Established in 1988, it is focused on the following educational areas: Engineering, Management, Law, Economics, Commerce, Architecture, Design, Psychology, Arts, Medicine and Life Sciences.

PESU is managed by the People‘s Education Society (PES), which was founded in 1972, in a rented gymnasium in Bengaluru, with around 40 students.

There is a lateral entry scheme in place, by which students holding diploma degrees can directly enter the second year of study in engineering.

[10] On July 17, 2023, a student committed suicide by jumping off the eighth floor of a building on the university campus.

Aditya's parents then proceeded to file a police complaint against the university management holding them responsible for his death.

Expressing regret, the statement claimed that Aditya was escorted for carrying a mobile phone with material related to the examination and that he was counselled to stay calm and would be given the opportunity to explain his side of the story before he left the room.

Surya M Achar, a third-year student pursuing B.Tech Computer Science from the Electronic City branch of PES University ended his life by jumping from the college building.

PES University responded to the incident, stating that Rahul, who had an excellent academic record, arrived on campus but did not enter the exam hall.

The university emphasized its cooperation with the authorities, providing access to information and surveillance footage to assist in the investigation.

[23] An anonymous social media post alleged that Rahul was barred from taking his exam due because he was late and the management warned him he would get a backlog.