Elphinstone College, Mumbai was also known as Government of Maharashtra's Elphinstone College, Mumbai was established on 1st April 1856 under the management of Government of Maharashtra.

It is one of the oldest colleges in Mumbai ruled by the Governor of Bombay and Mountstuart Elphinstone was established to impart & provide in the field of higher education for the deserving candidates and prove to be a milestone in the part of progress.

In 1827 resolution was passed that an institution for the promotion of education should be established under the Bombay Native Education Society and be designated as "Elphinstone College".

The Elphinstone Institution was formally constituted in 1835. In April 1956, Elphinstone College, separated from the High School and became an institution in its own right.

The college is affiliated with the University of Mumbai, Mumbai in 1860 and it is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under section 2(f) & 12(B) under Act, 1956.
 
It is re-accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with "A" Grade - (CGPA Score 3.05 on a 4 Point Scale) on 23 January 2017.

The college has established itself at the national level, as an institution of learning to reckon with and known for its open access to students from all strata of the society which includes various communities, income groups, and interests.

This is an outstanding place of learning which came into existences much before the University of Mumbai, to which it was later on affiliated.

The Elphinstone College was awarded Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation, in 2004 by UNESCO for one of the best heritage buildings restored.

Elphinstone College is one of the leading institutions imparting higher education in the fields of Arts, Science, Commerce for the students catering to the diverse needs of the present youth.

The college has committed itself to provide quality education to all state and becoming the center of excellence in the process of facilitating effective teaching and learning with several career-oriented traditional and specialty programs.

It is co-educational government institute, providing a regular course which is located in an urban part of Mumbai played a pioneering role in the field of higher education.

The college conferred the status of grant-in-aid college that the fees and all the facilities for the students are fixed by the government.

The student's admission is done as per the Admission Criteria prescribed by the affiliating university.

At present, the college offers two years intermediate courses in Arts, Science, & Commerce streams with various optional specializations under Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education, Pune.

The college also offers three years undergraduate courses in Arts, Science, & Commerce streams with optional specializations under the University of Mumbai, Mumbai. It also offers Add-On Certificate courses.

Vision:

• To kindle the spirit of learning among the youth, irrespective of socioeconomic differences, to consistently pursue excellence preserving the tradition of high reputation while meeting the challenges of globalized world

Mission:

• Equal Opportunities of Education
• Holistic Education ensuring all-round development of students
• Create a human capital, which can be an asset to the nation

Goals:

• To provide quality and affordable education to all the sections of society
• To facilitate Overall Personality Development of the students through organizing and participating in various inter and intra collegiate festivals, including physical fitness and sports
• To offer a large number of combinations of subjects to for greater flexibility and appropriate choice of subjects
• To hone the skills of the students to enhance further learning and employability job orientation
• To provide State-of-the-art infrastructure for enrichment of the teaching-learning process
• To encourage the spirit of research
• To enhance creativity and an entrepreneurial approach through industrial collaborations
• To encourage Physical fitness and talent in sports activity