As an affiliating university, the Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University, Ajmer (MDSU), has jurisdiction over six districts—Ajmer, Beawar, Bhilwara, Nagaur, Didwana, and Tonk. MDSU governs a very large network of undergraduate and postgraduate colleges. Across these six districts, MDSU affiliates 464 colleges, including government colleges (83), private colleges (260), grant-in-aid institutions, and professional institutes (121). District-wise, the approximate affiliation distribution is: Ajmer and Beawar (95), Bhilwara (62), Nagaur and Didwana (198), and Tonk (109).
MDSU regulates academic standards, curriculum structure, examinations, and results for its affiliated colleges. The affiliated colleges offer programs in Arts, Science, Commerce, Management, Education, and various vocational fields. MDSU serves as the academic backbone for thousands of students in central Rajasthan and conducts unified examinations for all affiliated institutions.
Through affiliation, MDSU maintains parity and academic uniformity across diverse colleges in its jurisdiction. Many affiliated colleges are over 100–150 years old, such as Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan Government College, Ajmer (popularly known as GCA, established in 1836), DAV College, Ajmer (established in 1942), and MLV College, Bhilwara (established in 1952), reflecting a strong educational legacy.
A few colleges under MDSU also hold autonomous status, such as the prestigious Sophia College, though their exact number varies over time. Other reputed institutions include the Regional Institute of Education, Ajmer. MDSU also provides guidance to its affiliated colleges in faculty development, research promotion, and quality enhancement.
MDSU functions as both an affiliating and a teaching university, with its own campus departments. Its extensive affiliating network makes it one of Rajasthan’s key higher-education hubs. Overall, MDSU Ajmer plays a crucial role in expanding accessible, affordable, and quality higher education across the region.
