The system of education is always considered as an important tool for social reforms. In this rapidly changing world specialty based education system has a vital role to play. The Centre for Professional and Advanced Studies (CPAS) is a newly formed society in the year 2017 established by the Government of Kerala by including all the Self Financing Departments formerly run by Mahathma Gandhi University, Kottayam, with an aim to provide specialty based quality education to meet the ever increasing demand of trained personnel in various fields. The various institutions under CPAS already have excellent track record of providing quality human resources to the country over many years. CPAS is dedicated to play a vital role in continuing these efforts and improving the standards of various courses. These institutions have contributed a lot in uplifting the weaker sections of the society by providing cheap and value added education by observing all the statutory reservations.
The society is headed by the Honourable Minister for Education Prof. C. Raveendranath as the Chairman and Dr. Usha Titus, IAS, Secretary – Higher Education as Vice Chairman. Dr. P.K. Padmakumar, Honourable Member of Syndicate, Mahatma Gandhi University is the Director of CPAS.
- Centre for Professional and Advanced Studies runs 8 institutions which provide specialty based courses in various fields like;
- School of Medical Education (SME), which is a pioneer self-financing institution in the state of Kerala offering a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate allied medical and health science courses.
- School of Technology and Applied Sciences (STAS) providing technology based courses in computer application and electronics.
- CPAS Colleges of Teacher Education has an important role in delivering teachers who shape up the younger generation.
- CPAS College of Engineering, which creates a good number of engineers every year.
- School of Applied Life Sciences (SALS), conducting courses in fisheries and aquaculture.
- Institute of Communication and Journalism (ICJ), which have provided a good number of media personnel to state.
- Institute of Library and Information Sciences (ILIS), an institution which conducts library sciences courses.
- College of Arts & Commerce, Chuttippara, Pathanamthitta (CAC), which mainly focuses on commerce courses which has an increasing demand.