The Gandhigram Rural Institute

About The Gandhigram Rural Institute

Gandhigram Rural Institute (GRI) is a Deemed University with a uniqueness that it has developed academic programmes in Rural Development, Rural Economics and Extension Education, Rural Oriented Sciences, Cooperation, Development Administration, Rural Sociology, English and Communicative Studies, and, Tamil and Indian Languages. The university curriculum is based on revolutionary concept of ‘Nai Talim’ system of education. A team of dedicated disciples and contemporaries of Gandhiji, Dr. T.S. Soundaram and Dr. G. Ramachandran, developed Gandhigram, the home of many rural development programmes. The university was founded in 1956 and students who emerge from its portals tend to meet the personnel needs for rural development under various governmental and non-governmental schemes. The Government of India (Ministry of Education), on the recommendation of the University Grants Commission, conferred the status of a Deemed University on the Institute under Section (3) of the UGC Act of 1956, on 3rd August, 1976.

All programmes of the University are offered under the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS), allowing the students a choice in the selection of courses. As per the CBCS, the students, according to their ability and aptitude, drop / substitute courses, study / repeat courses and study inter-departmental / intra-departmental elective courses. This is a unique flexible education system through which students themselves can chalk out a viable academic agenda. Students can choose any one of the following language, Tamil, Malayalam, Hindi, French in the first year. The institute is fully funded by Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India. The Gandhigram Rural Institute has a campus of nearly 200 acres in a rural setting, nestling in one of the enclaves of the beautiful Sirumalai range.

Location – It is 11 km South of Dindigul and 55 km North of Madurai.

Transportation - Gandhigram is easily accessible by rail and road.

• The nearest railway station is Ambathurai
• The nearest railway junction is Dindigul 
• The nearest major town is Dindigul
• The nearest airport is Madurai

Faculties and Departments

Facilities at GRI

Hostels - The GRI has hostels for both girls and boys in the campus. The boy’s hostel has four different blocks, namely – Dr. S.Radhakrishnan Hostel, Sri. R.Venkataraman Hostel, Dr. Zakir Hussain Hostel and the Research Scholars’ Hostel. The ladies hostel has five blocks such as Dr. Soundaram Illam, Kannagi Illam, Andal Illam, New block and Hostel for Working Women. The hostels are provided with facilities for dining, entertainment, in-door games and internet browsing. Only Vegetarian food is provided in the Hostels. The common amenities such as health centre, gym and fitness centre and cooperative stores are located close-by to these hostels in order to cater to the needs of the inmates staying in the hostels. Community living and sharing the existing minimum infrastructure are the basic principles of hostel life in the GRI campus

Dr. G. Ramachandran Library – The Library is named after the Founder Vice-Chancellor Dr. G. Ramachandran. The total area of the Library building is about 12600 sq.ft. It has a stock of over 1.5 lakh books.The Library has been computerised for circulation and searching of books with SOUL (Software for University Libraries), developed by INFLIBNET Centre (An IUC of the University Grants Commission), Ahmedabad. The digitization of library documents is also under progress. The Library has UGC-INFONET E-journals access facility with 1 GB connectivity provided by UGC- INFLIBNET Centre, Ahmedabad through ERNET India, New Delhi.

Education for Foreign Students - Foreign applicants should produce a valid student visa (research visa in case of Ph D programmes), medical fitness certificate as per the norms of the Government of India and a certificate of financial guarantee at the time of seeking admission. If admitted, they will be governed by such rules and regulations as may be framed by the Government of India and by the authorities of GRI from time to time. Students from Srilanka, SAARC and developing countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Nigeria will have to pay the fee and caution deposit on par with Indian students. This will not be applicable to fellowship holders of these countries. For all other foreign students the fee will be four time of Indian students and caution deposit will be Rs.10, 000/- all payable in . NRI students will be treated as foreigners. For further details contact the Director, Cell for International Relations, GRI, Gandhigram.

Computer Centre -  It has a number of systems which are connected via LAN and WAN It has Internet facility provide by Railtel Broadband with bandwidth of 8 Mbps. Apart from these, the centre has other equipments like video blasters, LCD projectors, video cameras, digital cameras etc.

Centre for Women Studies - The Centre is offering an interdisciplinary research program with gender perspective leading to Ph. D degree.

Village Placement Programme - The course carries 0+4 credit. It is a field based course conducted in a village for a period of 7 days at the beginning of the Third semester for all the programmes. Each student, at the end of the course will be evaluated for 100 marks

CIKA - Centre for Indigenous Knowledge in Agriculture (CIKA) documents, analyzes, validates, standardizes and further propagate the Indigenous Knowledge/ Practices in Agricultural and allied fields under various farming systems of Tamil Nadu. Interested staff, students and researchers of Gandhigram Rural University having flair in the field of Indigenous Knowledge can become the members of IK Study Forum. Along with them, NGOs, farmers and independent researchers engaging themselves in IK field can also enrol as members of this forum. A research/ resource book entitled Indigenous Agricultural Practices for Sustainable Farming has already been published through Agrobios (India) Ltd., Jodhpur

Centre for Jatropha and Bio fuels Promotion – It promotes access to the technology and oil extraction procedure of plant called Jatropha. Since there is very less information about this technology the centre organises massive awareness and exposure programmes on the cultivation of Jatropha among the various sectors of the community viz., farmers, extension workers, scientists, NGOs etc.

CSSEIP - Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy is engaged in conceptualizing and understanding the process, nature and forms of Social Exclusion. Social Exclusion refers to the complex processes that deny certain groups full participation in society. The Centre strives to bring more inclusive and just society through teaching, research, extension and networking with the Third Sectors. GRI-CSSEIP Newsletter 'One Humanity' is published quarterly which features articles that highlight the issues of social exclusion and inclusive policy and bring out the ideas and discussions that seek to combat the problem of social exclusion.

Wifi – It is available in the entire campus and the hostels

Internet Browsing Centre – It has about 30 systems available which are used for various purposes by the students and the faculty.

FGH - Faculty Guest House (FGH) is situated near the Dr. G. Ramachandran Library in the GRI-DU Campus. It possesses Suites, Deluxe A/C, Ordinary A/C, and Non A/C rooms, Vivekananda Hall, Kitchen and Dining Hall meant for use to the Institute and official guests, participants of Seminars, Workshops, Conferences, Training programmes, etc.

Co-Curricular and Extra-Curricular Activities - The students of GRI are involved in various Co-Curricular and Extra-Curricular activities such as Shramdhan, Shanti Sena, NSS, Cultural Cell, Sarvodaya Study Circle, Departmental Associations, Student Clubs, Centre for Media and Culture and Sports and Games.