The department of Urdu was established in the year 1965 as a full-fledged department of the Jammu Division of the erstwhile University of Jammu & Kashmir. At the initial stages of existence, the department was threatened by the non-availability of students and scholars and as such University Council had therefore to allow department to run its classes in the evening. This shift to the evening timing also enhanced the number of the students. With the passage of the time, research gained momentum and in 1972, the first scholar of the department was awarded Ph.D. Prof. Gian Chand Jain, Internationally known scholar of Urdu language was the first Head of the Department and Prof. J.N Azad, later on glorified this department internationally.
It was due to these healthy developments that the Department, inspite of the paucity of Teaching Faculty, was encouraged to introduce M.Phil and Ph.D programme in the early eighties and the teachers left no stone unturned to make it a successful venture. The Course continues till date with changes in its programmes from time to time in order to ensure that the new developments taking place in the fields of learning are adequately reflected in the syllabus and courses of study prescribed for the programme.
Dr. Gian Chand Jain who had set up and developed the Department to a considerable extent left the University of Jammu in 1976 and joined the Allahabad University as Prof. And Head of the Urdu Department. From 1976 to 1977 the Department was run by Dr. S.L. Kalra as its Head. In 1977, Prof. Jagan Nath Azad joined the Department as its Head and retired in 1983 after rendering commendable service to the University. During Prof. Jain's tenure the Department organized Ghalib Centenary celebrations in 1969 with considerable fanfare. Prof. J.N. Azad's tenure was however full of such activities. A number of National and international seminars were organized besides Iqbla's Birth centenary celebrations in which internationally renowned scholars on Iqbal like Anamilj Shimil participated. A photo exhibition on Iqbal was also organized. From 1983 to 1989 the Department was again headed by Prof. S.L. Kalra who retired on December 31, 1997. Dr. Manzar Azmi also became Reader and Prof in 1983 and 1990 respectively. He also headed the Department under the rotation of Headship scheme from 1990 to 1993 when he also retired from the University service.
Prof.Zahur-ud-Din Joined the department as its Head w.e.f 24-12-1993 to 06-08-2001, Prof.K.Hamra Siddiqui joined as Head w.e.f 06-08-2001 to 21-08-2004, Prof.Posh Charak Chauhan joined as Head as W.e.f 21-08-2004 to 30-07-2006, Prof.Shohab Inayat Malik joined as Head w.e.f 31-07-2012 to 31-07-2012, Prof.Sukh Chain Singh joined as Head W.e.f 31-07-2012 to 31-07-2015, Prof.Shohab Inayat Malik again joined as Head w.e.f 31-07-2015 to 31-03-2021. Prof.Mohd Reyaz Ahmed joined the department as Head W.e.f 01-04-2021 to till date.