SKUAST-K receives record applications amid rise in rankings

June 4, 2025 by News Desk

Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K), has witnessed a record-breaking 18,477 applications for its 2025 entrance examination, making it the most sought-after agricultural university in the country.

The competition is fierce, with over 18,000 aspirants vying for just a little over 1,000 seats. In contrast, its counterpart in Jammu receives approximately 4,000 applications annually.

Among the total applicants, 83 percent, or 15,173 candidates, were from Kashmir, while 17 percent, or 3,304, were from Jammu. The gender distribution was nearly balanced, with girls making up 49 percent and boys 51 percent of the total applicants. The entrance exam was held across 28 centres, with 24 located in Kashmir and four in Jammu. This marks the highest-ever turnout for SKUAST-K’s entrance examination.

The surge in applications coincides with the university’s rapid rise in national rankings. Under the NIRF 2023 framework, SKUAST-K secured the 5th position in India in the agriculture and allied sectors category, and maintained a strong presence by ranking 10th in 2024.

It has now surpassed many prestigious institutions, including the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI). SKUAST-K is also one of only three universities from Jammu Kashmir—alongside Kashmir University and Jammu University—to rank among the top institutions nationally.

SKUAST-K’s appeal now extends well beyond the region.

Among the 1,003 students currently enrolled in its postgraduate and doctoral programmes, 417 are from Jammu Ladakh, while 586 students hail from outside Jammu and Kashmir, representing 29 different states and union territories.

These include 91 from Rajasthan, 56 from Himachal Pradesh, 51 from Kerala, 49 from Punjab, 44 from Bihar, 28 from Uttar Pradesh, and others from Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Assam, Delhi, and several northeastern and central Indian states.