Ranchi University is a public state university in Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. It was established in 1960 by an Act of the Bihar legislature. Ranchi University offers degrees in undergraduate, post-graduate, M.Phil. and doctorate programs.

Before the establishment of Ranchi University, all degree colleges of the present-day Jharkhand (except Santhal Parganas) were affiliated to the Patna University. Ranchi University was established on 12 July 1960, as a teaching cum affiliating university. When the Ranchi University was first established, all degree colleges of present-day Jharkhand came under its jurisdiction. Bishnudeo Narayan Singh was appointed as the first vice-chancellor of this university.

In 1992, Vinoba Bhave University was created by bifurcating the Ranchi University, reducing its jurisdiction area by nearly half. In 2009, the university was further divided to create two more universities: – Nilamber Pitamber University, Medininagar in January 2009, and Kolhan University, Chaibasa in August 2009. At present, Ranchi University has jurisdiction only over the colleges of the five districts of Jharkhand, namely, Ranchi, Gumla, Khunti, Simdega, and Lohardaga.

Like most state universities in India, the Chancellor of the university is the governor of the state - the Governor of Bihar until the inception of Jharkhand on 15 November 2000 and the Governor of Jharkhand since then. The chief executive of the university is the Vice-Chancellor.

Different departments of the Ranchi University was organized into three faculties.

This faculty consists of the departments of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Botany, and Zoology.

This faculty consists of the departments of Bengali, English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Tribal & Regional Language, Urdu, and Philosophy.

This faculty consists of the departments of History, Geography, Anthropology, Political Science, Economics, Home Science, Psychology, Sociology, and Commerce.