Vidyasagar University was named after Pandit Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, who was one of the most important people in Indian Renaissance. The idea of setting up the university was proposed by Regional Education Association, Midnapore and Ghani Committee set up by the University Grants Commission since the university had 36 affiliated colleges and compact area for setting up and moreover, it had the advantage of association with IIT, Karagpur.

Government of West Bengal decided to establish the university in the year 1978 after which a planning committee was appointed for the same on the year 1979 to begin the setting up operations. On the basis of the report submitted by the planning committee in October 1979, the Vidyasagar University Act was passed in 1981 and finally first Vice Chancellor was appointed on 29th of September 1981. The list of colleges affiliated to the university is given below:

Affiliated Colleges:

• Bajkul Milani Mahavidyalaya

• Belda College

• Bhatter College

• Egra Sarada Sashi Bhusan College

• Garhbeta College

• Jhargram Raj Colege

• K D College of Commerce

• Kharagpur College

• Mahisadal Girls’ College

• Mahisadal Raj College

• Midnapore College

• Moyna College

• Mugberia Gangadhar Mahavidyalaya

• Narajole Raj College

• Panskura Banamali College

• Pingla Thana Mahavidyalaya

• Prabhat Kumar College

• Rabindra Satabarshiki Mahavidyalaya

• Raja N.L.Khan Mahavidyalaya

• Ramnagar College

• Sabang Sajani Kanta Mahavidyalaya

• Seva Bharati Mahavidyalaya

• Sevayatan Sikshan Mahavidyalaya

• Silda Chandra Sekhar College

• Sitananda College

• Tamralipta Mahavidyalaya

• Vidyasagar Teachers’ Training College

• Vivekananda Mission Mahavidyalaya

• Vivekananda Satabarshiki Mahavidyalaya

• Yogada Satsang Palpara Mahavidyalaya

• Chandrakona Vidyasagar Mahavidyalaya

• Subarnarekha Mahavidyalaya

• Haldia Government College

• Hijli College

• Vidyasagar School of Social Works

• Khejuri College

• Vidyasagar Institute of Health

• Midnapore Rehabilitation Centre for Children

• Midnapore Law College

• Haldia Law College

• International Institute of Maritime Studies & Research

• Vivekananda Mission Asram

• College of Paramedical Science

• Institute of Education

• Sarsuna Law College

• Ratulia Secondary Teachers’ Training Institute

• Kabi Sukanta Secondary Teachers’ Training Institute

• Sukumar Sengupta Mahavidyalaya

• Santal Bidroha Satabarshiki Mahavidyalaya

• Debra Thana Sahid Kshudiram Smriti  Mahavidyalaya

• Chipat S.P.B. Mahavidyalaya

• Maharaja Nandakumar Mahavidyalaya

• Sanskrit A. B. Smriti Mahavidyalaya

The university is situated outside the city of Midnapore and is spread over a sprawling and eco-friendly campus with several facilities.

The campus of the university includes student amenity centre, playground, residential facility for both administrative and teaching staff, separate hostel for girls and boys, centre for distance education, postgraduate centre for research, learning and teaching and administrative department building. Most of these facilities were included recently as a development plan of the university within the past few years for meeting the educational requirements of the local people. University campus also includes fully computerized library and steps are being taken to digitize the same. The university has been honored with three star status by National Assessment and Accreditation Council.