List of Principals from 1840
 
1 Prof. Eyre Burton Powell, M.A. C.S.I 1840-1862
2 Prof.Edmund Thompson,M.A. 1862-1884
3 Dr. David Duncan, M.A. D.Sc. 1884-1899
4 Prof.George Henry Stuart, M.A. 1882-1899
5 Prof. James Bourdilion Bidlebeck, M.A 1899-1906
6 Prof. Joseph Henry Stone, M.A. 1907-1915
7 Prof. Edgar William Middlemast, M.A. 1915
8 Prof. Hendry John Allen, M.A. Bar-at-Law 1915-1920
9 Prof. Herbert Spencer Duncan, M.A. 1920-1925
10 Prof. Philip Furley Fyson,, M.A. F.L.S. 1925-1927
11 Prof. W.E.Smith, M.A. 1922 1927-1930
12 Prof. Randulph Meverel Startham, M.A., C.I.E 1930-1932
13 Prof. Randulph Meverel Startham, M.A., C.I.E 1932-1934
14 Prof. Harold Charles Papworth, M.A. 1934-1942
15 Dr. B.B. Dey, B.Sc. (London) 1943-1944
16 Dr. S.R.U. Savoor, D.Sc. (London) 1945-1946
17 Prof. Surya Narayana, B.A. (Cantab) 1946-1947
18 Dr. S.G. Manavala Ramanujam, M.A., Ph.D (London) D.I.C.(London) 1947-1948
19 Dr. M. Abdul Haq, M.A., D.Phi 1948-1952
20 Prof. V.K. Ayappan Pillai, M.A. B.A. (Oxon) 1952-1953
21 Prof. T.Balakrishna Nair, M.A. (Madras), M.A.(London 1953-1961
22 Dr. T.R. Govindachari, M.Sc., Ph.D (Illinois) 1961-1963
23 Dr. B.G.L. Swamy, B.Sc., (Hons) D.Sc 1963-1966
24 Prof. J. Ramachandran, M.A. (Madras) A.M. (Chicago) 1966-1979
25 Dr. P. Thirugnana Sambandam, M.A. Ph.D. 1979-1983
26 Dr.T.S. Venkataswamy, M.A., B.L. Ph.D. (Boston) 1983-1987
27 Dr. P.S. Subramanian, M.Sc., Ph.D., F.R.S.C. Dip in German 1987-1988
28 Dr.C.Viola Devapakkiam, M.Sc.,Ph.D.,B.Ed. Dip. in Stat., Dip in German, Cert in French 1988
29 Dr.R.Rajaraman, M.Sc.,Ph.D. 1988-1993
30 Dr.M.D.Sundararajan, M.Sc.,Ph.D, 1994-1995
31 Dr.IS.Shanmugasundaram, M.A.,M.Ed.,Ph.D. 1995-1996
32 Dr. P. Abdul Razak, M.Com., Ph.D. 1996-1997
33 Prof. L. Janakiraman, M.Sc., B.Ed., 1997-2000
34 Dr.T.R.Balakrishnan,M.Sc.,B.Ed.,Ph.D. 2000-2001
35 Prof.C.Natarajan,M.Com.,M.Phil.,B.Ed. 2001-2002
36 Dr.R.Ramanarayanan,M.Sc.Ph.D. 2002-2004
37 Prof. M.Dhanushkodi M.A. M.Phill 2004-