Periyar University is situated on the Bangalore National Highway (NH - 47) on the outskirts of Salem. The University has been named after the renowned social reformer Thanthai Periyar. The University has been accredited with National Accreditation Council (NAAC) certification. Wisdom maketh world, as enshrined in its logo, is the vision of the university.
Educational Streams
Periyar University offers variety of courses in its departments under Choice Based Credit System (CBCS). The university covers almost all the levels of education including undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil, PhD, PG diploma, diploma, and certificate courses. Subjects like Mathematics, Commerce, Physics, Chemistry, Geology and Tamil are taught in the departments of the university.
It has also established a directorate for distance education called Periyar Institute of Distance Education (PRIDE) that conducts courses through the distance learning mode in order to provide higher education. The University has been making continuous efforts to improve the process of education system. It has introduced a new syllabus for all the PG courses to enhance employability components. Postgraduate and doctorate programmes are conducted by all departments of the Periyar University.
It has also established a directorate for distance education called Periyar Institute of Distance Education (PRIDE) that conducts courses through the distance learning mode in order to provide higher education. The University has been making continuous efforts to improve the process of education system. It has introduced a new syllabus for all the PG courses to enhance employability components. Postgraduate and doctorate programmes are conducted by all departments of the Periyar University.
Facilities
The University is located in a vast campus of about 100 acres. Efforts have been made to provide all basic amenities to the students that are required to support the higher education and research programmes. Periyar University has established an automated digital library housing a rich collection of books, periodicals and national as well as international journals on various subjects. Apart from the educational activities, it encourages the students to regularly participate in sports. It makes arrangements for participation of the students at the Inter-University and All India tournaments.
History
Periyar University was established in the year 1997 by the Act 45 of Government of Tamilnadu. Originally it used to function as a postgraduate extension center of Madras University at Salem with only three departments of Commerce, Geology and Mathematics. However, it continued to add more departments every year, and now, it conducts a wide range of courses in its curriculum.
Faculties/Departments:
- Department of Chemistry
- Department of Commerce
- Department of Geology
- Department of Mathematics
- Department of Physics
- Department of Tamil
- Department of English
- Department of Psychology
- Department of Economics
- Department of Education
- Department of Management Studies
- Department of Biochemistry
- Department of Computer Science
- Department of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Department of Bio-technology
- Department of Microbiology
- Food Science
Periyar University, Salem, has issued the notification for admission into various Research Fellowship courses, offered in the upcoming session 2010. 
