The 14th day of July 1967 marked a significant and initial landmark in the progress of higher education in Karaikal region of the Union territory of Pondicherry when the Modern College affiliated to the University of Madras was inaugurated by His Excellency Thiru S.L.Silam the then Lieutenant-Governor of Pondicherry. It is an important mile-stone in as much as it was the culmination of the efforts of the elite and public of Karaikal as well as the Government of Pondicherry to fulfil a long-felt need of the people in the area to have an institution to impart higher education to their off-spring. The college offered instruction in Science and Humanities at the Pre-University level in the beginning. The intense interest evinced by the Government in the development of the institution made it possible to up-grade it even during the brief spell of its existence for a year. B.A./B.Sc. degree courses, in Economics, Mathematics and Chemistry (major subjects) were started in July 1968. In December 1969, the college was re-named as Arignar Anna Government Arts College at once imparting a new significance and dimension to the ideals for which the college stands, as well as with a view to commemorate the name of the great leader 'PERARIGNAR ANNA'.