Periyar EVR College, Tiruchirappalli was established in 1965. Its affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirapalli.

College is one of the reowned State Government Colleges in Higher Education, founded by Periyar Erode Venkata Ramasamy, a great social Activist, Social Reformer and the founder of the Self Respect Movement. The Approval for the college was given and it was inaugurated in 1965 by then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Honourable M. Bhakthavachalam. Periyar E.V.R. College constantly aims to achieve its motto "Bringing economically poor rural youth to the reachable heights'. Our purpose  is to provide the adequate higher educational platform for students to be moulded into holistic personalities.

In the year 1965, the Government of Tamil Nadu Started Periyar EVR College in Tiruchirappalli, the central part of Tamil nadu, naming it after the great thinker and social reformer Thanthai Periyar. Half a century ago, higher education was beyond the reach of the oppressed and economically marginalized younger generation in and around Tiruchirappalli. To cater the educational requisites. Thanthai Periyar, the visionary leader of justice party and a well-known social reformer of Tamil Nadu, generously donated 9.65 acres of his land and Rs. 3.5 Lakhs, and requested the Tamil Nadu Government to start a College at Tiruchirappalli. Utilizing the philanthropic help of Thanthai Periyar, the Government of Tamil Nadu started a Government College at Race Course Road, Khaja Nagar, Tiruchirappalli during the academic year 1965-1966, and named it 'Periyar EVR College' in honour of the leader. Then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Honourable M. Bhakthavatchalam inaugurated the college on 24.08.1965.

Now, our college campus is expanded to 52.62 acres endowed with adequate classrooms and infrastructural facilities. Nearly ninety percent students of this college beong to the oppressed and economically marginalized sections, who hail from rural and urban background. Many of them are first generation learners. Periyar EVR College peforms the role of uplifting the poor students by providing them holistic higher education and mould them as reputable individuals with responsibilities towards their families, society and ultimately the nation. Due to the selfless service and credibility of the academia, the college attained autonomous status during 1998-1999. Now we offer 15 Under Graduate and 16 Post Graduate Programmes in addition to 14 M.Phil Programmes. Thirteen of our departments have been recognized as potential Research Centers by the Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli. Special Shift System (SSS) was introduced in the year 2006 by the State Government Policy of Education with the available infrastructure.

The first ever development of the college was marked by the immediate acquisition of additional land making it an expansive campus of 52.62 acres. In the annals of the college, the academic year 1998-1999 proved to be significant on two counts.

The college become co-educational, providing girl students access to higher education; the college also become autonomous, resulting in a sea change in aims, aspirations and achievements of the institution.

The institution reached another milestone in 1999 when the NAAC team visited it and accredited it with the three-star status. Facilities at Periyar EVR College, Tiruchirappalli .

Periyar EVR College Stands as a beacon of Knowledge for generations. It preserves its ancient heritage and simultaneously forges ahead with the Changing times and makes its presence felt in the academic sphere of the State.