Top 10 Oldest Universities in India: Check Universities List

The list of oldest university in India comprises of Senate of Serampore College, IIT Roorkee, PU, University of Allahabad etc. India, the land of ancient wisdom and knowledge, has some of the world's oldest colleges. These institutions have had a significant impact on the nation's intellectual landscape. India has a rich history of academic institutions, some reaching back centuries.

Nalanda University and Takshashila University, historic centres of learning laid the groundwork for modern institutions. Banaras Hindu University and the University of Calcutta both founded during British administration, continue to influence education. Institutions such as the University of Mumbai, University of Madras, and University of Delhi have played major roles in developing intellectual achievement. Today, these venerable institutions serve as beacons of knowledge, shaping India's intellectual environment.

List of Top 10 Oldest Universities in India 2026

Several educational institutes were built across India before any other country. Some exist, but their names and visions have changed. Let's see the following list of the top 10 oldest universities in India that are still functional.

1. Senate of Serampore College (University)

The oldest university in India, Senate of Serampore College, was founded by missionaries Joshua Marshman, William Carey, and William Ward (the Serampore trio) to educate students in Arts and Sciences regardless of the student's caste, colour, or country.

• The university operates through two parallel but distinct forms: College as an academic institution and College as a University.
• Serampore is the first institution to get the status of the oldest university in India, granted by King Frederick VI of Denmark.
• Further, Senate of Serampore College offers Undergraduate, Post-graduate, Diploma, and Doctoral courses.

2. Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee

Mentioning the oldest university in India, one cannot forget about the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, established by the then lieutenant governor, Sir James Thomason.

• In 1854, it was renamed the Thomason College of Civil Engineering in honour of its founder. It was given university status in 1949. 
• Later, in 2001, it was converted into an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Roorkee), thus becoming the seventh IIT to be declared.
• The university offers Bachelor's Degree courses in 10 disciplines of Engineering and Architecture and Post-graduate Degrees in 55 disciplines of Engineering, Applied Science, Architecture and planning.
• The Institute has facilities for doctoral work in all Departments and Research Centres. The Institute admits students to B.Tech. and B.Arch. courses through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) are conducted at various centres all over India. 

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3. University of Calcutta

The University of Calcutta is one of India's oldest universities, established on January 24, 1857. It is the first institution in Asia to be established as a multidisciplinary and secular Western-style university.

• This university is one of India's most reputed and oldest universities. This university holds third place in the oldest universities list in India.
• Initially, the university adopted the pattern of the University of London and slowly introduced alterations in its structure. The university provides nearly 85 scholarships based on various subjects of study.
• Further, it offers B.Tech, B.A., BBA, B.Com, B.Sc, M.Com., M.Ed, MA, M.Tech, PGD, and many more courses. Many notable alumni have been an example in society; some are C.V. Raman, Rabindranath Tagore, and Amartya Sen.

4. University of Mumbai

"University of Bombay" was renamed "The University of Mumbai" to highlight the city's name. Its first campus was set up in South Mumbai, the Fort Campus.

• The university has 243 acres and 14 campuses at Vidyanagari and Fort, respectively. Further, it is considered one of the oldest universities in India and one of the earliest state universities in India.
• The university consists of 60 University Departments and institutes and 749 affiliated colleges. The university was awarded a 5-star status in 2001 & 'A' grade status in 2012 by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
• The university offers Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral courses and diplomas and certificates in many disciplines like the Arts, Commerce, Science, Medical and Engineering. Some of the notable alumni are B. R. Ambedkar, Lokmanya Tilak, Mukesh Ambani, Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai, Sunil Gavaskar and others.

Also Read: List of Most Beautiful IIT Campuses In India

5. University of Madras

The University of Madras is the oldest university in India. It is a public state university established in 1857 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It is one of the oldest universities in India, consolidated by the Legislative Council of India.

• The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has awarded the university five-star accreditation. It has also been given the status of University with Potential for Excellence by the University Grants Commission.
• The university has six campuses in the city, namely Chepauk, Marina, Guindy, Taramani, Maduravoyal, and Chetpet. The university provides Certificate, Diploma, Undergraduate, Postgraduate, and Ph.D degrees.
• Besides, it has produced several personalities influencing society, such as Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Srinivasa Ramanujan, etc.

6. Aligarh Muslim University (AMU)

The Aligarh Muslim University is also the oldest university in India and is an Indian public central university. It was established as AMU in 1920 and evolved from the Mohammedan Anglo-Oriental (MAO).

• It was set up on 7 January 1877 by the great visionary and social reformer Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. Additionally, the courses offered by AMU are B.Arch, BA LLB, BA, B.Com, BDS, MCA, MFA, LLM, MA, MBA, M.Com, and M.Tech.
• The university's main campus, located in Aligarh, is the biggest in India, with over 467 hectares and has three off-campus centres at Malappuram in Kerala, Murshidabad in West Bengal, and Kishanganj in Bihar.

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7. Panjab University (PU)

The Panjab University (PU) is a public collegiate university that originated in 1882 and was established in 1947 located in Chandigarh. PU offers admission to undergraduate, postgraduate and PG-diploma courses in engineering, applied science, medicine, fine arts, and humanities.

• It is among the the list of oldest university in India and has 188 affiliated colleges across eight districts in Punjab state and the union territory of Chandigarh.
• The university's notable alumni include Kalpana Chawla, Vikram Batra, Shankar Dayal Sharma, Manmohan Singh, etc.

8. University of Allahabad

The Allahabad University is a central public university established on September 23, 1887, in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. It holds the 8th position in this list of oldest universities in India. 

• Initially, this university was called Muir Central College, named after the founder, Sir William Muir, Lt. Governor of the United Provinces. At one point, it was also called the "Oxford of the East."
• Allahabad university offers full-time courses at UG, PG, diploma, and doctorate levels under 5 significant faculties: science, arts, commerce, law, and management. Allahabad University also offers an exchange program for students every year.
• The Allahabad University notable alumni are Madan Mohan Malviya, Hemwati Nandan, Motilal Nehru, Harivansh Rai Bachan, Murli Manohar Joshi, Gulzarilal Nanda, Chandra Shekhar, V. P. Singh, and others.

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9. Banaras Hindu University (BHU)

The Banaras Hindu University is a central public university and is among the oldest university in India. Madan Mohan Malaviya established it in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. It holds the largest residential university title in Asia by accommodating over 30,000 students on campus.

• The university holds the 9th position in the chart of the oldest universities in India. The university's main campus is spread over 1,300 acres, built on land granted by Kashi Naresh, the hereditary ruler of Banaras.
• BHU provides Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Diploma, and Ph.D. degrees. Some administrators and notable alumni include Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, Moti Lal Dhar, Raj Narain, Rakhaldas Bandyopadhyay, C.N.R Rao, etc.

10. University of Mysore

The University of Mysore is a public state university located in Mysore, Karnataka, founded by Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, by then the Maharaja of Mysore educational experts C. R. Reddy and Thomas Denham.

• It is the first state university in Karnataka and the sixth oldest university in India. The University of Mysore is well known for its architectural brilliance and is one of the Indian oldest university.
• It holds a 10th position in the list of oldest universities in India. It was opened on July 27, 1916, with its first chancellor, the Maharaja of Mysore, and the first Vice-Chancellor was H. V. Nanjundaiah.
• The university delivers undergraduate, postgraduate, doctorate, diploma, and certificate courses. Some of the notable alumni are N. R. Narayana Murthy, Akhilesh Yadav, Manepalli Narayana Rao Venkatachaliah, T. S. Krishnamurthy, and N S Narendra.

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