The University of Gorakhpur is a teaching and residential-cum-affiliating University. It was only in 1956 that the University came into existence by an act passed by the U.P. Legislature.

It actually started functioning since September 1, 1957, when the faculties of Arts, Commerce, Law and Education were started. In the following year, 1958, the faculty of science came into being. Faculties of Engineering, Medicine and Agriculture came into existence in later years.

Late Mahant Digvijay Nath also made valuable contribution in the formation of the University. The Madan Mohan Malviya Engineering College.

At one stage the federal jurisdiction of the University was spread over colleges in Gorakhpur and the adjoining erstwhile twelve districts with about 125 affiliated colleges. In 1973, when the Gorakhpur University Act was replaced by uniform piece of legislation called the U.P. Universities Act, about two dozed colleges located in five districts were transferred to the newly created Avadh University with headquarters at Faizabad.

The jurisdiction of the Gorakhpur University was drastically curtailed further in its headquarters at Jaunpur. At present, with the establishment of new colleges and the creation of new districts, there are 123 colleges located in five districts of Gorakhpur Division.

In the residential zone, we have more than 125 quarters for teachers and officials of the University and about the same number of the non-teaching staff. There are several hostels - four boys and one complex with three wings for the academic culture of the University evolved out the cross fertilization of diverse traditions of teaching and research.