The University was established as per the provision of the Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University Act 2005 that was enacted in Assam Legislative Assembly and notified in the Assam Gazette(extraordinary) published on September 29, 2005. The University started its operation on December 11, 2006 with Professor Srinath Baruah as its first Vice-Chancellor.
The University is empowered by virtue of the Act to prepare its own curriculum, formulate its own system of examination, enroll students, conduct examinations and confer degrees, dipomas and certificates up to the graduate and post graduate level.
The varsity is recognized and all the courses it offers are approved by the Distance Education Bureau(DEB) New Delhi and University Grants Commission. The Government of Assam recognizes all the degree, diploma and certificate programmes offered by the University for the purpose of government jobs and pursuing higher studies.
