Solar photovoltaic water pumping system (SPVWPS) has been a promising area of research for more than 50 years. In the early 70s, efforts and studies were undertaken to explore the possibility of SPVWPS as feasible, viable and economical mean of water pumping. SPVWPS consists of different components and parts associated with different fields of engineering like mechanical, electrical, electronics, computer, control and civil engineering. The interdisciplinary nature of the system attracted the researchers, in the past, from all these fields of engineering and has been contributed by them to make the system more efficient and cost-effective to meet water-pumping needs of human, livestock and irrigation. The detailed literature available suggests that the research work on SPVWPS is not confined to any particular field of engineering. This review paper is an attempt to give a comprehensive review of the literature available on SPVWPS from the year 1975 to the year 2014. The review work discusses the general classification of SPVWPS, historical background of solar pumping systems, various efforts undertaken by researchers working on the different aspects of SPVWPS and the present status of research on the topic. The literature review of the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) system, different types of pumps and motors and rating of photovoltaic (PV) panel, which affect the performance, efficiency and economy of the SPVWPS system, has been incorporated in detail.