Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli

Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) is a public university situated in Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, India. It was carved out of Madurai Kamaraj University on 7 September 1990 to serve the educational needs of the three southernmost districts of Tamil Nadu—Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Kanyakumari. The university is named after the Tamil scholar and professor Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai. It comprises six constituent university colleges, known as 'Mano colleges,' housing 29 departments across arts, languages, sciences, engineering, and technology, with 2,384 university students as of 2025. Additionally, 104 other colleges in the Kanyakumari, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, and Tirunelveli districts are affiliated with MSU, including six colleges over a century old, such as Sarah Tucker College, the oldest women's college in Southern India. In total, the university educates about 130,885 students in person and 11,236 through distance education. MSU has received UGC financial assistance approval since 29 March 1994 and holds an 'A' grade accreditation from NAAC. Its main campus spans 520 acres in Abishekapatti, Tirunelveli, with additional campuses in Alwarkurichi and Rajakkamangalam housing specialized science centers.