Tamil Nadu Agricultural University

Academics

The university offers 14 undergraduate programs across 19 Government Agriculture Colleges and 28 Affiliated Private agriculture colleges throughout the state. Out of 14 UG programmes, only B.Sc. (Hons) Agriculture and B.Sc. (Hons) Horticulture are offered by private colleges. Rest of all are Fully offered by TNAU constituent Campuses only.

Undergraduate Programmes

Government Aided:

B.Sc (Hons) Agriculture, B.Sc Agriculture (Tamil), B.Sc (Hons) Horticulture, B.Sc Horticulture (Tamil), B.Sc (Hons) Sericulture, B.Sc (Hons) Forestry, B.Sc (Hons) Food Nutrition & Dietetics, B.Sc (Hons) Agri Business Management.

Self-Financed:

B.Tech Agricultural Engineering, Energy & Environmental Engineering, Biotechnology, Bioinformatics, Agriculture Information Technology, Food Technology.

Postgraduate Programmes

Agriculture Stream:

M.Sc in Agricultural Economics, Extension Education, Agribusiness, Agronomy, Plant Physiology, Meteorology, Soil Science, Microbiology, Nanoscience, Environmental Science, Remote Sensing & GIS, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology, Genetics & Plant Breeding, Seed Science, Entomology, Bioinformatics, Plant Pathology, Nematology, Agricultural Statistics.

Horticulture:

M.Sc in Fruit Science, Vegetable Science, Floriculture & Landscaping, Plantation/Spices/Medicinal & Aromatic Crops.

Forestry:

M.Sc in Forest Biology, Silviculture & Agroforestry, Forest Products & Utilization.

Sericulture:

M.Sc Sericulture.

Food Science:

M.Sc Food & Nutrition.

Engineering:

M.Tech in Farm Machinery & Power, Renewable Energy, Processing & Food Engineering, Soil Conservation Engineering.

Doctoral Programmes

Ph.D offered in all major agricultural, horticultural, forestry, sericulture, food science, and agricultural engineering disciplines, including Agronomy, Soil Science, Genetics & Breeding, Plant Pathology, Entomology, Environmental Science, Nanoscience, Remote Sensing & GIS, Agricultural Statistics, Food & Nutrition, and various engineering specializations.

Rankings

Internationally, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University was ranked 301–350 in Asia by the QS World University Rankings of 2023. It was ranked 1501+ in the world by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings of 2023, 501+ in Asia in 2022 and the same among emerging economies.

It was 'ranked 6th in the Agriculture and allied sector institutions of India* by the National Institutional Ranking Framework for 2025 and an ***overall university ranking of 88th all over India'''''.

University Constituent Campuses

The university has 19 constituent colleges across the state. The below furnished list is of 2024 status.

Affiliated private colleges

This is a list of 28 private colleges affiliated with Tamilnadu Agriculture University and their direct web links attached below.

Courses and grading system

All the undergraduate programs take place for four academic years. Every academic year comprises two semesters, each of 105 working days. Every semester has numerous courses of which a student can register not more than 22 credit hours including non-gradial compulsory courses.

Courses are given with Credit hours like

AGR 101 INTRODUCTION TO AGRONOMY AND AGRICULTURE HERITAGE (1+1)

• Here, AGR 101 is the course code,
• INTRODUCTION TO AGRONOMY AND AGRICULTURE HERITAGE is the course title.
• 1+1 is the credit hour. It represents 1 Theory class ( 60 minutes) and 1 Practical class (150 minutes) per Week.

Similarly, if a course is (0+1) like PED 102 PHYSICAL EDUCATION, no theory classes involved.

Examination system

The question preparation, scheduling, and evaluation all are done by the Controllerate of Examinations - TNAU (CoE) situated within the TNAU Coimbatore campus. To maintain the confidentiality of Question Paper, CoE sometimes depends on any ICAR Institute or any deemed University to set questions for TNAU semester exams.

UG courses

Any UG Degree comprises four academic years. Every academic year is divided into two semesters, odd and even. Every semester has 105 working days. A mid-semester exam is conducted for all subjects at 55th working day and the following week. Final Practical Examination conducted at the last week of semester and the semester ends when the practical ends. Then the final Theory Examination is conducted and Holidays are announced.

According to 2025 Question system, Mid-Semester exam is quantized for 20 marks. 40 Multiple Choice questions to be answered in OMR Valuation Sheet. Each question carries 0.5 marks. Final practical Examination comprises 40 marks. And Final Theory Examination contributes 40 Marks.

These 20 + 40 + 40 summed up to 100.

50 out of 100 is a pass satisfying the conditions that An aggregate of 50% should be obtained separately in Mid-Semester + Theory and Practical. A candidate should get an GPA of 5 out of 10 to pass the semester. GPA of greater than 8 is considered First Class Pass.

PG, Doctoral courses

The exam question pattern is similar but only the number of academic year changes. These candidates will have only two academic years.

Timeline

19th Century

• 1868: Agricultural School was started at Saidapet, Chennai (Madras).

20th Century

• 1906: The Saidapet Agricultural School was shifted to Coimbatore and foundation stone laid for Madras Agricultural College.
• 1908: Students were admitted to education program leading to Licentiate in Agriculture (L. Ag.)
• 1909: Opening of Agricultural College and Research Institute (AC & RI) by Sir Arthur Lawley.
• 1920: The AC & RI was affiliated to Madras University. A new course of study leading to a three-year degree in Agriculture -B.Sc. (Ag.) was started.
• 1945: Second Agricultural College was started at Bapatla (Now in Andhra Pradesh).
• 1958: Regional Post-Graduate Centre was established to offer programs leading to master's degree in Agriculture & Horticulture. In Annamalai university, Agriculture teaching started leading to award of M.Sc.(Ag)in Horticulture first of its kind in India.
• 1960: Integrated system with four year B.Sc. (Ag) degree program after pre-university education was introduced and subsequently doctoral programme in Agriculture was started.
• 1965: Third Agricultural College was started at Madurai, Tamil Nadu and the Masters program at Madurai was introduced during 1969.
• 1971: The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University came into existence with Coimbatore as its headquarters. The first vice chancellor Dr.G.Rengasamy was from ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY which was having Faculty of Agriculture from 1958 onwards teaching agriculture and horticulture.
• 1972: A separate Faculty of Horticulture was established and a degree program in Horticulture - B.Sc. (Hort.) was introduced. The College of Agricultural Engineering was established at Coimbatore and a bachelor's degree program in Agricultural Engineering - B.E.(Ag) was introduced.
• 1973: Doctoral program was introduced in Horticultural College and Research Institute, Coimbatore.
• 1975: Faculty of Post Graduate Education was established in TNAU, Coimbatore and master's and doctoral (1978) programs were started in Environmental Sciences and Biotechnology.
• 1976: The Madras Veterinary College became constituent unit of TNAU and B.V.Sc. degree program was suitably restructured*.
• 1977: Bachelor's degree (B.F.Sc.) program in Fisheries Science at Thoothukudi was started*.
• Masters and doctoral program in Agricultural Engineering was introduced.
• 1980: Bachelor's degree (B.Sc. (H.Sc.)) in Home Science was launched in Madurai Campus.
• 1981: Master's program was introduced in Home Science College & Research Institute, Madurai and doctoral program in 1988.
• 1989: Doctoral program in Agriculture was introduced in Agricultural college & Research Institute, Madurai; Masters program introduced in Forest College & Research Institute, Mettupalayam and Horticultural College & Research Institute, Periyakulam.
• 1990: Master's program in Agriculture was introduced in Agricultural College & Research Institute, Killikulam, Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu and Doctoral program in Forest College & Research Institute, Mettupalayam.
• 1998: B.Tech. (Food Process Engineering) introduced as self-supporting program.

21th Century

• 2002: B.Tech. (Horticulture) and B.Tech. (Agriculture Biotechnology) introduced as self-supporting programs.
• 2004: B.Tech. (Energy and Environmental Engineering) introduced as a self-supporting program.
• 2005: Centennial celebrations of AC&RI, Coimbatore.
• 2006: B.Tech. (Bioinformatics) introduced as a self-supporting program.
• 2007: B.Tech. (Agricultural Information Technology) and B.S.(Agribusiness Management) introduced as a self-supporting programs. Nanotechnology introduced in undergraduate curriculum.
• 2008: Dual Degree Masters Program with Cornell University, Ithaca, USA introduced. Dual degree option with Dalhousie University, Canada established for undergraduate program in B.Tech.(Environmental Landscape Horticulture)
• 2011: B.Sc. (Sericulture) introduced. M.Tech. (Ag.) in Nanotechnology introduced and M.Tech. in Environmental Engineering introduced.
• 2012: Masters program introduced in Plant Genetic Resource and Remote Sensing.
• 2017: Ph.D. (Agri) in Nano Science and Technology introduced.

Notable alumni

• Dr. M. S. Swaminathan, Father of Indian Green Revolution
• C. Sylendra Babu IPS, DGP and former Head of Police Force, Tamil Nadu Police
• V. Irai Anbu IAS, former chief secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu.
• K. Ramasamy
• Thenkachi Ko. Swaminathan
• K. C. Palanisamy
• M. Mahadevappa
• G. Dhinakar Raj
• V. K. Pandian IAS (in constituent college at Madurai)

Popular Culture

The college premises shown in the film Vaaranam Aayiram during Meera - Krishnan's College love flashback is the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.

The college premises and campus in the movie Sillunu Oru Kaadhal is the agricultural university in Coimbatore.

The title song of Vivasayi was filmed at the fields of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

In the movie PT Sir, the High court sequences, both outdoor and indoor shots were taken at the TNAU.

References

References

1. "State Agricultural Universities {{!}} भारतीय कृषि अनुसंधान परिषद".
2. "NIRF Ranking 2025".
3. (2012). "Tamil Nadu Agricultural University :: Colleges". tnau.ac.in.
4. "Affiliated Colleges – Tamil Nadu Agricultural University".