Vivekananda College, Puttur (Dist. Dakshina Kannada) was also known as Vivekananda College of Arts, Science & Commerce was established on 8th July 1965 under the management of Vivekananda Vidyavardhaka Sangha (R) formerly known as Puttur Education Society (PES).

It is one of the premier government aided colleges established to impart & provide in the field of higher education for the deserving candidates and prove to be a milestone in the part of progress.
 
The college is affiliated to Mangalore University, Mangaluru and it is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under section 2(f) on 23rd October 1975 & 12(B) on 28th March 2003 under Act, 1956.
 
It is re-accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with "A" Grade - (CGPA Score 3.12 on a 4 Point Scale in 2nd Cycle) on 27th March 2011.

The college is located on the outskirts of Puttur town beside Mysore-Mangalore State Highway, spread over a sprawling campus of nearly 50 acres dotted with green vegetation centre of the city Puttur in Karnataka State, India.

The college conferred the status of grant-in-aid college that the fees and all the facilities for the students are fixed by the government. The student's admission is done as per the Admission Criteria prescribed by the affiliating university.

The college was also recognized & conferred the status as “College with Potential for Excellence (CPE)" by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi in March 2016 and has celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2015.

The founders of this institution wanted to empower the youth of this rural area with Higher Education. However, in accordance with the changing milieu of the society, the college has revised its Vision-Mission statement, recently to cater the needs of the present youth and society. Now, along with Degree Programmes, the college is offering two postgraduate programmes namely - M.Sc. (Chemistry) and M.Com.

The college provides need-based quality education blended with spiritual, ethical and social values which the patron saint of the institution, Swami Vivekananda advocated during his lifetime.

The college has acted upon the suggestions and recommendations of the earlier peer teams and worked zestfully which resulted in necessary Quality initiatives, Quality sustenance and Enhancement measures such as introduction of Postgraduate courses, increasing use of ICT in all academic and administrative activities, making the teaching more student-centred, immense development in the infrastructure and steps taken to inculcate research culture.

At present, the college offers three years undergraduate courses in Arts, Science, Commerce, & Management streams with optional specializations and offers two years postgraduate course in M.Com and M.Sc.

in Chemistry under Mangalore University, Mangaluru.

Vision:

• A graduate of Vivekananda College will be civilized, principle-centered, endowed with a strong self-esteem, and concern for fellow beings and the environment, besides being confident, competent and employable

Mission:

• Vivekananda College will strive to provide models of value practices, offer opportunities for learning and development, create infrastructure for interventions including those for preservation of environment and organize competence enhancement programmes, through able management and committed members of the staff, with the assistance of other stakeholders