Central universities by Parliament – UGC NET Question

Central universities are created by Acts of Parliament and are funded and maintained mainly by the Union government. They often serve as national-level institutions with wider catchment areas and specific mandates. The stem explicitly points to universities established and funded through Acts of Parliament by the Union government, which corresponds to central universities. Hence, Option D is correct.

Option A:
State universities are set up by state legislatures and funded primarily by state governments, so they do not fit the description of institutions created by Acts of Parliament and maintained by the Union government. Therefore, Option A is not appropriate.

Option B:
Private universities are usually established through state legislation but are funded and maintained by private sponsoring bodies, not directly by the Union government, so Option B is not correct here.

Option C:
Deemed-to-be universities gain their status through a notification by the central government under the UGC Act, not necessarily by specific Acts of Parliament. They can be publicly or privately managed, so Option C does not exactly match the type of university described in the stem.

Option D:
Central universities have a distinct legal basis in separate parliamentary Acts and receive direct budgetary support from the Union Ministry of Education. This grants them a specific national status and responsibilities that align perfectly with the conditions mentioned, confirming that this option is the correct answer.