Manipur University was established on 5 June 1980, under the Manipur University Act.1980 (Manipur Act 8 of 1980), as a teaching cum-affiliating University in Imphal with territorial jurisdiction over the whole of the state of Manipur. It was converted into a Central University from 13 October 2005. The Manipur University Act No.54 of 2005 received the assent of the President on 28 December 2005. The University is found at Kanchipur, Imphal, the capital city of Manipur, India. The University facilities are spread over a region of 287 sections of land (1.16 km2) in the noteworthy Canchipur, the old castle of the kingdom of Manipur. Maharaja Gambhir Singh took his final gasp in Canchipur.

The University has 72 affiliated colleges and one constituent college i.e. Manipur Institute of Technology (MIT). As conceived in the approach projects of the UGC for the advancement of Collegiate training, College Development Council, MU was situated up in the Manipur University under syndicate determination no. 5 dated 1-10-1985, to guarantee the correct arranging and incorporated improvement of subsidiary schools. The university other than providing education to the students also has some additional facilities like Banking and Postal facilities, Audiovisual Language & Phonetics Laboratory, Transport Facilities, Special Cell for SC/ST/OBC, Vocational Courses.