Visakhapatnam - Education

Education

Visakhapatnam is considered a centre for education in Andhra Pradesh and there are a number of primary and high schools and colleges in the city. In addition to state-run schools there are private institutions, missionary schools and colleges.

The Indian Maritime University was established as a central university by the government of India by an act of Parliament (the Indian Maritime University Act 2008). IMU is poised to play a role in the development of human resources for the maritime sector. The first of its kind in the country, IMU will fill the educational requirements of the maritime fraternity. It is a teaching and collegiate university which will offer degree, postgraduate degree and research programmes in all disciplines of the maritime sector. Visakhapatnam also has the National Institute of Oceanography.

Established in 1878, A.V.N. College is one of the city's oldest educational institutions. Visakhapatnam is also home to Andhra University (AU), established in 1926. Before he became president of India, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was vice chancellor of the university between 1931 and 1936. AU and its affiliated colleges provide education to thousands of students from the state. Postgraduate and graduate courses are offered in the arts, commerce, science and technology, engineering, IT, business management, law and pharmacy. The AU College of Pharmacy is the second-oldest pharmacy college in India. The university is in the process of obtaining IIEST status, and there are plans to set up an IIM at Visakhapatnam.

Andhra Medical College, established in 1902, is the home of several teaching hospitals. The GITAM University (the first private university in Andhra Pradesh) and the GVP College of Engineering are other technical-education institutions in the city.

Engineering colleges in Visakhapatnam include Chaitanya Engineering College, Raghu Engineering College, Vignans Institute of Information Technology, Sanketika Vidya Parishad College of Engineering, Pothinamallayapalem, Pydah College of Engineering and Technology, Vignans Institute of Engineering for Women, Al Ameer College of Engineering and Technology, Avanthi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Anil Neerukonda Institute of Technology and Sciences and the Vitam College of Engineering. There are more than 50 engineering colleges in Visakhapatnam. Graduate schools include VIPS, Pydah, Gayatri, AVN and Dr. V. S. Krishna.

St. Aloysius Anglo-Indian High School is the oldest high school in the district and one of the oldest schools in the country. It was established in 1847, and is in the old town. St. Joseph's Girls' High School was established in 1893 in Waltair and is an ICSE school. Other notable schools are Visvodaya High School, Naval Children's School, Kotak Salesian School, D.A.V Centenary Public School, Delhi Public School, S.F.S. School, St. Anthony's High School, Bethany School, Visakha Valley School and Timpany School. Other schools include the public school at MVP Colony, Pollocks School, St. Joseph's Secondary School, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir, Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar, Siva Sivani, Saraswathi Vidya Vihar, Little Angels, Little Flowers and Pavani School. The city has about 10 Kendriya Vidyalayas with a total enrollment of 18,000. Timpany School has three branches: one affiliated with ICSE and the other two with the Central Board of Secondary Education. Vikas Vidyaniketan is the largest CBSE residential school. Vijnana Vihara (Gudilova), Visakha Valley School and Sri Krishna Vidya Mandir are also affiliated with CBSE. De Paul School is affiliated with SSC and ICSE.

The Indian Science Congress (I.S.C.) was hosted by Andhra University in 1976 and 2008. It is the largest congregation of scientists from different disciplines in the world. Over 8,000 people participated in the I.S.C. in 2008, including Nobel Prize winners from around the world.