Top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu is all about those educational institutions that are considered to be the finest abodes of learning on the higher education front in the state located in southern part of India.

Since the day of their inception, these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu have moved towards the great position they currently hold by offering highly valuable services related to education and opting a stand of no-compromise when it comes to quality.

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Whatever be the course students wish to study, engineering or medicine, healthcare science or arts, humanities or commerce, these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu can be considered for studying.

Students can choose any one of these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu keeping in mind their requirements. The purpose behind this story about top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu is to inform students about institutions considered to be the best so as to help them make the right choice. The list of top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu is provided below:

1. IIT Madras

This institution has been ranking on the top for third time. The NIRF ranking for 2021 for IIT Madras is no1 and it strongly believes that talent and good ideas can come from anywhere and has a remarkably diverse community, drawing students from across all Indian states and from various countries.

Intensely curious and driven to explore, the student community of IIT Madras value rigorous analytical thinking, ingenuity, hands-on problem solving, and big new ideas.

The departments and centres of the Institute are responsible for the academic activities which include Teaching, Research and Industrial Consultancy.

The courses of study are organized as semester programs and each semester provides for a minimum of seventy instructional days. The medium of instruction is English.

Students are evaluated on a continuous basis throughout the semester. Evaluation is done by the faculty, a consequence of the autonomous status granted to the Institute.

This is one among the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.iitm.ac.in/’

2. Vellore Institute of Technology

This institution is said to be one of the jewels in the crown of higher education of this country. Students from all corners of India come to his organization to learn various courses.

The fame of this institution has crossed the boundaries of India long ago. The institution is a known name in the field of engineering education, however, it is also well-known for offering courses related to various other streams.

The institution is also known for encouraging deserving students with scholarships and other forms of support. VIT was established with the aim of providing quality higher education on par with international standards.

It persistently seeks and adopts innovative methods to improve the quality of higher education on a consistent basis. The NIRF ranking for this institution for 2021 is no.12.

This is also one among the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://vit.ac.in/’

3. Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham

This is one of the high ranking institutions active in higher education arena of our country. The achievements of the organisation have glorified itself and this nation also.

Though the organisation is a known name in the field of engineering education, the institution offers courses in dentistry, medicine, nursing pharmacy and others.

The unit that offers engineering courses is Amrita School of Engineering. It was started in 1994 in Coimbatore. In 2002, two additional Schools of Engineering were established in Amritapuri and Bengaluru.

All three Schools offer B.Tech., M.Tech. and Ph.D. programs in a large number of disciplines. Outstanding students aspiring for careers in engineering, from across the country and abroad are enrolled in the three Schools.

The institution also offers courses related to allied health sciences, biosciences, agriculture and others.

This is also one of the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.amrita.edu/’

4. Anna University

Anna University was established on 4 September, 1978 as a unitary type of University. This University was named after Late Dr. C.N. Annadurai, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. It offers higher education in Engineering, Technology, Architecture and Applied Sciences relevant to the current and projected needs of the society.

Besides promoting research and disseminating knowledge gained therefrom, it fosters cooperation between the academic and industrial communities.

The university was formed by bringing together four well-known institutions namely College of Engineering (CEG), Alagappa College of Technology (ACT), Madras Institute of Technology and School of Architecture & Planning.

The objective of the university is to constantly raise the quality of engineering education thereby to produce superior human resource to match rapid technological developments.

This is also one among the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.annauniv.edu/index.php’

5. SRM Institute of Science and Technology

SRMIST is one of the top ranking universities in India with over 52,000 full time students and more than 3200 faculty across all the campuses at Kattankulathur, Ramapuram, Vadapalani in Tamil Nadu and Modinagar, NCR, Delhi, Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh).

This educational institution is a known name for engineering education. Its reputation spread far and wide that students from all parts of the country come here to study engineering.

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This educational institution has not only good teaching facility but also excellent research facilites also for those who are keen on research on the engineering domain.

All these factors have made this educational institution earn a place among the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. The website of the educational institution is ‘https://www.srmist.edu.in/’

6. Sastra University

The dreams of its founding fathers took shape in 1984 in the form of Shanmugha College of Engineering, which is now renamed, Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA).

The programmes, infrastructure, teaching-learning are said to be among the country’s finest. Needless to say, SASTRA is one among Top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu.

SASTRA has always been proactive in its academic planning and believes in gaining the first-mover advantage.

As a testimony to this, the Government of India has conferred the Deemed University status to SASTRA on April 26, 2001 under section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956.

The educational institution also offers various programmes at graduation and post graduation level in engineering and other streams also. Students from all corners of the country come here to learn various courses. The website to know more is ‘https://www.sastra.edu/’

7. University of Madras

The university imparts both under graduate and post graduate courses through the affiliated institutions which are spread over the districts of Chennai, Thiruvallur and Kancheepuram.

Apart from teaching, research activities in Arts, Humanities, Science, Management and Technology shape the academic tenor of the University.

A number of institutions affiliated to Madras University concentrate on research activities offering Ph.D., Programmes in their respective field of specialisation.

The institution is home to various courses across all streams. The vision to educate large number of people has made the institution move towards distance education.

Assessing the need for educating a large number of people in the country, the University offers both Under Graduate and Post Graduate programmes through the Institute of Distance Education.

The Institute is popularly called IDE of Madras University. This is also one among the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.unom.ac.in/’

8. Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research

This is also another institute for medical learning whose fame has touched the skies long ago.

This institution is also known as SRIHER and was founded by Sri Ramachandra Education & Health Trust on September 11, 1985 by N.P.V. Ramasamy Udayar.

It was founded as a medical college, and was awarded the deemed to be university status in September 1994.

This is an institution which is a great place to study medicine at graduate and also post graduate level.

This institution has great atmosphere for learning and highly qualified faculty who leave no stone unturned to ensure students become highly qualified.

No wonder this is also one among the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. Information about this institution is available at ‘https://www.sriramachandra.edu.in/’

9. Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University

The institution is situated in southern part of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. The capital city of Tamil Nadu is home to many reputed institutions that have won fame from all parts of the country, this is also one among them.

It is about 6 Kms from the Chennai International & National Airport and about 12 Kms from the Chennai Central Railway Station.

It is one of the premier medical Universities named after the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu late Dr. M.G. Ramachandran (M.G.R) and it is the second largest Health Sciences University in India.

This is a great place to study graduation in medicine and also various other courses related to allied health sciences.

So this institution too one among the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. The website for more information is ‘https://www.tnmgrmu.ac.in/index.php’

10. Meenakshi Academy of Higher Education and Research

The institution is also popularly known as MAHER and is a renowned Deemed to be University incorporating a consortium of institutions in Chennai and Kanchipuram.

MAHER was approved as the Deemed to be University by the University Grants Commission as per Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956 Vide Government Notification No.f.9-5/2002-U.3 on 31 March 2004.

MAHER has had a long tradition as a prestigious educational institution that promotes students’ wellbeing and provides them with a perfect platform to take long strides into the future as well rounded professionals.

Under the aegis of MAHER, the Meenakshi Medical College Hospital and Research Institute (MMCHRI) at Kanchipuram, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College (MADC) at Maduravoyil, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences (FAHS) at Kanchipuram, Arulmigu Meenakshi College of Nursing (AMCON) at Kanchipuram and Meenakshi College of Nursing (MCON) at Managdu are providing exceptional education in the field of healthcare.

It also has the Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, Faculty of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Occupational Therapy and Faculty of Yoga Sciences and Therapy in the main campus at K.K.Nagar in Chennai.

This is also one among the top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://maher.ac.in/’

11. Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) had its genesis from establishment of an Agricultural School at Saidapet in Chennai in Tamil Nadu, as early as 1868 and it was later relocated at Coimbatore.

Chennai was then known as Madras. In 1920 it was affiliated to Madras University. The organisation is also popularly known as TNAU and has assumed full responsibilities of agricultural education and research and supported the State Agricultural Department by delivering research products.

Till 1946, the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore, was the only Institute for Agricultural Education for the whole of South India.

In 1958, it was recognized as a Post-graduate Centre leading to Masters and Doctoral degrees. The Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai was established in 1965.
These two colleges formed the nucleus of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University while it was established in 1971.

The global technological developments has lead to introduction of new courses. Introduction of B.Tech.(Food Process Engineering) from the academic year 1998-99, BTech (Agricultural Biotechnology) and B.Tech (Horticulture) from the academic year 2002-2003 as self supporting program has created avenues for bugetary independence.

A new degree program B.Tech.(Energy and Environmental Engineering) was started during 2004 and B.Tech. (Bioinformatics) during 2006. BTech (Agricultural Information Technology) and B.S. (Agribusiness Management) were started in 2007.

This is also one among the top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://tnau.ac.in/’

12. Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University

This organisation is also popularly known as TANUVAS and was founded in 1989 in Chennai which was known as Madras then.

The mandates of the University are to impart education, to ensure advancement of learning and prosecution of research and to undertake extension to rural people in cooperation with the government departments in different branches of veterinary and animal sciences.

TANUVAS has been conferred with the prestigious ‘Sardar Patel Outstanding ICAR Institution Award-2011’, recognizing its meritorious performance in education, research and extension in the country in the field of agricultural sciences including veterinary, animal and fisheries sciences at the 84th Foundation Day of the ICAR and ICAR Award Ceremony held at New Delhi on 16.07.2012 among 63 agricultural and veterinary universities.
This is also one among the top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://tanuvas.ac.in/’

13. Annamalai University

This is also among those institutions that has gained name and fame across the country for its services related to education. Lot of students throng the premises of this organisation to get admitted into various courses offered by it.

The institution was established on 1 January 1929 as per Annamalai University Act 1928 (Tamil Nadu Act 1 of 1929). It is among the top ranking institutions in the country.

The NIRF-2021 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has ranked the University in the band 101 – 150 in the University Category. In the Pharmacy Category the ranking is 16th in India. In the Medical Category the ranking is 40th.

Annamalai University has a commendable track record in projects and publications and has been awarded the PURSE Programme by the Department of Science and Technology.

This is also one among the top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://annamalaiuniversity.ac.in/index.php’

14. Manonmaniam Sundaranar University

MSU is a dynamic institution of higher learning, set in a rural milieu of southern Tamil Nadu, with a campus spread of 550 acres.

It was established by the Government of Tamil Nadu as a teaching-cum-affiliating University on 7 September 1990 to cater to the long-felt needs of the people of the three southern most districts of Tamil Nadu – Tirunelveli, Tuticorin and Kanyakumari.

The organisation got its name after well-known Tamil poet Professor Sundaram Pillai who is the author of verse drama ‘Manonmaniam.’ The vision of the institution is to provide quality education to reach the un-reached.

This is also one among the top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.msuniv.ac.in/’

15. Central University of Tamil Nadu

Government of India founded the Central University of Tamil Nadu along with eight other Central Universities, through an Act of Parliament in 2009.

It is part of the greater role that the Central Government assumed in making higher education accessible to aspirants from the weaker sections of the society.

With eight students in M.A. English Studies, the university started functioning from November 2009 at the Collectorate Annexe at Thiruvarur, 60 kilometers to the east of Thanjavur.

The university has witnessed progress considerably since its establishment. It offers integrated MSc, postgraduate and doctoral programmes. Some of the courses offered here are Maths, Physics, Media and Communication, English Studies and others.

This is also one of the top 20 Universities of Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://cutn.ac.in/’

16. Tamil Nadu Dr. Ambedkar Law University

The university was established through an Act of State Legislature (Act No 43 of 1997) by Government of Tamil Nadu. This is also one of the most popular institutions of higher learning in southern part of India.

The objective behind the establishment of this university was to give a boost to legal education in Tamil Nadu. It offers courses related to law. Among the courses available here are 5 year integrated law degree courses and 3 years LLB law degree courses.

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The University was named after the architect of the Indian Constitution Dr. B.R. Ambedkar and has the recognition of Bar Council of India (BCI) and University Grants Commission (UGC).

The University is also a member of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), Association of Common Wealth Universities, U.K. and Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.

This University is functioning as nodal agency to uplift the legal education in the State of Tamil Nadu. This is also one of the top 20 Universities of Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.tndalu.ac.in/index.html’

17. Dr. MGR Education Research Institute

This is also one of the finest institutions for higher learning in Tamil Nadu. The world of higher education is perhaps incomplete sans the mention of this organisation.

The university is home to Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Dental Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Architecture and others.

The faculty is highly qualified and atmosphere for learning is ideal here. The courses are approved by AICTE, DCI, MCI, NCTE, INC, CoA and other statutory bodies.

Students who are meritorious are given scholarships. The infrastructure here is world class as there are spacious waiting hall, well-equipped examination chambers, separate rooms for special clinics.

AC, Non-AC Buses, Mini Vans, Mini Air bus services are provided from nook and corner of the city to the University. This is also one among the top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.drmgrdu.ac.in/’

18. Tamil Nadu Dr. J. Jayalalithaa Fisheries University

The institution offers courses at undergraduate level in BFSc (Bachelor of Fisheries Science), BTech in Fisheries Engineering, BTech in Biotechnology. Courses at postgraduate level are MFSc Aquaculture, MFSc Aquatic Animal Health, MFSc Fish Genetics and Breeding.

The institution is a known name in the field of fisheries sciences. It is situated on Vettar River View campus in the southern part of Nagapattinam city in Tamil Nadu.

It is about 10 km from the Nagapattinam Railway Station and about 8 km from the the bus stand there. It is one of the premier fisheries universities named after the former chief minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa.

The university also opened TNJFU Business School in Chennai in 2017. This is also one among the top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.tnjfu.ac.in/’

19. Gandhigram Rural Institute

The Institute is situated on a serene and verdant campus environment spreading over about 207 acres of land and most of these lands were donated by the villagers voluntarily with the hope that their children will get education and employment.

The institute has grown by leaps and bounds and it was conferred the status of Deemed to be University in 1976 by the then Ministry of Social Welfare and Education which is now Ministry of Education.

The institution has been taking efforts to design its academic programs in tune with the demands of the society and industry by providing a learner-centric, transparent teaching and evaluation methods.

Through the action-oriented research and scientific research, the Institute contributes substantially to the research domains and concentrates on solving the rural issues at micro levels.

It strives for achieving global standard of excellence in all the dimensions of education without compromising on its rural character and Gandhian values. This is also one of the top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.ruraluniv.ac.in/’

20. Bharatidasan University

The vision of this university is to create a new world and to ensure the pursuit of excellence in teaching, learning, research, and extension of knowledge through higher education.

The mission is to promote scholarly, scientific and critical inquiry among the learners to move forward in the frontiers of knowledge and enrich and elevate them as the citizens of the state, the nation, and the world by offering nationally and internationally competitive learning and creative activity through quality programmes of teaching, research and extension.

It was established in 1982 February and the main campus was initially located in a sprawling area of over 1000 acres in Palkalaiperur.

The University has totally 4 Faculties, 16 Schools, 37 Departments and 29 Specialized Research Centres. There are 263 faculty members catering to 2564 students and scholars in the University.

The University departments are offering 151 programmes including 40 PG programmes in M.A., M.Sc. and M.Tech. This is also one among the top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu. The website to know more is ‘https://www.bdu.ac.in/index.php’

Conclusion (Top 20 universities in Tamil Nadu)

As said earlier, the objective behind providing the list of top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu is to help students make better choices when it comes to selecting an institution to study the course of his or her choice.

Students willing to study in any one of these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu must remember that good number of these institutions may be having a tough entrance system. It may involve writing competitive exams like JEE Mains passing them with required score.

Couple of these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu may be having their own entrance tests to admit students. Some of them may also admit based on marks in the qualifying exam (plus-two or bachelors degree or masters degree). Students must be prepared to handle the tough entrance system.

Qualification, would be plus-two if one wishes to study graduate courses, bachelors degree if one wishes to study post graduate courses and masters degree if one wishes to pursue doctorate in these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu.

Applicants of these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu are advised to visit the respective official website of the institutions and know the admission process well in advance, so as to minimise rejection.

Candidates however must remember that these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu are an icon of standards in the field of education and hard work with determination can help gain admission in these institutions. The popularity of these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu has crossed the boundaries of this nation.

What makes these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu separate from other institutions is the high standards they follow with regards to teaching and learning. Even amenities for students in these top 20 Universities in Tamil Nadu are said to be world class.

S. Vishnu Sharma

S Vishnu Sharmaa now works with collegechalo.com in the news team. His work involves writing articles related to the education... (Full bio)