Uttar Pradesh Technical University (UPTU) was established by the Government of Uttar Pradesh on 8th May 2000 vide Act No. 1248(2)XVII-V-I-I-19-2000 Uttar Pradesh Adhiniyam Sankhya 23 of 2000. Under the University Act, 'Technical Education' includes programmes of education, research and training in Engineering, Technology, Architecture, Town Planning, Pharmacy, Applied Arts & Crafts and such other programmes and areas that the central Government may in consultation with All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) by notification in Gazette declare.

The University is affiliating in nature and its jurisdiction spans the entire state of U.P. in affiliating B.Tech., M.B.A., M.C.A., B.Arch., B. Pharma., B.H.M.C.T., M.Tech. and Ph.D. programmes in 238 colleges/institutions imparting graduate, postgraduate and doctoral level training in all government and private institutions located all over U.P. in engineering, technology, architecture, pharmacy, hotel management and catering technology as well as M.B.A. and M.C.A. programmes.

U.P. being the largest state of India with an area of around two lacs forty thousand square kilometers and population of more than 165 million people makes UPTU as one of the largest technical universities not only in India but perhaps in Asia. Because of its gigantic size and number of colleges affiliated to it and geographic dispersion, it has been sub-divided into five zones with 45-50 colleges in each zone for the ease of management and facilitating inter-zonal comparison and possible internal competition to enhance quality of teaching-learning processes.

UPTU envisions to facilitate and nurture the quality of technical education and research in its own premises as well as all affiliating institutions. The total number of affiliated colleges was 49 in the year 2000 which has now gone up to 238 and the University is still growing. The task of the UPTU at the moment includes conducting the State level Entrance Examination U.P.-S.E.E. for admission to various programs affiliated to UPTU. Around 2,15,000 aspirants to UPTU take these entrance examination all over U.P. and in parts of Uttrakhand and Delhi. The University conducts central examinations each semester for all the affiliated colleges and institutions and declares results quickly using technology-enabled systems. At present around 150,000 students are enrolled in its various programmes. More than 50,000 students are admitted every year. Medium of instructions and examinations is English.

UPTU is currently located in I.E.T. Campus at Sitapur Road in the Capital of U.P. at Lucknow but is in the process of having its own Headquarter building in its vicinity. Its NOIDA Centre and Regional office is nearing completion to facilitate closer academic and industrial interaction around that zone where a prominent cluster of private affiliated colleges exists.