Aligarh Muslim University distance education stands out as one of the earliest residential educational institutions in India, established by the government. Its inception fostered the development of a new educated segment among Indian Muslims, actively engaging in the political landscape during the British Raj. Initially linked with the University of Calcutta, the institution later formed an affiliation with the University of Allahabad in 1885.

Aligarh Muslim University distance education was one of the earliest public or government-founded educational institutes in India that were exclusively residential. It eventually led to the emergence of a new, educated class of Indian Muslims who participated actively in the British Raj's political system. Before becoming affiliated with the University of Allahabad in 1885, the college was first associated with the University of Calcutta.