Marian College Kuttikkanam was created in 1995 by the Roman Catholic diocese of Kanjirappally.
Affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, it was accredited by the Universities Grants Committee within eight years of its foundation. It attained autonomous status in 2016.
It is still a small university with just under 2,000 students.
Faculties include business administration and management, commerce, computer application, communications and media, economics, English, maths, physics and social work.
Since 2016 it has been committed to a policy of "outcome based education". Other distinctive features include courses in communicative English emphasising literature, communication and journalism and management, with an annual intake of 180 students.