The Government Arts College, Thanthonimalai, Karur enjoys the fame of being the only institution in the whole district to show the longest academic history and public service. Established in 1966, it has worked its way ahead of other colleges in the matter of offering higher education of remarkable quality and largely to middle and lower income groups. The repute of this town as a textile industrial centre is further enhanced by the performance record of the Government Arts College Karur as it has never once in the recent years lacked a gold medalist. This college is affiliated to Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.