University of the Punjab

The University of the Punjab enjoys a respectable position as a seat of learning amongst the reputed universities of the world on account of its rich cultural heritage and accessible opportunities being provided to a multitude of our youth for attaining quality education at an affordable cost.

It is indeed a matter of great satisfaction that significant improvement has been made in the sphere of imparting higher education at the University. Innovative research in various new disciplines and new scientific courses has recently been introduced which will greatly help to cultivate an atmosphere essential for acquiring a high academic standard. It is commendable that the University of the Punjab has created a modern infrastructure to make it possible for students to update their knowledge in various scientific disciplines since modern technology has become an essential vehicle of rapid progress. At the same time, the University has been quite successful in maintaining a balance between modern trends in education and its old traditions.

Established in 1882 at Lahore, the University of the Punjab is the largest and the oldest seat of higher learning in Pakistan. It was the first to be established in the sub-continent in Muslim majority area.

Located in the historical and culturally alive city of Lahore, this University has played a leading role in higher education in the country. The University strives to provide a conducive environment for the pursuit of the academic activities. On account of its quality degrees, pleasant environment and low tuition fees the University remains the institution of first choice for admission seeking students.

Allama Iqbal Campus, named after the great South Asian thinker and mystic poet, with Islamic architectural design is in the middle of the bustling city of Lahore. Quaid-i-Azam Campus, after the name of the father of the Nation, is located 12 kilometers to the South of Allama Iqbal Campus. Spread over an area of 1800 acres of lush green landscape, this campus is the centre of academic and administrative activities of the University. A canal dividing the academic blocks from the student lodgings and adds to the beauty of the campus.

The University has also a summer campus at Khanaspur, located at a height of about 7,000 ft. in the Himalayan range near Ayubia. This Campus, in addition to providing research facilities, is also used as a recreational centre for the faculty and the students. The University has also started Sub-Campuses at Gujranwala and Jhelum, with four disciplines i.e. Business Administration, Commerce, Law and Information Technology. Few more disciplines will be added in near future.

The University comprises of 5 Campuses, 13 Faculties, 10 Constituent Colleges, over 73 Departments, Centres, Institutes, and 614 affiliated colleges. It has over 818 permanent faculty members involved in teaching/research and over 36,000 on campus students.

The University of the Punjab was formally established with the convening of the first meeting of its Senate on October 14, 1882 at Simla. It was the fourth University to be established by the British colonial authorities on the Indian Subcontinent. The first three universities were established by the British rulers at their initial strongholds of Bombay, Madras and Calcutta. The University of the Punjab came into existence as a result of a long drawn struggle of the people of Punjab after the war of independence in 1857. Contrary to the three previously established universities, which were only examining institutions, the University of the Punjab was both teaching as well as examining body right from the beginning.

Until independence in 1947 The University of the Punjab fulfilled the educational needs of a vast region of the Subcontinent. Partition of the Subcontinent somewhat reduced the geographical limits of the jurisdiction of the University. However, for many years after independence it still ranged over vast areas including Punjab, NWFP, Baluchistan and Azad Jammu & Kashmir. New universities were set up later in the country to share responsibility for imparting higher education with the University of the Punjab.