Their needs were finally recognized by a group of eminent educationists and politicians who decided to hold a meeting of all the scholars and educationists to determine the viability of setting up the South Gujarat University. A society was set up called the Sarvajanik Education Society in Surat on July 31, 1960 comprising a committee of 38 members that was responsible for drawing up guidelines and principles for the establishment of a separate university.

The final document of the Sarvajanik Society was then handed over to the Chief Minister for his perusal. Another set of documents in support of setting up a University in South Gujarat was sent to the then UGC chairman Dr. C. D. Deshmukh, in December 1960.

All these moves led to the making up of a comprehensive document called “South Gujarat University: A Tentative Phased Programme for its Establishment”, which was handed to the Central Education Minister in February 1961. All through 1961 to 1964 concerted efforts continued that emphasized on the need and urgency for a separate University in South Gujarat.

It took almost 5 years for the government to finally pass the Saurashtra University Act that accepted in principle the need for a separate South Gujarat University. It also set up a committee that drew up an action plan after studying the requirements of a University from all angles.

The committee made usual recommendations for the effective running of a University. In addition to that it also made certain specific recommendations that were truly unique and visionary in concept. Such as the introduction of region specific courses like Rural Studies, Microbiology, Petrol Technology and Petrochemicals, Forestry, Textile Technology etc., things that are an integral part of the economy of south Gujarat. Not only this, the University also took under its purview the areas of Bharuch Surat, Dang, Valsad (including some other areas that at that time were under Portuguese dominance). The committee was indeed very insightful in its recommendations for the University and all of this spoke about their sharp acumen in understanding the future direction of this illustrious University. All factors like economic progress, geographical composition and ethnic subtleties were kept in mind while drawing up the framework of this University.

It was a proud and historic moment for the academicians of South Gujarat when the University was finally opened in 1965 with Shri C. Chunilal Shah as the first Vice-Chancellor and Shri Priyadatt Motiram Joshi as the first Registrar of the University. The Third five-year Plan period saw the University being incorporated under the University Grants Commision UGC Recognized University

In the beginning a temporary office was set up in the Sarvajanik College of Education premises and from there it moved to the Nonresidential Students’ Recreation Hall of the Sir K. P. Commerce College and in 1967 to the Khandwal residence in Surat. During this time the university became operational in its own premises and stared its full-fledged operations.

The University’s prominent edifice of majestic buildings came into being at around this time and by 1976 the Administrative Office and the University Library moved to their present location in the University campus and between 1977 to 1981 all the teaching departments too had taken their place of pride in the South Gujarat University Campus. Ever since that day, the University has been marching ahead in its academic and social achievements moving from glory to glory!