University of Calcutta was founded on 24 January 1857. It was the first multidisciplinary modern university in South Asia. In India it is recognized as a "Five star University" and a "Centre with Potential for Excellence" by UGC.

History of University of Calcutta
History of University of Calcutta goes back to the Colonial period. It was established by the then Governor General of India, Lord Canning in 1857. Dr Fredrick John who was the education secretary to the then British Government in India tendered a proposal to the British Government for the establishment of a university in Kolkata in order to create an educated class that would help them rule India. This plan failed to get an approval. Later a proposal to establish two universities, one in Calcutta and the other in Bombay was accepted in 1854. The Calcutta University Act came into force on 24 January 1857 and a 41-member Senate was formed as the policy making body of the institution.

The first Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the Calcutta University were Governor General Lord Canning and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Sir James William Colvile. In 1858, Joddu Nath Bose and Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay became the first graduates of the university. The Syndicate of the Calcutta University started functioning on 30 January 1858. 244 candidates appeared for the first entrance examination of the university.

In 1857 Nawab Jassa Singh Ahluwalia Government College in Kapurthala , Punjab became one of the first colleges to be affiliated with University of Calcutta. Kadambini Ganguly and Chandramukhi Basu were the first female graduates of the country in 1882. The Honourable Justice Gurudas Banerjee became the first Indian Vice-Chancellor of University of Calcutta in 1890. Sir Ashutosh Mukherjee was the Vice-Chancellor for four consecutive two-year terms.

Campuses of Calcutta University
It has its central campus in College Street (called Ashutosh Shiksha Prangan). Its other campuses are in Rajabazar (called Rashbehari Shiksha Prangan), Ballygunge (called Taraknath Palit Shiksha Prangan), Alipore (called Sahid Khudiram Siksha Prangan), Hazra and South Sinthi. Several Colleges are affiliated to the University. It is a state government administered university.

The College street campus, which is spread over an area of 2.7 acres is also known as Ashutosh Siksa Prangan and consists of four buildings Darbhanga Building, Asutosh Building, Hardinge Building, and the Centenary Building. It consists of the Faculty of Arts consisting of twenty-one departments. The Faculty of Education, Journalism and Library Science organized through three departments are also located here.

The University College of Science and Technology or popularly Rajabazar Science College is also known as Rashbihari Sikhsa Prangan. It houses the faculty of engineering and technology includes the departments of applied physics, chemical engineering, chemical technology, computer science and engineering, polymer science and technology, radiophysics and electronics and a computer centre.

The University College of Science or Ballygunge Science College is also called the Taraknath Siksha Prangan. It consists of the departments of anthropology, biochemistry, botany, and genetics and many more. The faculty of Fine Arts, Music and Home Science offers courses on subjects such as food and nutrition, human development, home science. The Faculty of Law consists of the department of Law. The Faculty of Science is organised under nineteen departments which includes core science subjects like physics, chemistry, botany and also on subjects like biotechnology, microbiology, bioinformatics, marine science etc. The Faculty of Commerce, Social Welfare & Business Management consists of the departments of business management and commerce.

Some of the other campuses of the University are University Press And Book Depot, Sahid Khudiram Siksha Prangan, Viharilal College of Home Science Campus, University Health Service, Haringhata Campus, Dhakuria Lakes (University Rowing Club) and University Ground and Tent at Maidan.

Departments of University of Calcutta
The University of Calcutta has eight faculties divided into fifty-five departments. The faculties are Agriculture, Arts, Commerce, Social Welfare & Business Management; Education, Journalism and Library Science; Engineering & Technology; Fine Arts, Music and Home Science, Faculty of Law and Faculty of Science. The Faculty of Agriculture offers postgraduate courses on agronomy, horticulture, Genetics & Plant Breeding and Seed Science & Technology.