The institution was established with a background of the demands from the local authorities and the public in general for forming a university in the city of Novocherkassk, which started informally around 1870s.

Initial departments of the university included mining, engineering and melioration, mechanical, and chemical technologies.

This construction project included the main, robotic (modern name), chemical, mining corps and was finally completed in 1930.

[14] During 18 and 19 October 2007, celebrations took place for marking the 100th anniversary of the oldest university in the southern Russia.

[15][16] The opening ceremony was attended by the mayor of Novocherkassk, the head of the city duma and the top officials of the university.

In 2014, the Expert RA agency included the university in its list of the best higher educational institutions of the Commonwealth of Independent States, where it was assigned a rating class "E".

[18] The list of Rectors of the university (chronologically as per year of appointment):[27] The SRSPU employs 3919 employees, including a teaching staff of 2054.

[30] The campus of the South Russian State Polytechnic University includes: In the twenty-first century, at the right entrance to the territory of the university, a checkpoint and a chapel were built in honor of the patroness of all students – the holy great martyr Tatiana.

[32][17] The university is known for carrying out research activities in 26 different disciplines including powder metallurgy, theory of ore formation in volcanic sedimentary strata, micrometallurgy of Semiconductor structures, on antifriction materials, polymer synthesis, effective methods for solving problems of mathematical physics, simulator construction and others.

Research and development activities are carried out at different levels which include faculties, branch institutes, workshops (UPPK), Donskoy Technological Park, R&D centers and other divisions of the university.

[34] Among the graduates of the Novocherkassk Polytechnic University are: The gallery of portraits of university professors, created by artist Ivan Krylov is located on the second floor of the Main Building, on the outer wall of the assembly hall.