<p>Remote regions in India often lack systematic groundwater quality assessment, resulting in elevated risks to public and environmental health. This study presents a comprehensive evaluation of groundwater in the Sahibganj district of Jharkhand, employing random sampling and precise GPS-based site selection. Forty groundwater samples were analysed for physicochemical parameters and heavy metals, with a distinct focus on uranium. The novelty of the work lies in the analytic framework which integrates advanced multivariate statistical methods, such as the Pearson correlation matrix, with the entropy-weighted Water Quality Index (EWQI) and spatial interpolation via ArcGIS-IDW to enable robust quantitative and spatial appraisal of water quality. Results indicate elevated concentrations of Ca, Na, Mg, and Al associated with local lithology, and uranium levels generally below permissible limits, though some samples reach 24 ppb. Heavy metals are also found in exceeding concentrations at few regions. EWQI scores range from excellent to poor, demonstrating substantial spatial variability in groundwater quality and highlighting the need for continued monitoring and targeted management strategies in Sahibganj district. Correlation study shows weak correlation of uranium with depth as deeper groundwater would have lower uranium concentrations due to more reducing conditions and lesser uranium solubility. Uranium health risk evaluation shows value of 1.342 × 10^− 5 for adults and 5.115 × 10^− 7 for children.</p>