The University was established as the University of Panjab in Lahore (now in Pakistan) in 1882. After the partition of the country, Lahore became a part of the newly formed state of Pakistan and a separate university with the name of Panjab University was established in 1956.
Panjab University, over the days, has come to be highly regarded as a respected institution of higher education in the country. While it has continued to focus on the traditional subjects and  in the emerging fields. In fact, the university has made a number of efforts to ensure a proper infrastructure that supports quality education.
Panjab University, with its 46 teaching and research departments besides 10 Centers/Chairs for teaching and research on the main campus located at Chandigarh, has 150 affiliated colleges spread over Punjab and Chandigarh, Regional Centers at Muktsar, Ludhiana, Hoshiarpur and Department of Vishweshavaranand Vishva Bandhu Institute of Sanskrit and Indological Studies (VVBIS&IS) at Hoshiarpur.

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Chandigarh was conceived in 1960 as a center of excellence which would endeavour to develop patterns of teaching in postgraduate medical education in as many branches as possible and attempt to produce specialists in several disciplines of medicine.



It was also envisaged that these specialists would spread out in the country in various medical colleges and medical institutions and impart medical education of highest standard to the students and set up nucleus of excellence in their own institutions. The PGIMER was also given the responsibility to broaden the horizons of medical knowledge by intensive research in the field of health.

The college comprised of engineering departments of Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering initially. Thereafter the college expanded & five new departments in the fields of Aeronautical Engineering, Electronics & Electrical Communication Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Production Engineering and Computer Science Engineering were added gradually. A new department of Information & Technology has been added recently.
 Presently there are eleven post-graduate courses leading to Masters of Engineering degree in Highways, Structures, Hydraulics and Irrigation, Rotodynamic Machines, Electrical Power Systems, Environmental Engineering (Interdisciplinary), Electronics Metallurgical Engineering and C.I.M. Facilities for post-graduate studies exist for regular as well as for part time students .The college has facilities for research work leading to the award of Ph.D. degree in engineering in certain selected fields of different disciplines. The college also offers consultancy services in different disciplines.