University in India
University of Kerala Other name
Kerala University Former name
University of Travancore Motto Karmaṇi Vyajyate Prajñā (Sanskrit ) Motto in English
Wisdom manifests itself in action Type Publicresearch university Established 1937; 88 years ago (1937 ) Founder Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma Accreditation NAAC ,NBA ,UGC Affiliation NIRF Academic affiliations
ACU ,AICTE ,AIU ,AUAP ,BCI ,CCIM ,COA ,ICAR ,INC ,NCTE ,PCI ,WES Budget ₹ 8.1 billionChancellor Governor of Kerala Vice-Chancellor Dr Mohanan Kunnummal(acting) [ 1] Pro Chancellor Dr R Bindu ,government of Kerala Students 40000+ Undergraduates 35000+ Postgraduates 6000+ 250+ Other students
1000+ Location ,, Campus Urban Language English,Malayalam ,Hindi Sporting affiliations
NCC ,NSS Website keralauniversity
University Building University of Kerala (formerly known asUniversity of Travancore ) is astate-run university inThiruvananthapuram , the state capital ofKerala , India. It was established in 1937 by a promulgation of theMaharajah of Travancore ,Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma who was also the first Chancellor of the university.C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer , the then Diwan (Prime Minister) of the State was the first Vice-Chancellor. It was the first university in Kerala, and among the first in the country. It is accredited byNAAC with highest grade of 'A++' and scored 3.67 points out of 4.[ 2]
The university has over 150 affiliated colleges and has sixteen faculties and 43 Departments of teaching and research. TheGovernor of Kerala serves as theChancellor of university.[ 3]
The history of the University of Kerala is integral to the history of the state itself. One of the first 16 universities in India, the University of Kerala was founded in 1937. It was formerly called the University of Travancore in the erstwhile princely state of Travancore (now southern part of Kerala and some neighbouring parts of state of Tamilnadu). The University came into being by a promulgation of the Maharajah of Travancore, Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma who was also the first Chancellor of the University. Sir C. P Ramaswamy Ayyar, the then Diwan (Prime minister) of the State was the first Vice-Chancellor. He was an eminent scholar and an able administrator. It is said that the Government made an unsuccessful attempt to inviteAlbert Einstein to be the first Vice-Chancellor. The University was modelled after the best Universities of the United Kingdom, and even today retains some of these features. The affiliating system of the University however evolved differently from the college system in British universities.
The earliest origins of the University may be traced back to two institutions of modern learning in Kerala – theUniversity College Thiruvananthapuram and theTrivandrum Observatory . The University College was initially founded as the Maharaja's Free School byMaharaja Swathi Thirunal in 1834, with Mr John Roberts, a Christian Missionary as Headmaster, and soon grew into a college in 1866, affiliated to the Madras University. When the University of Travancore was founded, the departments of the college became University departments, only to switch back again when the transformation to University of Kerala happened in 1957. The University College still retains its connection with the University as an affiliated college. The Thiruvananthapuram Observatory was founded in 1838 and had an internationally reputed scientist, John Caldecott FRS as its first Director. It became a part of the Travancore University, but was administered as an independent government institution for some time. It is now the oldest institution under the Kerala University.[ 4]
Organisation and administration [ edit ] The Chancellor, the Pro-Chancellor, the Vice- Chancellor, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, and the members of the Senate, the Syndicate and the Academic Council constitutes the governing body of the university. TheGovernor of Kerala is the Chancellor of the university while Education Minister of Kerala is the Pro-Chancellor of the university.[ 5]
Affiliated colleges [ edit ] University rankings General – India NIRF (Overall)[ 6] 42 NIRF (Universities)[ 7] 25 NIRF (State Public Universities)[ 7] 5
Ranked 25th among universities, 5th among public state universities and 42nd overall by theNational Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2025.[ 8] QS World University Rankings [ 9]
International Students [ edit ] The University of Kerala has received an unprecedented 2,620 applications from international students representing 81 countries for its academic programmes in 2025–26.The university currently hosts 205 international students from 52 countries, includingColombia ,Peru , United Kingdom, and the United States of America, through ICCR scholarships and self-financing options.
Students from America at Kerala University's Kariavattom campus, Thiruvananthapuram. [ edit ] The University of Kerala runs a Semester-in-India Programme (SIP) for American students, enabling them to study selected courses for one semester with credit transfer to their home institutions. The programme is governed by the University's Credit Transfer Regulations and Credit and Semester System (CSS) Regulations for foreign students. So far, three batches with a total of 23 students have completed the SIP, representing institutions such asSt. Mary's College of Maryland ,Grand Valley State University ,George Mason University ,Green Mountain College ,Cornell University ,Plymouth State University ,Hendrix College ,Berea College andPacific University .
Academic collaborations with foreign universities [ edit ] The University of Kerala has already signed MoU(Memorandum of Understanding) with upto 22 institutions across the globe.It includesUniversity of Hartford ,University of Warsaw ,Yaroslav-the-Wise Novgorod State University .
Notable alumni includes tenthPresident of India K. R. Narayanan , renownedtheoretical physicist Thanu Padmanabhan , geneticistM. S. Swaminathan ,ISRO former chairmanG. Madhavan Nair ,INSA scientistPerdur Radhakantha Adiga , formerSupreme Court judges,Justice Kurian Joseph ,Justice Fathima Beevi , legal luminaryN. R. Madhava Menon , Indian film actorMohanlal , Malayalam poetsO. N. V. Kurup ,Sugathakumari , Music composerG. Devarajan , historianM. G. S. Narayanan , cricketerSanju Samson and many other eminent personalities.
Pinarayi Vijayan –12th Chief Minister ofkerala .Oommen Chandy –10th Chief minister ofkerala .A. K. Antony –6th Chief minister ofkerala and25th Minister of Defence (India) ,Government of India .Vayalar Ravi – FormerMinister of Civil Aviation ,Government of India .Mullappally Ramachandran – FormerMinister of Home Affairs (India) ,Government of India .P. J. Kurien - 11thDeputy Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha .Kodiyeri Balakrishnan – Former Minister forhome affairs ,Government of Kerala .V. D. Satheesan –Leader of the Opposition -15th Kerala Assembly .Ramesh Chennithala -Former Minister forhome affairs ,Government of Kerala .T. M. Thomas Isaac – Former Minister for Finance,Government of Kerala .K. B. Ganesh Kumar – Minister for transport,15th Kerala Assembly ,Government of Kerala .K. N. Balagopal – Minister for Finance,15th Kerala Assembly ,Government of Kerala .Veena George – Minister for Health,15th Kerala Assembly ,Government of Kerala .Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan – FormerRevenue Minister,Government of Kerala .M. B. Rajesh – 23rd Speaker of theKerala Legislative Assembly .Adoor Prakash – Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Attingal Lok Sabha constituency .K. Sudhakaran – Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Kannur Lok Sabha constituency .N. K. Premachandran -Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Kollam Lok Sabha constituency .Rajmohan Unnithan – Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Kasaragod Lok Sabha constituency .Benny Behanan – Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency .Anto Antony - Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency .Kodikunnil Suresh – Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Mavelikara Lok Sabha constituency .Dean Kuriakose – Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Idukki Lok Sabha constituency .Francis George (politician) -Member of parliament ,18th Lok Sabha ,Kottayam Lok Sabha constituency .Chandy Oommen – Member of the15th Kerala Assembly .P. C. Vishnunadh – Member of the15th Kerala Assembly .K. G. Balakrishnan – Formerchief Judge of theSupreme Court of India .Alexander Thomas (judge) – Former judge of theHigh Court of Kerala .George Alencherry –Cardinal of theSyro-Malabar Catholic Church .Baselios Cleemis –Cardinal of theSyro-Malankara Catholic Church .Thomas Jessayyan Netto –Metropolitan Archbishop of theRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Trivandrum .Appu Kuttan – He has served as an advisor to American PresidentBill Clinton , India Prime MinisterRajiv Gandhi , thePresident of Venezuela , and theMauritius Prime Minister.T. V. Paul – Former president of theInternational Studies Association .P. K. Abdul Aziz – Former Vice chancellor ofCochin University of Science and Technology ,Aligarh Muslim University ,University of Science and Technology Meghalaya .Jacob Punnoose – FormerDirector general of police ofKerala .T. P. Senkumar – FormerDirector general of police ofKerala .Jija Madhavan Harisingh – She was the first woman IPS officer (Indian Police Service ) from South-India (Karnataka cadre).Resul Pookutty – Oscar award winner.Ameer Shahul – Indian author and environmentalist.Ambalapuzha Gopakumar – Malayalam poet, historian, and writer from Kerala.C. V. Ananda Bose – 22ndGovernor of West Bengal .P. S. Sreedharan Pillai – 19thGovernor of Goa .S. Venkitaramanan – 18th Governor of theReserve Bank of India .K. S. Chithra – Famous playback singer .Mammootty – Famous Malayalam actor .Thoppil Bhasi – IndianMalayalam language playwright, screenwriter, and film director.Venu Nagavally – FamousMalayalam actor & director.Adoor Gopalakrishnan – IndianMalayalam language screenwriter, and film director.Sreekumaran Thampi – Famous Lyricist. He has written over 3,000 songs forMalayalam Cinema .Murali (Malayalam actor) – Famousmalayalam actor.Bharat Gopy – Famous Malayalam actor .Padmarajan – Famous Malayalam movie director .K. G. George – An Indian filmmaker and screenwriter who worked in theMalayalam cinema .Sibi Malayil – Famous Malayalam movie director .Blessy – Famous Malayalam movie director .Joshiy – Famous Malayalam movie director .Thilakan – Famous Malayalam actor .Nedumudi Venu – Famousmalayalam actor.Sukumaran – Famous Malayalam actor .Karamana Janardanan Nair – FamousMalayalam Actor.Sudheer Karamana – FamousMalayalam Actor.Narendra Prasad – FamousMalayalam Actor.Fahadh Faasil – Famous Malayalam actor .Kunchacko Boban – Famous Malayalam actor .Murali Gopy – Famous Malayalam actor and screenwriter .M. Jayachandran – Indian composer, singer, and musician.Vayalar Sarath Chandra Varma -Malayalam lyricist and poet.Prakash Varma – Famous Malayalam actor and advertisement director.Santosh Sivan – Famous Indiancinematographer .K. J. Yesudas – Famous Indian playback singer .M. G. Sreekumar – Famous Indian playback singer.P. Jayachandran – Famous Indian playback singer.G. Venugopal – Famous Indian playback singer .Prem Nazir – Famous Malayalam actor .Madhu (actor) – prominent lead actor during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s and has acted in more than 400 films.Priyadarshan – Famous Indian director and screenwriter.Jacob Abraham - Americancomputer scientist and engineer.T. K. A. Nair – Formerly served as adviser to thePrime Minister of India with the rank of the Minister of State. He also previously served as Principal Secretary to Prime Minister of India.R. Hari Kumar – He served as 25thChief of the Naval Staff .S. Suresh Babu - Indian film screenwriter.Kuncheria P Isaac – Former secretary ofAICTE and first vice chancellor ofA. P. J. Abdul Kalam Technological University, Thiruvananthapuram . M. A. Baby – General Secretary of theCommunist Party of India (Marxist) . Minister of Education in Kerala from 2006 to 2011.T. V. Rajan Babu – organic chemist who holds the position of Distinguished Professor ofChemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences at theOhio State University .Veliyam Bharghavan - Secretary of theCommunist Party of India .Tiffany Brar – Indian social activist.Sathyabhama Das Biju – An Indian amphibian biologist,wildlife conservationist and heads the Systematics Lab at theUniversity of Delhi .G. Devarajan – Indian composer andCarnatic singer.Koppillil Radhakrishnan – 7thChairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation .S. Somanath – 10thChairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation .Sheena Rani – Program director of theAgni-V Intercontinental ballistic missile underDRDO . V. R. Lalithambika – An Indian engineer and former Director ofISRO Human Spaceflight Programme, played a key role in theGaganyaan mission. She was conferred the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, France's highest civilian award, for her contributions to Indo-French space cooperation.George Joseph (scientist) – Indian space scientist, best known for his contributions to the development ofRemote sensing technology in India, especially Earth observation sensors.T. K. Alex – Former director ofIndian Space Research Organisation Satellite Centre (ISAC).K. N. Ninan (scientist) – Former Deputy Director ofVikram Sarabhai Space Centre atISRO , and later an emeritus professor at theIndian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST).C. Divakaran – State Executive Member ofCommunist Party of India .Renji Panicker – Actor, screenwriter, director inMalayalam films .Sanal Edamaruku – president of theIndian Rationalist Association .Salim Gangadharan – Chairman of theSouth Indian Bank .Kris Gopalakrishnan – Co-founder ofInfosys .S. D. Shibulal – He was the chief executive officer and managing director ofInfosys and one of its seven founding members.P. K. Gurudasan – An Indian politician, trade unionist, and a member ofCommunist Party of India (Marxist) .Thirunalloor Karunakaran – was a poet, scholar, and teacher.O. Madhavan – was an Indian theatre director and actor . He was one of the founding members of theCommunist Party of India in Kerala.V. Madhusoodanan Nair – Indian poet and critic ofMalayalam literature .Lopamudra R – Indian poet and translator writing inMalayalam language with the pen name Lopamudra.S. K. Satheesh – Indian meteorologist and a professor at the Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences of theIndian Institute of Science (IISc).T. N. Seema – social worker, teacher, and politician who was an MP fromRajya Sabha elected fromKerala from 2010 to 2016 for theCommunist Party of India .Bindu Ammini – Indian lawyer and lecturer atGovernment Law College ,Kozhikode , and aDalit activist.S. D. Shibulal – He was the chief executive officer and managing director ofInfosys , and one of its seven founding members.M. S. Valiathan – An Indiancardiac surgeon . He was a president of theIndian National Science Academy and a National Research Professor of theGovernment of India .Jose Chacko Periappuram – An Indiancardiac surgeon and medical writer who performed the first successfulheart transplant in the state ofKerala , as well as the first successful heart retransplant in the country.M. Krishnan Nair (doctor) -Founding director of theRegional Cancer Centre, Thiruvananthapuram .Government of India awarded him Padma Shri in 2001 for his contributions in the cancer care field.B Umadathan-RenownedForensic Surgeon, he who unravelled many mysterious murders includingSukumara Kurup case. P Rema-Former head of theforensic department of theThiruvananthapuram Medical College and wife of actorJagadeesh . K. P. Haridas – Indian surgeon known for first successful liver resection.Mary Verghese – An Indian physician who was among the earliest pioneers ofphysical medicine and rehabilitation in India.D. Vinayachandran –Malayalam poet.Rajashree Warrier – one of India's foremostBharatanatyam Dancers.Jagathy Sreekumar – Indian actor, director and playback singer, who has appeared in over 1500Malayalam films.Jagadeesh - an Indian actor, screenwriter, and television presenter.Basil Joseph - Indian film actor and director who works in theMalayalam film industry .Suresh Gopi – actor, playback singer, television presenter and politician who is currently serving as theMinister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas and theMinister of Tourism since June 2024.Mukesh (actor) – Actor and politician.Balachandra Menon – FamousMalayalam Actor & director.Parvathy Thiruvothu – Actress who predominantly works inMalayalam andTamil films.
Government Universities
Arts and science colleges Assumption College, Changanasserry Bharata Mata College BPC College Piravom Catholicate College Pathanamthitta Centre for Convergence Media Studies Centre for Development of Imaging Technology Chinmaya Mission College Clusters School of Digital Arts CMS College Kottayam Cochin College College of Applied Science Malappuram College of Applied Science, Thamarassery College of Applied Science, Vadakkencherry College of Applied Sciences, Adoor EMS Memorial College of Applied Science Farook College Fatima Mata National College Government Brennen College, Thalassery Government College, Chittur Government College, Kattappana Government College, Kottayam Government College, Manimalakkunnu Government Arts College, Thiruvananthapuram Government College for Women, Thiruvananthapuram Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Arts & Science Kerala School of Mathematics, Kozhikode Little Flower College M.E.S. Ponnani College, Ponnani Mahatma Gandhi College Malabar Christian College Markaz Arts and Science College Mar Ivanios College Mar Kuriakose College Mar Thoma College Mary Matha Arts & Science College MES College Marampally, Aluva N. S. S. College, Pandalam Newman College, Thodupuzha Nirmalagiri college, Kuthuparamba Nss College Rajakumari PGM College Pocker Sahib Memorial Orphanage College R. Shankar Memorial Arts and Science College Raja Ravi Varma College of Fine Arts RLV College of Music and Fine Arts Sahya Arts and Science College St. Albert's College St. Dominic's College St. Mary's College, Thrissur St. Teresa's College St. Thomas College, Palai St. Thomas College, Thrissur Sayd Abdulrahman Bafakhy Tangal Memorial Government College School of Drama and Fine Arts Sneha College of Architecture Sree Kerala Varma College Sree Krishna College Sree Narayana College for Women Sree Sankara College Sree Sankara Vidyapeetom St John's College, Anchal St Joseph College of Communication St. Berchmans College St. Joseph's College, Devagiri St. Pius X College, Rajapuram St. Thomas College, Kozhencherry St. Joseph's College, Moolamattom Sullamussalam Science College Swathi Thirunal College of Music Union Christian College, Aluva Unnayi Warrier Smaraka Kalanilayam University College Thiruvananthapuram Yeldo Mar Baselios College Zamorin's Guruvayurappan College Sree Rama Varma Music School Medical education Engineering education ACE College of Engineering Adi Shankara Institute of Engineering Technology Al-Ameen Engineering College Amrita School of Engineering, Kollam AWH Engineering College Bishop Jerome Institute, Kollam College of Engineering & Management, Punnapra College of Engineering Attingal College of Engineering Chengannur College of Engineering Munnar College of Engineering Trikaripur College of Engineering, Adoor College of Engineering, Aranmula College of Engineering, Cherthala College of Engineering, Kallooppara College of Engineering, Karunagapally College of Engineering, Kidangoor College of Engineering, Kottarakkara College of Engineering, Pathanapuram College of Engineering, Perumon College of Engineering, Poonjar College of Engineering, Thalassery College of Engineering, Trivandrum College of Engineering, Vatakara Federal Institute of Science and Technology Government College of Engineering, Kannur Government Engineering College, Idukki Government Engineering College, Kozhikode Government Engineering College, Sreekrishnapuram Government Engineering College, Thiruvananthapuram Government Engineering College, Thrissur Government Engineering College, Wayanad Institute of Handloom and Textile Technology Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology, Thiruvananthapuram Mangalam College of Engineering Mar Athanasius College of Engineering MEA Engineering College MES College of Engineering Model Engineering College Mohandas College of Engineering and Technology National Institute of Technology Calicut NSS College of Engineering P. A. Aziz College of Engineering and Technology Providence College of Engineering Rajadhani Institute of Engineering and Technology Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Technology, Kottayam Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology SCMS School of Engineering and Technology Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering Sree Narayana Gurukulam College of Engineering Thangal Kunju Musaliar College of Engineering, Kollam TKM Institute of Technology Toc H Institute of Science and Technology University College of Engineering, Thodupuzha Vidya Academy of Science and Technology Vimal Jyothi Engineering College Management education Law education Fisheries and agriculture Polytechnic colleges Colleges of education Secondary schools A.G.R.M Higher Secondary School Agostino Vicini's Special School Aji Senior Secondary School Ambalamedu High School Angels Arc Senior Secondary School Ayathan School BEM High School, Parappanangadi Bharathiar Government Higher Secondary School Bishop Hodges Higher Secondary School Bishop Moore Vidyapith Cherthala Bishop Moore Vidyapith Mavelikkara Bishop Moore Vidyapith, Kayamkulam BMM English Medium School BSS Gurukulam Higher Secondary School Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Kollam Church Missionary Society College High School CNPPM Vocational High School CVKM Higher Secondary School, East Kallada Dayapuram Educational and Cultural Centre DCSMAT Business School Don Bosco School Ernakulam Durga higher secondary school GHS Trikarpur GHSS Rajakkad Good Shepherd Kurianoor Government Higher Secondary School Maloth Kasba Government Higher Secondary School Panamattom Govt. High School, Bangra Manjeshwar Hail Mary English Medium School, Perumpally Ideal Higher Secondary School, Dharmagiri Irshad English School Melattur Islamic English Medium Higher Secondary School Jai Rani Sabs School Jawahar LPS, Kurakkodu John Joseph Murphy Memorial Higher Secondary School Labour India Gurukulam Public School Lemer Public School Lourdes Public School and Junior College Mannam Memorial Residential Higher Secondary School Mar Athanasius Memorial Higher Secondary School Mar Augustine Memorial Higher Secondary School Markazul Uloom Senior Secondary English School Marthoma Residential School Marthoma Senior Secondary School Meenangadi Government Higher Secondary School MES Kuttippuram School MES Pattambi Model Technical Higher Secondary School, Kaprassery Montfort School, Anakkara Moothedath High School Mount Bethany EHSS NAM Memorial Higher Secondary School, Peringathur Nirmala Higher Secondary School, Chemperi Palayathu Vayal Govt. UP School Pallikoodam Panakkad PokoyaThangal Memorial Higher Secondary School, Kottukkara Parumala Seminary Pratheeksha (special school) Railway High School Palakkad Rajarshi Memorial Higher Secondary School, Vadavucode S. D. V. College of Arts and Applied Science Sacred Heart High School (Changanacherry) Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School Sainik School, Kazhakootam Seethi Sahib Higher Secondary School St. George's HSS Kothamangalam St. Joseph's Central School and Junior College, Mundakayam St Little Tresas UP School, Karumalloor St. Mary's Residential Central School, Tiruvalla St Peters School, Kadayiruppu St. Thomas English Medium Higher Secondary School, Attappallam St. Thomas Higher Secondary School, Kozhencherry Saraswathy Vidyalaya The Springs International School Sree Bhuvaneswari School Sree Narayana Central School Sree Sankara Vidyapeetam Sri Atmananda Memorial School (Malakkara, Kerala) Sri Sathya Narayana High School SSHSS Katukukke SSMVHS School St. Joseph's of the Woods EMHS Tagore Vidyaniketan Higher Secondary School Technical Higher Secondary School, Cherthala Technical Higher Secondary School, Vattamkulam Technical Higher Secondary School, Vazhakkad Udyogamandal School Vidyadhiraja Vidya Bhavan Higher Secondary School Vimalagiri Public School Mookkannoor Govt. Higher Secondary School Research centres Societies/trusts
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