Anna Technological and Research University

Statue of C N Annadurai in College of Engineering, Guindy campus

The Government of Tamil Nadu, upgraded the grand old 1794 College of Engineering, Guindy to the Anna Technological and Research University on 16 September 2020. The new university was formed from the erstwhile Anna University main campus engineering and technology institutes and consists of four institutes: the renowned College of Engineering, Guindy, the Alagappa College of Technology, the Anna University School of Architecture and Planning and the Madras Institute of Technology.

The first version of Anna University formed in 1978 had a similar constitution as the current structure of Anna Technological and Research University before various governments repeatedly kept changing the varsity's structure and affiliation scope. In 2001, under the Anna University Amendment Act of 2001, the erstwhile Anna University became an affiliating university, taking under its wings all the engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu. This included six government engineering colleges, three government-aided private institutions, and 426 self-financing colleges. On 1 February 2007, as a result of a Government of Tamil Nadu decision, the university was split into six constituent universities: Anna University, Chennai, Anna University of Technology, Chennai, Anna University of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, Anna University of Technology, Coimbatore, Anna University of Technology Tirunelveli and Anna University of Technology, Madurai.[1] The institutes were formally created in 2010. On 14 September 2011, a bill was passed to merge back the universities.[2] The merger became final in August 2012.[3]

In 2011 and 2012 the constituents were merged back to a single affiliating university and the four regional universities continue to function as regional campus of the university.

And then in September 2020, the Tamil Nadu government passed a bill making the varsity's four campuses in Chennai to be constituted as a 'unitary type' institution and called 'Anna Technological and Research University' while a new affiliating type university called 'Anna University' will be constituted to manage the affairs of the constituent and affiliated colleges.

The subsequent new Acts will be called Anna University (Amendment) Act 2020 and Anna Technological and Research University Act 1978. The new Act will come into force after the state government issues a notification.

The university offers courses in engineering and technology through its affiliated colleges and follows a dual semester system. Every year the university conducts examinations for even semester in May–June and for odd semester in November–December. The first semester students have exams in January.

The university's campus is in Chennai and extends over 185 acres adjoining the Adyar River and the Raj Bhavan. It houses College of Engineering, Guindy, Alagappa College of Technology, School of Architecture and Planning, three technical departments of the University of Madras. Another campus is in Chrompet (Madras Institute of Technology).