The School of Planning and Architecture began as a small Department of Architecture at Delhi Polytechnic in 1941. It was later associated with the University of Delhi. The college is merged with the School of Town and Country Planning. This was founded by the Indian government in 1955. The aim was to provide services in rural, urban, and regional planning. In 1959, the School was renamed School of Planning and Architecture as a result of integration.

Recognizing the specialised character of the subjects in which the School had achieved renown, the Government of India granted the School of Planning and Architecture the title of “Deemed to be a University” in 1979, through the former Ministry of Education and Culture. With this new status, the School was able to expand its horizons by launching new academic and extension programmes, as well as fostering research and consulting. In 2015, it was designated as a “National Institute of National Importance under an Act of Parliament.” The School is a unique specialised university that focuses only on providing instruction at various levels in various sectors of human habitat and environment.

The School has pioneered the introduction of academic programmes in specialised subjects at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, some of which are still not offered elsewhere in India. In its pursuit of greatness, the School has always been at the forefront of extending instruction and research to new frontiers of knowledge. The School’s primary interest is the human habitat and environment, thus the range of academic programmes is constantly expanding by adding new subjects and developing areas for which facilities are not yet available anywhere else in the nation.