Periyar University was established by Act 45 of Government of Tamilnadu in 1997. The university is named after a social reformer called Thanthai Periyar. The university thus established started with the three departments of Commerce, Geology and Mathematics of postgraduate extension center of Madras University, functioning at Salem at that time. The University Grants Commissions, New Delhi bestowed the 2f status in 1998 and 12(B) status in 2005 to the university. 9990552363 The university is accredited with NAAC. On September 6, 2010 Tamil Nadu governor Surjit Singh Barnala appointed Dr.K Muthuchelian, Professor and Head, School of Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Madurai Kamaraj University as Vice-Chancellor, Periyar University, Salem. Dr.D.Jayakumar was the first vice-chancellor of the University, which was started at 1997. Dr.Velusamy nalliyan was the first Registrar of the University (5.09.1997 to 31.10.2000), who laid the foundation for the development of the present status of the university. The university is situated on the Bangalore National Highways (NH - 47), 7 km from the Salem city and easily connected by road. The campus extends to about 100 acres (0.