The university was established as "University of Health Sciences" by the Government of Andhra Pradesh and was inaugurated on 9 April by N. T. Rama Rao, the then-Chief Minister of the state. It started functioning on 1 November 1986[2] with Rama Rao as the university's first chancellor. Following the death of Rama Rao, a directive was issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh to rename the university "NTR University of Health Sciences", carried out on 2 February 1998. Later in 2006 Government of Andhra Pradesh issued a directive to rename the university as "Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences"[3] The university celebrated its silver jubilee from 1–3 November 2011.
In 2022, the then CM of Andhra Pradesh Jagan Mohan Reddy has changed the university name to "DR. YSR University of Health Sciences" after the former chief minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy.[4] Several protests were done by people of Andhra against this change.[5] It was reverted to "Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences" in July 2024.[6]
There is a library and computer center where the library network is operated from. A guest house is available with different categories of accommodation. The examinations section is housed in a separate area where special security electronically controls access, which can only be gained by authorised staff and security officers. A biometric-based electronic attendance system has also been institutionally implemented.[citation needed]
Admission under the convener quota are based on applicants EAMCET rank for other allied paramedical courses and pharmaceutical courses and NEET (National Eligibility Entrance Test) rank for admission into MBBS and BDS Courses.
The university offers graduate, postgraduate, diploma, and super-specialty courses in modern medicine; dental surgery, nursing, Ayurveda, homeopathy, and Unani; graduate degree courses in naturopathy, physiotherapy. Additionally, it offers a postgraduate (M.Sc.) course in applied nutrition.
The university publishes the quarterly multi-disciplinary Journal of Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences, available both as a free, open-access journal online as well as in print. The first issue was published on 21 March 2012.[8]