Thiruvallauvar University was established under the Thiruvalluvar University Act, 2002, Tamil Nadu Act 32 of 2002, by the government of Tamil Nadu, India, in October 2002. It was named after Thiruvalluvar who was one of the greatest Tamil poets. It began as the Postgraduate Extension Centre, University of Madras, functioning at the Fort Campus, Vellore, and was extended as a university. The university is located in Vellore Fort, which is one of the monuments of the Vellore city and a perfect specimen of military architecture in South India. The circumference of the fort is 2600 meters, The university started with the departments of the Postgraduate Extension Centre of the University of Madras : Non-semester/semester examinations for undergraduate/postgraduate degree students of the university departments and affiliated colleges are conducted. The sources of finance for the university are grants-in-aid from the government of Tamil Nadu and government of India and also through research schemes of the government of India and fees collected from students of affiliated colleges.