Established in 1966, Madurai Kamaraj University as a State University attained the status of University with Potential for Excellence for ‘Teaching, Research and Outreach’ in 2007. The University is governed by Acts, Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations. The University has been accredited with “A++” grade in the 4^th cycle (2021) by NAAC. In the 2017 Golden Jubilee Convocation, 809 Ph.D. Scholars were awarded doctoral degrees. In the "SWACHHTA" Ranking of Higher Educational Institutions in the Country, the HRD Ministry awarded Second Rank to the University in the category of Government Institutions on 14th September 2017.

The University is in its untiring journey in search of knowledge creation and dissemination that resulted in recognitions by its faculty members which include 4 Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar aw ards, 8 FNAs, 8 FNAScs, 11 FAScs, 2 TWAS, a Senior Spallanzani Fellow and 16 Tamil Nadu Scientist Awards. Fourteen faculty of the University have been elevated as Vice-Chancellors including the present Vice-Chancellor. Several Alumni are IAS/IPS/IRS officers.

The University with 20 Schools comprising 77 Departments offers 44 Post Graduate, 40 M.Phil., 57 Ph.D programmes and 17 diploma/ P.G. diploma/ certificate courses has produced about one crore graduates in the past 50 years. Currently, a total of 4650 UG/PG students and research scholars are on the roll. All the courses in the University follow Choice Based Credit System (CBCS) and there is an inbuilt provision for lateral and vertical mobility. Twelve schools are recognized under UGC with Special Assistance Programmes (SAP) such as CAS, DSA and DRS at various phases. Department of Science and Technology (DST), New Delhi has sanctioned 9 crores in the first phase under PURSE programme that supported seven science Schools. In the second phase, 7.5 crores have been sanctioned for the period 2017-2021. Schools of Biological Sciences (SBS), Biotechnology, Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics are supported with DST-FIST programme. The funding agencies such as UGC, CSIR, DST, DBT, DAE-BRNS, MoEF, MoES, ICMR, ICSSR, DRDO, ICAR, MHRD etc. fund the research schemes in various departments. Unique Centres such as Centre for Excellence in Genomic Sciences, Networking Resource Centre in Biological Sciences, Centre of Excellence in Innovations in Biotechnology, Unit of Excellence in Cancer Genetics, Centre for Biodiversity & Forest Studies and Regional Solar Energy Testing Centre adds impetus to the research facility of the University. School of Biological Sciences has received 10 crores for the second phase of NRCBS (2017-2022). Currently 160 individual research projects are being carried out with an outlay of 11.22 crores. Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) has sanctioned 20 crores and has released a sum of 10 crores as first installment for improving the infrastructure. Works are in progress to upgrade 82 conventional class rooms as ICT/Wi-fi enabled smart class rooms and to create a centralized 300 seated language and computer lab under RUSA fund. Fitness centres are established in all the 8 hostels.