Gurukula (Mentoring) system is as old as Gandhigram Rural Institute and is part of GRI ever since its inception in 1956. It is an age old system under the traditional educational world and it was operated in the original rural institute at Gandhigram. Further, the system has been continuing even after the declaration of the university status in the year 1976. All the Teachers and students, known as Gurus and Shishyas were soaked under the Gurukula System. Every Guru is made responsible for building and moulding the character of individual student with a view to uproot one of the social sins, “education without character” as identified by Mahatma Gandhi. However, the total personality of the students was shaped by Gurus under the educational system evolved by the founders of Gandhigram Dr.T.S.Soundaram and Dr.G.Ramachandran - the founder Vice-chancellor of Gandhigram Rural Institute. It is envisaged that all-round development of the student in the Institute can take place through the Gurukula system. Such a system will no doubt shape the personality of the future generations. The Gandhigram Rural Institute – Deemed University has been trying to follow the old system with some modifications based on its experiments and experiences with the above system.

Each year, the students admitted under the graduate, Post-Graduate and M.Phil programmes are allotted Gurus. The number of shisyas allotted to each teacher is arrived at by dividing the total number of students in a class by the number of Gurus (Faculty Members) available in the concerned Department. The allotment is done fairly thorough a lot system to avoid arbitrary selections of shisyas. They meet the Gurus at the designated time (decided by each department and incorporated into the weekly timetable) each week to discuss their progress in studies, difficulties faced and other personal, interpersonal and career issues. These gurus also serve as their course advisor, career counsellor and as well-wisher.