEE Main exam. Students must prepare according to the JEE Main syllabus. Students must read the JEE Main books and pepare accordingly.
Lucknow University admissions are conducted on the basis of entrance exam scores and the merit of the student. It accepts entrance scores such as CUET, CUET-PG, and JEE Main. University of Lucknow also offers direct admission to vacant and NRI seats for BTech and MCA programmes. Candidates must secure a minimum aggregate of 40% to 60% in Class 12 for UG level admissions. For PG level admissions, candidates must secure a minimum aggregate of 45% to 50% in graduation.
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.