Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University (HNGU) is a state public university located in Patan, in the North Gujarat region of the Indian state of Gujarat. The university serves as the principal affiliating and teaching university for higher education in the districts of north Gujarat, with a network of constituent and affiliated colleges spread across the region.
| Name | Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | HNGU |
| Type | State public university |
| Location | Patan, Gujarat, India |
| Region served | North Gujarat |
| Named after | Acharya Hemachandra (Hemchandracharya), 12th-century Jain scholar |
| Language of instruction | Gujarati and English |
The university is named after Acharya Hemachandra, the 12th-century Jain polymath, grammarian and poet associated with the court of the Chaulukya (Solanki) ruler Kumarapala at Patan, who is widely regarded as one of the most influential literary figures of medieval Gujarat. The choice of name reflects the historical importance of Patan, the former Chaulukya capital, as a centre of learning.
HNGU was established as a separate university to cater to the higher education needs of the northern districts of Gujarat, which had earlier been served by larger affiliating universities based in Ahmedabad and elsewhere. Its jurisdiction typically covers districts such as Patan, Mehsana, Banaskantha and Sabarkantha.
The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, doctoral and diploma programmes through its on-campus departments and a wide network of affiliated colleges. Faculties span the arts, commerce, science, education, law, management, pharmacy, computer applications, and engineering and technology. Postgraduate teaching departments on the Patan campus conduct teaching and research in subjects such as Gujarati, English, Sanskrit, Hindi, history, economics, sociology, psychology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, life sciences, and computer science, among others.
HNGU also runs distance and external study programmes, and conducts examinations for affiliated institutions across north Gujarat.
The main campus is situated in Patan, which is also known for the UNESCO World Heritage stepwell Rani ki vav and as the historic capital of the Chaulukya dynasty. The campus houses academic departments, administrative offices, central library, examination wing, hostels, and sports facilities.
As a state university established under an Act of the Gujarat Legislative Assembly, HNGU is governed by statutory bodies including the Senate, Syndicate, Academic Council and Board of Studies. The Governor of Gujarat serves as the Chancellor in the customary role applicable to state universities, while a Vice-Chancellor appointed by the state government heads the day-to-day administration.
HNGU plays a central role in higher education in north Gujarat, providing affiliation, curricula and examinations for a large number of colleges that serve students from semi-urban and rural backgrounds. Its location in Patan links contemporary higher education with the region's medieval scholarly heritage associated with Hemachandra and the Chaulukya court.