Ranchi University is an autonomous state university in Ranchi, Jharkhand, established in 1960, that affiliates and oversees colleges across the region.
Ranchi University was established on July 12, 1960, as an autonomous institution, following its separation from the erstwhile Bihar University. The university is located at Shahid Chowk, Ranchi - 834001, Jharkhand, India. Its motto is Tejaswi Navdhitamastu, taken from the Yajurveda. It now encompasses 36 postgraduate departments, 19 constituent colleges and 47 affiliated colleges, catering to approximately 160,000 students.
The university commenced its journey with ten postgraduate departments, one constituent college and 20 affiliated colleges. The Post Graduate Department of History was established on 9th July 1951 as part of Patna University. The university has since acquired land for its own campus, a long-cherished demand that had been a major obstacle to its progress and expansion.
The university offers programmes in Humanities, Science, Social Science, Tribal & Regional Languages, Commerce, Law, Self-Financing Vocational Programmes, and Medical Sciences. It awards Ph.D. and D.Litt. degrees. The Department of History publishes the research journal Journal of Historical Research, which has been published since 1960.
The university's vision includes commitments to academic excellence in teaching and research, innovation and creativity, and respect for cultural diversity. It aims to be a centre of excellence in higher education, providing value-based quality education to students of rural and semi-urban areas, predominantly tribal populations. It also aims to encourage a research culture through interdisciplinary research by students and faculty, and aspires to be among the 100 best universities of India by 2035.
Listed facilities include Boys' Hostel, Girls' Hostel, residential quarters for faculty and non-teaching staff, a Central Library, and an E-learning Centre. Library services include Wi-Fi, internet access, water purifiers, CCTV surveillance, and photocopying.
Admission routes include PG Vocational/Self Finance Courses via the Chancellor's Portal, Bachelor Degree Programmes (Vocational/Self Financing) based on CUET score or Class 12 marks, and the BBA.LL.B (Hons.) entrance test.