Seal of the University of Allahabad | |
| Motto | Latin:Quot Rami Tot Arbores |
|---|---|
Motto in English | "As Many Branches So Many Trees" |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 23 September 1887; 138 years ago (23 September 1887) |
| Chancellor | Ashish Kumar Chauhan |
| Vice-Chancellor | Sangita Srivastava[1] |
| Rector | Governor of Uttar Pradesh |
| Visitor | President of India |
Academic staff | 310[2] |
| Students | 17,727[3] |
| Postgraduates | 9,447[3] |
| 588[3] | |
| Location | ,, India 25°27′59″N81°51′34″E / 25.466523°N 81.859423°E /25.466523; 81.859423 |
| Campus | Urban, 232 acres (0.94 km2) |
| Colours | Red |
| Affiliations | |
| Website | www |
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TheUniversity of Allahabad is acentral university located inPrayagraj, inUttar Pradesh, India. It was established on 23 September 1887 by an act of Parliament and is recognised as anInstitute of National Importance (INI). It is the regarded as the fourth oldest modern university in India.[4] Its origins lie in theMuir Central College, named afterLt. Governor of North-Western ProvincesSir William Muir in 1873, who suggested the idea of a Central University atAllahabad, which later evolved to the present university.[5][6][7] Its status as acentral university was re-established through the University of Allahabad Act 2005 by theParliament of India.

The foundation stone of theMuir Central College was laid byGovernor-General of India,Lord Northbrook on 9 December 1873. The college was named afterSir William Muir, Lt. Governor ofUnited Province, who was the key person in its foundation. The building was designed byWilliam Emerson, who also designedVictoria Memorial in Kolkata andCrawford Market in Mumbai in a combination ofIndo-Saracenic, Egyptian and Gothic styles.[8]
Initially, it functioned under theUniversity of Calcutta and later, on 23 September 1887, the University of Allahabad was established, making it the fifth university established in colonial India after Calcutta university, Bombay university, Madras university, and Lahore's Punjab university.
It began as an affiliating and examining body for graduate and postgraduate degrees with a classical orientation and the responsibility for secondary education as well. Between 1891 and 1922,Government Science College, Jabalpur, the oldest science college of India was affiliated to the university. By 1904 the university established its own teaching departments and instituted doctoral research programs. The University Senate hall was opened by the lieutenant-governor, Sir John Hewett, in 1912.
In 1921, with the announcement of the Allahabad University Act of 1921, the Muir Central College merged with the university, which was reorganized as a unitary teaching and residential university. Over the next few years its affiliated colleges were transferred to Agra University and the task of conducting secondary-level examinations was relocated.

In 1951, the university (while maintaining its fundamental unitary character) recognized certain local institutions as associated colleges authorized to teach undergraduate courses under the Faculty of Arts, Commerce, Science, and Law.
In view of these achievements, as well as its position among the universities of Uttar Pradesh, the state government accorded it formal recognition in July 1992 as a 'premier institution' (Vishesh Agrani Sanstha). During the university's centenary celebrations in 1987 there were demands from students, faculty, and employees for the granting of status as acentral university.
In 2003 theunion cabinet decided to restore the central universality status of the university.[9] This central university status was finally restored in 2005, throughThe University of Allahabad Act by theParliament of India, which also declared the university anInstitution of National Importance.[10]
It has been accredited by theNational Assessment and Accreditation Council.[11]
The campus is spread around the city of Prayagraj across the area of Old Katra and Bank Road. It consists of major five faculties, namely Science, Arts, commerce, law, management faculties with the arts faculty housing the Administrative Block of Chatham Lines. It has numerous residential hostels for students.
Thepresident of India is thevisitor and thegovernor of Uttar Pradesh is thechief rector of the university. Thechancellor is the ceremonial head of the university while the executive powers rest with thevice-chancellor. The Court, the Executive Council, the Academic Council, the Board of Faculties and the Finance Committee are the administrative authorities of the university.
The University Court is the supreme authority of the university and has the power to review, the broad policies and programs of the university and to suggest measures for the improvement and development of the university; The Executive Council is the highest executive body of the university. The Academic Council is the highest academic body of the university and is responsible for the co-ordination and exercising general supervision over the academic policies of the university. It has the right to advise the Executive Council on all academic matters. The Finance Committee is responsible for recommending financial policies, goals, and budgets.[12]
In November 2020, Professor Sangita Srivastava was appointed as the new regular vice chancellor of Allahabad University. She was the first woman elected to this post at the university.[13]
The following colleges are component of Allahabad University:
| University rankings |
|---|
Allahabad University has been accessed and accredited to grade "A+" by NAAC.The university is ranked 240 in Asian Rankings - Southern Asia byQS World University Rankings as of 2025.[14]
InNational Institutional Ranking Framework, it was between ranked 201-300 for engineering in 2024 and 100-125 for management in 2025.[15][16]
Department of Psychology, University of Allahabad features a scholarly journal in collaboration withSage Publications known as thePsychology and Developing Societies. TheCentre of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, an independent research centre affiliated to Allahabad, is a leader in the field of cognitive sciences.
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