The Department of Philosophy was established in the Gujarat University Campus in 1957 with a single lecturer and developed into a full-fledged department, with One Professor, Two readers and One Lecturer. This department offers M.A., M.Phil., and Ph.D. courses. More than twenty-five to thirty students study in the department every year. The Department of Philosophy had the privilege of having nationally and internationally known scholars as its Professor and Head.

Professor Dr. J.A.Yajnik, who joined this department in the year 1971 and remained Professor and Head till 1993, as a professor, was a nationally known scholar of Philosophy, who was selected as the General President of Indian Philosophical Congress held in Bhuvneshwar in 1995. He was a member of several committees of U.G.C. and I.C.P.R (Indian Council of Philosophical Research (MHRD)). He has also worked as an expert and examiner in competitive exams like UPSC, GPSC, RPSC, etc. He was also invited as a member of the Selection Committee for lecturers at various universities in India. He has also guided more than 17 Ph.D. Students. He organized National and International conferences (Two) and many Workshops for Teachers during his career (1985, 1989, 1991, 1993). When 10 + 2 Scheme was introduced in Gujarat State, he made a great effort to introduce Logic/Philosophy at Higher Secondary Level and he succeeded, Government of Gujarat (Higher Secondary Education Board) gracefully honoured his proposal and Logic/Philosophy is being taught at Higher Secondary Level till the date. He has authored several books and has written research papers in English as well as, some in Gujarati also. He was a National Lecturer of the Year by IPC (Indian Philosophical Congress) and Gave Three Special Lectures at Various Places in India. He founded Gujarat Tattvajnana Parishada and Published under these Parishada journals like Chintan 1 and Chintan 2. He was a Director of the School of Psychology, Philosophy and Education, at Gujarat University from 1983 to 1992 until his retirement.

Professor Dr. J.J. Shukla, who was a Reader, has contributed more than six books in the field of Philosophy in general and in Western Philosophy in particular. He was also a Secretary of Darshan Parishad for several years.

Professor Dr Yajneshwar S. Shastri was a Professor and Head, of the Department of Philosophy and the Director of the School of Psychology, Education, and Philosophy. He is an Internationally known Indologist. He has contributed 10 books and more than 70 research papers in the field of Philosophy and Religion. He was Director of the International Conference on World Peace held in December 2003 in Ahmedabad. Dr Shastri was selected as Sectional President of ‘Religion’ of World Philosopher’s Meet, organized by the Indian Philosophical Congress, Delhi, 2000-2001. He was also selected as the key speaker by the Indian Philosophical Congress in 1998 to deliver a lecture on Vedanta under the auspices of PratapSeth Vedanta Lecture. The different American Universities invited Dr. Shastri to teach Indian Philosophy and religion. Dr. Shastri was one of the panel members of UGC under the 9th and 10th Five-year Plan. He was selected as the Chairperson at more than 5 International conferences. He was the only foreign scholar, who was selected as the Chairperson in the First International Conference of Philosophy, held in Kuwait University from 4-7 November 2001. He was the chief editor of Ishavasyopanishad with 51 Sanskrit commentaries which was published in 2013. Dr. Shastri guided 15 Ph.D. students. Dr. Shastri retired from the department in 2010. 

Prof. Dilip Charan, at present, is a Professor and Head of the Department of Philosophy. He has done his PhD on “Acharya Shree Anandashankar Dhruva’s Contribution to Philosophy, Religion and Literature”. He has successfully guided 8 Ph.D. students. He has attended 50 National and International Conference and Seminars. Dr. Charan is a member of the Academic Committee of different Universities such as North Gujarat University – Patan, Saurashtra University – Rajkot, Bhavnagar University – Bhavnagar, M.S. University Baroda. He is the Treasurer of Akhil Bhartiya Darshan Parishad. He is also a member of the Board of Editors of ‘Darshanik Trimashik’.He was a member of the Academic Council, of Gujarat University. 

Achievements: Paper Published - 31 

                           Published Books - 5 

                           Chapters In Book - 8 

                           No. of M.Phil. Student Guided - 14 

                           No. of Ph.D. Students Awarded - 8 

Member: Editorial Board – Darshanik Trimashik (Since March 2013) 
               Joint Secretary: Akhil Bhartiya Darshan Parishad. (Year 2010 to 2013) 
               Joint Secretary: Akhil Bhartiya Darshan Parishad. (Year 2016 to 2018)

‘Endowment Lecture’ – on Paramhansa Yogananda: Tulanatmaka Dharma darshan at Akhil Bhartiya Darshan Parishad, Haridvara in Nov. 2008.

Three Symposium Lectures: 
                        1. 49th Akhil Bhartiya Darshan Parishad, Srinagar Gadhaval. 

                         2. 54th Akhil Bhartiya Darshan Parishad, Jammu University. 

                         3. 58th Akhil Bhartiya Darshan Parishad, Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Delivered University Lecture at G.D. Modi College of Arts, Palanpur Organized by Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan on 2nd March 2015 on the subject “INDIAN PHILOSOPHY IN UROPEYA PERSPECTIVE”.

Dr. Dyuti J. Yajnik is a Professor, at the Dept. of Philosophy, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad. She had worked as an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Government College as GPSC selected. She had her M. Phil. and Ph.D. degrees from Gujarat University. She is a PhD guide at Saurashtra University and Gujarat University.  Presently she has successfully guided 12 Ph.D. students. She has worked as a member of the Board of Studies in Philosophy at Gujarat University, Bhavnagar University, and Govind Guru University and substantially contributed to forming the syllabus of U.G. and P.G. She has been invited speaker in the symposium as well as, as an Endowment lecturer at Indian Philosophical Congress and Akhil Bharatiya Darshan Parishad and gave lectures as an invitee by ICPR (Indian Council of Philosophical Research (MHRD)). She has worked as an examiner for competitive examinations. She has presented more than 25 research papers at State, National and International conferences. She published 20 papers in National peer-reviewed journals and one book (Originals Publication, Delhi). She got Three Gold Medals at the Graduation level for standing First class with distinction in the University among the subjects. Two Awards for best paper in Metaphysics and Scientific session (One National conference and One International Conference) respectively. Her area of research interest is Epistemology (Perception and Inference) and Philosophy of Science, particularly in Vyapti (Indian) and Induction (Western).

(1) Area of Research/ Interest: Epistemology (Indian and Western), Philosophy of Science,   Moral Philosophy – Axiology 

(2) Teaching Experience: 12 Years as Part-time, 22 Years as Full-time 

(3) Research: Publications and Invited speeches: Papers Publication - 30 

                                                                                Book Publication - 01

                                                                                Chapter in Book Publication - 03 

                                                                                 Invited Lectures - 34

(4) Ph.D. Guided : 12 Awarded

(5) Life Member -Academic Body: Indian Philosophical Congress 

                                                        Akhil Bharatiya Darshan Parishad 

                                                        Bharatiya Mahila Darshanik Parishad 

                                                        All Indian Oriental Conference 

(6) Medals, Awards, and Price: University first - Gold Medalist in B.A.University First in M.Phil. 

                                                  Best Paper Award in Gujarat Tattvajnana Parishad 

                                                    Best Paper Award in Akhil Bharatiya Darshan Parishad 

                                                  Best Paper Award at International Psychology Conference 

(7) Extra Activities: Learn Sitar Play for 3 years 
Learn Kathak for 3 years

The Department of Philosophy, though small, has always been academically very active all these years. The Department arranged 21 days (about 3 weeks) UGC Workshop in 1985. The Department hosted the Indian Philosophical Congress in 1989. The Department organized the International Social Philosophy Congress in 1991. (During the tenure of Dr. J.A.Yajnik) A day regional level seminar on Indian Philosophy was arranged in 1998. The National Seminar on Advaita Philosophy was organized by the Department in 2000, in association with ICPR. The Department organized a two-day National Seminar on Jainism in 2001. The Department organized the International Conference on World Peace in 2003, in which 300 delegates from 22 different countries from all over the world participated and more than 210 Research Papers were presented. The Department has brought out a Souvenir and Abstract of Papers at the time of the Conference. The Department has also brought out the proceedings of the International Conference on World Peace in Two Volumes containing more than 750 pages in 2006. The Department organized a workshop on “Impact of Environment on Global Peace” in 2006. The department has also organized a One Day International Seminar on “Innovative Approaches to Peace in a Changing Global Environment” in 2007. The department has organized a special lecture on “Ecology and Indian Tradition” by Prof. Christopher K. Chapal, USA, and felicitation of Shri Navin Bhai Doshi, a known Philanthropist of Indo-American, on 29th December 2007. One day workshop on “Body Language” was also organized by the Department in association with the Psychology Department in the year 2008. A special lecture by Dr. Y.K. Alagh and a Book release function was organized on 7th February 2008 by the Department. The department organized a two-day international seminar on ‘Globalisation, Values and World Peace” in January 2011. The abstract and Dr. Shastri's felicitation volume – “World of Philosophy – A Harmony” was published by the Department of Philosophy.

The syllabus of the Entire M.A. and M.Phil. in Philosophy was formed and revised in 2010, 2013 as well as 2017 for the CBCS semester system adopted in 2010. Further, seven students of the Department got National Level Fellowships.

The Department has successfully guided more than 50 M.Phil. students and 20 Ph.D. students so far. In the M.A. Programme an average of 25 to 30 students. Experts in this subject are very often invited to address the students. An assignment system has been introduced along with the seminar system to improve the academic standard of the students.