Alagappa University is located on about 420 acres (1.7 km) in the business town of Karaikudi in Sivaganga District in Tamil Nadu, India. Karaikudi is 400 km south of Madras on the Madras–Rameswaram line and is accessible from Tiruchirappalli and Madurai in about 2 hours by road and rail. This seat of higher education has emerged from the galaxy of institutions founded by R.M. Alagappa Chettiar. Alagappa University was brought into existence by a special Act of the state government in May 1985 with the objective of fostering research, development, and dissemination of knowledge in various branches of learning. Alagappa University is recognized by the UGC, Government of India. Alagappa University was converted from unitary type to an affiliating type by the Tamil Nadu Universities Act, 2002, with a view to widen the horizon of its academic activities by bringing into its jurisdiction the Arts and Science colleges in the districts of Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga. Further, as per this Act, the Government colleges in the above districts have become the constituent colleges of Alagappa University.