Under partial shading conditions (PSCs), the I-V curve of PV systems consist of multiple local maximum power points (MPP's) and one global MPP which is required to extract the peak power of solar PV. In this article, an improved variable step size-radial basis function algorithm (VSS-RBFA) based MPPT controller is implemented to track the MPP with high speed. The advantages of proposed MPPT controller are high convergence speed, reduced oscillations across MPP, and takes less time to track MPP. Also, a universal high step-up boost converter (HSBC) is proposed in this work to step up the PV voltage. The attractive features of HSBC are continuous input current, high voltage gain, less voltage stress on switches, and wide input and output operation. The proposed converter continuous conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) of operations are compared successfully at the steady-state operating condition. The simulation results of the proposed PV fed HSBC system is validated under uniform and PSC's of solar PV. In addition, the proposed converter results are verified experimentally by using a programmable DC source.