- Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith is a Uttar Pradesh state university founded in 1921 and renamed from Kashi Vidyapith in 1995
- Its official website now lists more than 350 affiliated colleges across five districts and nine faculties
- The 2025-26 examination and registration fee is about INR 850 to 950 per semester for undergraduate courses and INR 1,050 to 1,150 for postgraduate courses, with admissions applied online at mgkvp.ac.in.
Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKVP) is one of the oldest and largest state universities in Uttar Pradesh, based in Varanasi (Benaras). Founded during the freedom struggle, it today teaches hundreds of thousands of students across arts, science, commerce, law, agriculture and management through a wide network of affiliated colleges.
What Is Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith (MGKVP)?
Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith is a public state university in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, founded in 1921 during the freedom struggle. Originally called Kashi Vidyapith, it was the first modern university organised entirely by Indians. Today it teaches arts, science, commerce, law, agriculture and management through more than 350 affiliated colleges.
The university is administered under the state legislature of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. Its official website is mgkvp.ac.in, which publishes all admissions, results, examination timetables, syllabi and notifications for the university and its affiliated colleges in one place.
Best Countries to Study Abroad for Indian StudentsRead →When Was MGKVP Founded and How Did It Get Its Name?
Babu Shiv Prasad Gupta and Bhagwan Das established the university on 10 February 1921, and Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated it. It began as Kashi Vidyapith, gained deemed-university status in 1974, and was renamed Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith in 1995. It became a full state university in 2009 under Uttar Pradesh legislation.
Kashi Vidyapith was set up in the spirit of the Non-Cooperation Movement, outside the control of British authorities, alongside contemporaries such as Jamia Millia Islamia and Gujarat Vidyapith. This nationalist heritage remains central to the university's identity.
Which Faculties and Courses Does MGKVP Offer?
MGKVP is organised into nine faculties: Agriculture, Commerce and Management Studies, Education, Humanities, Law, Medical Sciences, Social Sciences, Social Work, and Science and Technology. Across these it offers undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, professional and doctoral programmes, including BA, B.Sc, B.Com, BBA, BCA, LLB, MA, M.Sc, MBA and MCA degrees.
- Faculty of Agriculture
- Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies
- Faculty of Education
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medical Sciences
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Social Work
- Faculty of Science and Technology
How Many Colleges Are Affiliated to MGKVP?
MGKVP is primarily an affiliating university. Its official website lists more than 350 affiliated colleges spread across five districts of Uttar Pradesh: Varanasi, Chandauli, Bhadohi, Mirzapur and Sonbhadra. These colleges teach hundreds of thousands of rural and urban students, making MGKVP one of the state's largest universities by enrolment.
Affiliated institutions range from arts and science colleges to professional colleges in law, education, management and medical sciences. The university sets common examination schedules, syllabi and fee norms that these colleges follow.
What Are the Fees at MGKVP in 2026?
Fees vary widely by course and campus. Under the university's 2025-26 schedule, affiliated-college students pay a uniform examination and registration fee of about INR 850 to 1,150 per semester. Self-financed professional courses in university departments cost more, for example B.Sc Agriculture around INR 13,000 and BA-LLB up to INR 27,500 per semester.
| Course Category | Fee per Semester 2026 (Official) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliated-college UG (BA, B.Sc, B.Com, BBA, BCA) | INR 850-950 | Examination + registration fee |
| Affiliated-college PG (MA, M.Sc, M.Com, LLB, LLM) | INR 1,050-1,150 | Examination + registration fee |
| Self-financed B.Sc Agriculture (university dept) | INR 13,000 | Even-semester fee |
| Self-financed BBA / BCA (main campus) | INR 15,000 | Even-semester fee |
| Self-financed BA-LLB (university dept) | INR 25,000-27,500 | Even-semester fee |
These figures are taken from the university's own 2025-26 fee structure published at mgkvp.ac.in. Actual tuition at each affiliated college is set separately, so students should confirm the exact fee for their chosen course and college before applying.
How Do You Apply for Admission to MGKVP?
Admission is applied for online at the official portal, mgkvp.ac.in. Candidates register, fill the application form, upload documents and pay the fee electronically. UG admission needs a 10+2 pass from a recognised board, while PG admission needs a relevant bachelor's degree. Application forms, syllabus and timetables are published on the website.
- Visit the official website mgkvp.ac.in and open the admissions portal
- Register and fill the online application form for your chosen course
- Upload the required documents and photographs
- Pay the application fee online through the payment gateway
- Download the admit card when released and appear for the entrance test where applicable
What Scholarships Are Available at MGKVP?
MGKVP students can access central and state government scholarships rather than a single university scheme. These include post-matric and pre-matric scholarships for SC, ST and OBC students, the National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship, and incentive schemes for girl students. Merit-based fee concessions and support for economically weaker students are also available through affiliated colleges.
- Post-Matric Scholarship for SC students
- Pre-Matric Scholarship for SC students
- Post-Matric Scholarship for OBC students
- National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship
- National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education
- Top Class Education Scheme for SC students
Who Are MGKVP's Notable Alumni?
MGKVP has a distinguished alumni history. Former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri and revolutionary freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad both studied here. Other notable alumni include Ramakrishna Hegde, former Chief Minister of Karnataka; union minister B. V. Keskar; Kalraj Mishra, Governor of Rajasthan; and Bhola Paswan Shastri, former Chief Minister of Bihar.
- Lal Bahadur Shastri - former Prime Minister of India
- Chandra Shekhar Azad - revolutionary freedom fighter
- Ramakrishna Hegde - former Chief Minister of Karnataka
- B. V. Keskar - former Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting
- Kalraj Mishra - Governor of Rajasthan and former Union Minister
- Bhola Paswan Shastri - former Chief Minister of Bihar
- Kamlapati Tripathi - freedom fighter and senior politician
What Facilities Does the MGKVP Campus Offer?
The campus centrepiece is the Dr. Bhagwan Das Central Library, named after the philosopher and first Vice-Chancellor, holding over two lakh volumes across humanities, social sciences and science. Five hostel blocks house male, female and research students, each with mess facilities. The university also runs spacious auditoriums for seminars, workshops and conferences.
Central Library
The Dr. Bhagwan Das Central Library, named after the acclaimed philosopher and the university's first Vice-Chancellor, holds more than two lakh volumes across humanities, social sciences and the sciences, and is the academic heart of the campus.
Accommodation and Food
There are five blocks of hostels for different categories of students, including separate accommodation for women, men and research scholars. Each hostel is supervised by wardens and provides mess facilities, so food and lodging are handled on campus.
Auditorium and Events
The university regularly hosts seminars, workshops and conferences in spacious halls and auditoriums, reflecting its active academic culture and its spiritual, public-welfare orientation rooted in the Gandhian tradition.