Chennai is historically renowned as an educational and intellectual hub in South India.
* **Literacy Rate**: Approximately 90.2% (as per the last official 2011 Census), significantly higher than the national average. * **Higher Education**: The city is home to several premier institutions. The **Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras)** consistently ranks #1 in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for engineering. * **Historic Universities**: The **University of Madras**, established in 1857, is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in India. * **Specialized Fields**: Chennai is a major center for medical education (Madras Medical College is one of the oldest in Asia) and technical education (Anna University). * **Schooling**: The city features a mix of State Board, CBSE, ICSE, and international curriculum schools, maintaining high graduation and board exam pass rates annually.