The institution started as Government Women's College in 1964 in a small building of the Labour Department of Govt. of Orissa and was affiliated to Utkal University at that time.[3][4][5]
The college was later shifted to the Old School Building of Unit-1, Bhubaneswar in 1966 and ultimately to the present campus near Rupali Square of Bhubaneswar (present University campus) on 1 January 1969.
The name of the college was changed to Rama Devi Women's College in 1969 and was given Autonomous status on 19 June 1999.
Higher Secondary wing of Rama Devi Women's Autonomous College was separated from the Autonomous College from 2001.
The college was accredited by NAAC with grade 'A' on 16 September 2004. It was reaccredited with an 'A' grade again in February 2015. In 2010, it was given CPE (College with Potential for Excellence) Status by UGC.
On its Golden Jubilee celebration, former President of India Pranab Mukherjee attended as the Chief Guest in its Inaugural function on 30th Nov 2014.
Under the RUSA scheme the college was upgraded to the Status of a Women's University on 30 May 2015. As an affiliating University, 46 Women's Colleges under Utkal University came under the jurisdiction of the new university. The Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik officially inaugurated the university in a ceremony held on 3 December 2015 coinciding with the birth day of Maa Ramadevi Choudhury.
On July 1, 2021, the university was accorded with 12(B) status by UGC.[6]
Academics
The university has respective departments under its seven schools. It offers various undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D courses.
