Universities in India: 20 Most Oldest University of India

It is amazing that some of the universities that still stand tall dates back to nearly two centuries. Imagine so many students and all their families are happy because of these amazing institutions. So many people made a name for themselves because of such universities and their education. Saluting the spirits of such universities this is just a small effort to list the oldest universities of India.

Though this page doesn't include the likes of Nalanda University which happens to be one of the oldest universities of the world; here you'll only find universities that are still in their operations, which apparently Nalanda isn't.

As of writing, in 2011, there are 531 universities in India. Universities include state universities, central universities, and deemed universities. Some of the universities in India date back to the British era. Many universities which were started by the British still exist and have continued their operations since then.

It will come as a surprise to many as to the oldest university in India, which is still operational is Senate of Serampore College/University which was established in 1818 and was the first to be granted as the university status in India. Serampore University got the status of a university in 1829.

The table below shows the most oldest universities of India. The criteria for compiling the oldest universities was to select institutions which started its operation as universities or were granted university status. Some institutions which we now recognize them as deemed universities which dates back further to some of the universities listed below is not included in this list. Means deemed universities which is sort of recent phenomenon is not listed in this list.

University of Roorkee which is now known as the IIT Roorkee comes close at the second position. The year 1857 seems to be most fashionable year in pre-independence era to start universities; namely University of Mumbai, Madras, and Calcutta came in to existence.

The state of Uttar pradesh has the most number of mentions in the list with Aligarh Muslim University, Allahabad University, BHU, University of Lucknow, Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, and the CSJ Medical University (formerly known as King George Medical College).

Apart from University of Mumbai, Maharashtra also has Nagpur university which dates back its establishment to 1923. The historically and politically important state Delhi has two universities in the list namely Jamia Millia Islamia and University of Delhi. Whereas the Bangalore University comes at the ninth position which now has courses of every kind.

So these were the top 20 oldest universities of India. Although the oldest university in the world which is still in its operation is University of Bologna, just for a fact and it was founded in 1088, that's something for a year.

Hope you liked the article and below is the photo gallery of the above universities.