Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University is a state public university located in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, India. The university is named after the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti of Ajmer, founder of the Chishti order in the Indian subcontinent. It was established by the Government of Uttar Pradesh and primarily focuses on the study of languages, with particular emphasis on Arabic, Persian and Urdu, alongside programmes in modern disciplines.
| Key facts | |
|---|---|
| Type | State public university |
| Location | Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Named after | Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti |
| Established by | Government of Uttar Pradesh |
| Earlier name | Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University |
| Medium of instruction | Multilingual, including Urdu, Arabic, Persian, English and Hindi |
The university was conceived as a specialised institution to promote teaching, research and certification in Urdu, Arabic and Persian, languages with a long literary and cultural history in Uttar Pradesh and the wider Indian subcontinent. Lucknow, the seat of the erstwhile Awadh court, has historically been a major centre of Urdu and Persian scholarship, and the location of the university reflects this heritage.
It was originally constituted as the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu, Arabi-Farsi University. The institution was later reorganised and renamed the Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University, broadening its academic scope to position itself as a multilingual university while retaining its original focus on classical and regional languages.
The university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma and research programmes. Its core academic strength lies in language and literature, especially Urdu, Arabic and Persian studies. Alongside these, it has progressively introduced courses in areas such as education, mass communication, computer applications, management, Islamic studies and translation studies, with the aim of combining traditional language learning with employability-oriented disciplines.
The university also operates as an affiliating body for certain colleges in Uttar Pradesh that offer programmes in its areas of specialisation.
The main campus of the university is situated in Lucknow. The institution is governed by the statutes applicable to state universities in Uttar Pradesh, with a Vice-Chancellor as its principal academic and executive officer, supported by standard university bodies such as the Executive Council and the Academic Council.
As one of the few state universities in India dedicated primarily to language education, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University plays a notable role in preserving and promoting Urdu, Arabic and Persian scholarship. It contributes to the training of teachers, translators, researchers and media professionals working in these languages, and serves as a centre for cultural and literary activities linked to the Indo-Islamic and broader South Asian linguistic heritage.