Periyar University

Periyar University in Salem, named after the social reformer Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, is a Tamil Nadu state university established in 1997, and its A++ grade from NAAC — the highest band — is unusual for a mid-sized regional university. It combines postgraduate teaching and research departments on its Salem campus with an affiliating role for colleges across Salem and the surrounding western districts. The sciences are its visible strength, with physics, chemistry and computer science among the established undergraduate offerings. Salem is an industrial and textile city, cheaper than Chennai or Coimbatore, and the university's fees follow government scales. It suits students from western Tamil Nadu seeking an affordable science degree from a strongly accredited state institution, and postgraduates looking for research supervision without metropolitan costs. The campus itself is functional rather than lavish.