Jiwaji University Gwalior came into existence on May 23, 1964, through M.P. Govt. Ordinance no. 15 of 1963. Late Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, the then President of India, laid the foundation stone on 11th December 1964 at a sprawling campus of over 225 acres of land at Naulakha Parade ground. This was a generous contribution of Scindia family, in particular Kailashwasi Maharaja Shrimant Jiwaji Rao Scindia and late Rajmata Shrimati Vijayaraje Scindia. The institution was christened after the name of Kailashwasi Shrimant Jiwajirao Scindia as a standing memorial to his persona. The motto of the university is embedded in its logo Vidyaya Prapyate Tejah.
It is now almost forty seven years that University has witnessed a logarithmic phase of growth. It has also seen the strides that can parallel to any other national/ international academic instutions. The university fraternity has contributed with full strength for the growth of this institution which is flourshing and fragrancing in the tough terrain of Chambal and Gwalior region and promoting the higher education for the better quality of life of the people.
During the IX–Plan, the University volunteered for assessment and accreditation by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) of UGC. The committee has appreciated the approach of inter-disciplinary teaching, extra curricular activities, health and public awareness programs, healthy student-teacher relations, transparent admission procedure, cosmopolitan student profile, judicious use of resources and quality of research. The university has been accredited with "A GRADE" status. The university has now once again prepering for NAAC accredation. The UGC XI plan committee has also appreciated the performance of the university at various fronts.
The territorial jurisdiction of the University is spread over the districts of Gwalior, Bhind, Morena, Sheopur Kalan, Datia, Shivpuri, Guna and Ashoknagar.
In the beginning, the university had 25 affiliated colleges but today 401 Government, Government aided and Private colleges are catering education to the students under its jurisdiction. These colleges are of Medical, Engineering, Science, Education, Nursing, Management, Arts and Commerce etc.
University is organising annual convocation to award Degrees to the passouts every year. In last few Convocations University has conferred Honoris Causa degrees of D.Sc to PadmaVibhushan Dr. R Chidambaram and Prof. D P. Agrawal, D.Lit. to Tabla Maestro PadmaVibhushan Pt. Kishan Maharaj, PadmaVibhushan Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and Doctor of Medicine to PadmaShree Dr. Dharkar. The University has organised Annual Convocation for 2011-12 on 09 November, 2012 and for 2012-13 organised on 28 March 2014. Former CJ of India Shri.R.C.Lahoti recipient of Honoris Causa D Lit of the University and Convocation Address Given by Professor D.P. Agarwal (Chairman, Union Public Service Comission, New Delhi.
The University has submitted proposal to the Government of India for financial support to establish an Institute of Advanced Technologies (IAT) and a Centre for Women Empowerment Studies. The objectives of the IAT is to establish research and teaching centres in some of the most advanced scientific areas such as supercomputing, Nanotechnology, Neuroscience, Genomics and Biomedical Technology.
The University also has a mission of fulfilling its commitment in coming years towards the followings:
