Homoeopathy is a therapy that strives to treat "like with likes". The etymological origin of the world Homoeopathy is "simila -similibus curenter." The term Homoeopathy was coined by Dr. S.F.C. Hahnemann (1755-1843). Homoeopathy rests on the premise of treating sick persons with extremely diluted agents. It views a sick person as having dynamic disturbance in a hypothetical "vital force" there by rejecting the standard medical diagnosis of disease.In India Homoeopathy came as early as 1810 when, Dr. John Martin Honigberger, disciple of DR. Samuel Hahnemann visited India and treated patients. In his second visit in the year 1839, he treated the then ruler of Punjab, Maharaja Ranjit Singh with Dulcamara. In the year 1867, the Banaras Homoepathic Hospital was established with Shri Lok Nath Moitra as Physician In-charge.

On the 17th February, 1848 Shri Satish Chandra Samanta, M.P. (West Bengal) moved a resolution which runs as follows "This Assembly is of opinion that homeopathic system of treatment be recognized by the Indian Union and that a General Council and a State Faculty of Homoepathic Medicine be established at once". This resolution was unanimously adopted. Government appointed a Homoepathic Enquiry Committee in 1948 which submitted its report in 1949. In 1952, Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur, the then Union Health Minister was appointed a Homoepathic Ad-hoc Committee which functioned up to the year 1954. Thereafter on 17th December 1973, Central Council of Homoepathy was established by the Government of India with the enactment of Central Council of Homoepathy Act, 1973 with the following objectives.

"To evolve minimum standards for admission, duration of course of training, details of curricula and syllabi of studies of Homoeopathy, uniform title of degree and diploma, uniform courses of study of not less than four years duration and maintain central register of practitioners of Homoeopathy."Uniform education in Homoeopathy at diploma and graduate level was enforced in the country in the year 1983. Forum for post graduation has also been notified by Central Council of Homoeopathy. In 1978 separate Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy was established. At present there are 183 Homoeopathic Medical Colleges, 33 P.G. colleges, 40 research units, 33 state Boards are in India (Government and private sector).

In 1921, National Homoepathic Medical College Lucknow was established as private institute and it become Govt. Homoepathic medical college in 01.03.1968. In 1951, Homoepathic Medicine act was constituted and 15 Medical colleges in private sector were established. These private colleges failed to maintain the standards of education and as a result, the management of these colleges was taken over by the State Government. Out of 15 Homoepathic medical college a few private Homoepathic medical colleges were merged and provincialized 9 aforesaid colleges and imposed ban on the opening of new colleges. After merger of three Homoepathic medical colleges in 2001 only 7 Homoepathic medical colleges in Government sector are running at present.
In the year 1963-64, the U.P. government established two State Homoepathic dispensaries which at present amounts to 1482. Now Homoepathy is an important part of the health delivery system of U.P.