Madurai Kamaraj University was formed in the year 1966 on the 6th of February and the original name of the university was Madurai University and it got its present name in the year 1978 in honor of the late chief minister of Tamil Nadu Mr. Kamaraj. The nucleus of the university was the Madras University’s extension centre previously located at Madurai.

The university has 73 departments and it is offering education through 18 schools of education. The university includes centres that promote research potential of the faculty members working for the university. The university’s Directorate of Distance Education was set up in the year 1971 and this alone includes student strength of over 1 lakh apart from students getting education through regular courses. The category-wise list of colleges affiliated to the university is as follows:

Aided Colleges:

• A.P.A. College of Arts & Culture, Palani

• G.T.N. Arts College, Dindigul

• H.K.R.H. College, Uthamapalayam

• Mannar Tirumalai Naicker College, Pasumalai

• Rajapalayam Raju’s College, Rajapalayam

• S.R. Naidu Memorial College, Sattur

• Senthamil College, Madurai

• Sri Sathguru Sangeetha Vidyalayam, Madurai

• C.P.A. College, Bodinayakanur

• P.M.T. College, Usilampatti

• Madurai Institute of Social Sciences, Madurai

• MSS Wakf Board College, Madurai

• S.B.K. College, Aruppukottai

• V.V.V. College for Women, Virudhunagar

• Sourashtra College, Pasumalai

• V.H.N.S.N. College, Virudhunagar

Government College:

• Govt. Arts College, Melur

Self-Financing Colleges:

• A.K.C. College of Arts & Science, Krishnankoil

• Ambiga College of Arts & Science, Madurai

• C.S.I. College of Arts & Science for Women, K. Pudur

• Jeyaraj Chellathurai College, Nallakaruppanpatti

• Mangayarkarasi Arts & Science College for Women, Paravai

• P.K.N. College of Arts & Science, Tirumangalam

• Pannaikadu Veerammal Paramasivam College, Singarakottai

• Rama Prabha College of Arts & Science, Arasampatti

• S.L.S. M.A.V.M. Ayira Vysiar College, Kallampatti

• Sourashtra College for Women, Pasumalai

• Sri Nagalakshmi Ammal College of Sciences, Pappunaickanpatti

• Theni College of Arts & Science, Theni

• Thiagarajar School of Management, Madurai

• A.K.D. Dharmaraja College for Women, Rajapalayam

• Annai Fatima College of Arts & Science, Tirumangalam

• Devasahayam Annathai-Ammal Arts & Science College, Pasumalai

• Kodaikanal Christian College Kodaikanal

• NMS Sermathai Vasan College (W), Avaniyapuram

• P.R. Arts & Science College, Uluppakudi

• Parvathyi Arts & Science College, Dindigul

• Rev. Jacob Memorial Christian College, Dindigul Dist.

• S.P. College of Science & Arts, Karuppayurani

• Sri Kaliswari College, Sivakasi

• St. George Jeyaraj Chelladurai College for Women, Madurai

• V.P. Muthiah Pillai Meenakshi Ammal College (W), Krishnankoil

• Subramanya College of Arts & Science, Didigul District

Teacher Training Colleges:

• Thiagarajar College of Preceptors, Teppakulam

• Lakshmi College of Education, Gandhigram

• St. Justin’s College of Education, Theppakulam

• Suresh Bernard Teacher Training College, Madurai

• Parasakthi College of Education, S. Kottaipatti

• Theni Kammavar Sangam College of Education, Koduvilarpatti

• Natham PR College of Education, Uluppakudi

• K. Nanjappa Gownder College of Education, Seelapadi

• K.S.M. College of Education for Women, Madurai

• Kalvithanthai AKR Sourashtra Teachers College, Sayanarpuram

• Crescent College of Education for Women, Madurai

• Roseline College of Education, Sivagangai

• Vickram Teacher Training College, Sivagangai District

• Thiruvalluvar College of Education for Women, Mallapuram

• V.P. Muthiah Pillai Meenakshi Ammal College of Education for Women, Virudhunagar District

• Amman College of Education, Dindigul

• Arumugam Nallamani College of Education, Thiruppalai

• K.M.B.Ed., College, Virudhunagar Dt.

• Mangayarkarasi College of Education for Women, Paravai

• R.V.S. College of Education, Dindigul

• Sakthi Institute for Teacher Education and Research, Palakkanuthu

• R.K. Samy College of Education, Ramanathapuram

• Shri V.P.R. College of Education, Theni

• Sourashtra College of Education, Veerapandi

• Sri Sundareswari College of Education, Srivilliputtur

• St. Charles College of Education, Thirunagar

• C.S.I. College of Education, Pasumalai

• Arulmigu Kalasalingam College of Education, Virudhunagar District

• NMS SVN College, Nagamalai

• Sri Balaji College of Education (W), Madurai

• KAPI College of Education, Nagamalai

• Smt. A.K.D. Sakkaniammal College of Education for Women, Rajapalayam

• St. Stephen’s College of Education, Athaikulam

• A.S. College of Education, Pulluthu

• Sri Raghavendra College of Education, Batlagundu

• Sri R. Ponnusamy Naidu College of Education, Kakkivadanpatti

• PSNL College of Education, Sattur

• Peace College of Education, Thodikombu

• J K College of Education (Co-Education), Dindigul

• Sri Aurobindo Mira College of Education, Madurai

• Pennial Rural College of Education, Vemparali

• P.S.R. College of Education, Sevalpatti

• Sri Vidya College of Education, Virudhunagar

• Ruby College of Preceptors, Palanganatham

• Meenakshi B.Ed., College, Mangaraipirivu

• Raj College of Education, Thirupparankundram

• K.L.N. College of Education, Viraganoor Post

• St. Aloysius College of Education, Royappanpatty

• Vel College of Education (B.Ed.), Palani

• Mother Teresa College of Education, Palani

• Royal College of Education, Madurai

• KVK College of Education, Chettynaickanpatty

Constituent Colleges:

• Madurai Kamaraj University College, Tallakulam

• Madurai Kamaraj University College, Andipatti

Evening Colleges:

• MKU Evening College, Dindigul

• MKU Evening College, Madurai

• MKU Evening College, Palani

• MKU Evening College, Periyakulam

• MKU Evening College, Theni

Autonomous Colleges:

• Arul Anandar College, Karumathur

• EMG Yadava Women’s College, Tirupalai

• Lady Doak College, Madurai

• SFR College for Women, Sivakasi

• Subbalakshmi Lakshmipathi College of Sciences, Avaniyapuram

• Thiagarajar College, Theppakulam

• Yadava College, Tirupalai

• Saraswathy Narayanan College, Perungudi

• Ayya Nadar Janaki Ammal College, Sivakasi

• Fatima College, Madurai

• Madura College, Madurai

• Sri Meenakshi Govt. College for Women, Madurai

• The American College, Goripalayam

• Vivekananda College, Madurai

• NMS SVN College, Nagamalai

• Devanga Arts College, Aruppukottai

Approved Institutions:

• Akilika Herbal Institute, Palani

• T V S Educational Research and Development Center, Madurai

• Lions Aravind Institute of Community Opthalmology, Madurai

• N.A.M. Foundation, Vizhiyagam

• R.K. Educational Institute, Sulakaraimedu

• Sathangai Academy, Maudrai

• Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary, Arasaradi

• Annai Fatima Institute of Catering Technology, Thirumangalam

• College of Gandhian Thought, Madurai

• Institute of Gandhian Studies & Research, Madurai

• Meenakshi Mission Hospital & Research Center, Madurai

• Pannai International Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Dindigul

• Sarva Seva Inst. Of Gandhian Studies, Iyanarpuram

• St. Mary’s Computer Academy, Madurai

The foundation stone for Madurai Kamaraj University was laid by Dr. Zakir Hussain, who was the Prime Minister of India at that time. The campus of the university is situated at Theni Road, which is around 13 km away from the city of Madurai at an area of 750 acres. The motto of the university is to seek truth in knowledge.

The university offers under-graduation, post-graduation, professional, research-oriented, job-oriented, PG Diploma, Higher Diploma, Diploma and certificate courses. It follows non-semester pattern of education for distance education courses, while semester pattern is followed for regular courses. Extension activities for the university are carried out by adult education programmes, SC/ST Cell and department of youth welfare. The university is effectively carrying out extension activities, teaching and research activities.