Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit

The Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit (SSUS) is a Sanskrit university in India established in 1993 in Kalady, Kerala. It provides education in Sanskrit, other Indian and Foreign languages, Social science and fine arts. It is accredited A+ by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The university has eight regional campuses across Kerala.

Campus

The university functions through nine regional centres, namely Kalady (main campus), Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, Panmana, Thuravoor, Ettumanoor, Tirur, Koyilandy and Payyannur.[citation needed] Most of these campuses are located in rural areas of the State, intending to serve people from disadvantaged backgrounds. More than ninety percent of the students and research scholars in the University are from economically and socially backward communities and families and more than seventy percent are women.

A panoramic view of Kalady Main Campus

A panoramic view of Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady with Traditional Kerala-style architecture

Organisation and administration

Departments

The university consists of the following departments.

  • Sanskrit Vedanta
  • Sanskrit Sahitya
  • Sanskrit Vyakarna
  • Sanskrit Nyaya
  • Sanskrit General
  • English
  • Geography
  • Hindi
  • History
  • Malayalam
  • Music
  • Painting
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Arabic
  • Ayurveda
  • Economics
  • Dance
  • Education
  • School of Vedic Studies
  • Social Work
  • Sociology
  • Theatre
  • Urdu
  • Vastuvidya

Academics

Academic programmes

The university has twenty six PhD programmes, twenty MPhil programmes, twenty four PG programmes , ten UG programmes, two PgD programmes, one Diploma programme and nine certificate programmes offered by the twenty-four academic departments. The Choice Based Credit and Semester System (CBCSS) was introduced in 2005 in SSUS. In 2018, the University implemented the system of Outcome Based Teaching, Learning and Evaluation (OBTLE) at the Post graduate level, becoming the first university in Kerala to introduce OBTLE. In 2021, the university becomes a part of KALNET, a shared platform for academic resources of libraries, developed by Kerala State Higher Education Council. The university’s postgraduate programme in Museology will be launched in 2021.

Accreditation

The University Grants Commission has recognized the university with 2(f) status in 1994 and 12(B) status in 2005. On 31st August 2021, the university was accredited by NAAC with A+ grade, the first University in Kerala and the first Sanskrit University in the country to earn the achievement. In September 2014, the university was accredited by NAAC with A grade, the first University in Kerala to receive the grade in the first cycle of accreditation.

Notable alumni

  • Surabhi Lakshmi is a National Film Award winning Malayalam movie actress.
  • Dileesh Pothan well-known film director, actor and producer in Malayalam cinema.
  • Arun Muraleedharan a Malayalam film music Composer.
  • Grace Antony, film Actress
  • V. P. Sanu politician currently serving as national president of Students’ Federation of India
  • Renu Soundar, Malayalam film and television series actress.
  • Hima Shankar, Film and theatre artist
  • Sneha Sreekumar is an Indian actress and dancer who appears in Malayalam films, television serials and theatre dramas.
  • Vijilesh Karayad, a Malayalam film actor.
  • M. Vijin currently serving as MLA of Kalliasseri constituency and state vice president of DYFI, Kerala State Committee. He was former SFI All India Joint Secretary.
  • Shobhana

Notable faculty

  • Sunil P. Ilayidom, associate professor at Malayalam department
  • G. Gangadharan Nair, former professor

Campus