Presidency College, Chennai

College in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Presidency College, Chennai

Presidency College is an art, commerce, and science college in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. On 16 October 1840, this school was established as the Madras Preparatory School before being repurposed as a high school, and then a graduate college. The Presidency College is one of the oldest government arts colleges in India. It is one of two Presidency Colleges established by the British in India, the other being the Presidency College, Kolkata.[1]

Quick Facts Former name, Motto ...
Presidency College
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Coat of Arms
Former name
Madras Preparatory School, Madras High School
MottoUnde Orta Recurrit (Latin)
Motto in English
This inspired returns
TypeGovernment College
Established1840; 185 years ago (1840)
PrincipalDr. R. Raman
Academic staff
249
Students4099
Undergraduates3280
Postgraduates819
Location
Wallajah Road, Chepauk, Chennai, India
CampusUrban
AffiliationsUniversity of Madras
Websitepresidencycollegechennai.ac.in
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Main building of Presidency College, Chennai.

History

Summarize
Perspective
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Historical photograph of the college (from the Illustrated London News, 1870)

Sir Thomas Munro asked for a Committee of Public Instruction to form in 1826. In 1836, the committee's duties changed to the "Committee of Native Education". The plans drawn up by the committee did not commend themselves to the Governor of Madras, Lord Elphinstone, who proposed nineteen resolutions that passed unanimously.[2]

Elphinstone chose E. B. Powell, a University of Cambridge Wrangler in mathematics, to be the first principal, and Powell accepted the post. He arrived in Mumbai (Bombay) on September 20, 1840, but did not reach Chennai (Madras) until 24 November. Meanwhile, the committee had invited Cooper from Hoogly College, Kolkata, to temporarily carry out the principal duties at a salary of Rs 400 per month. Cooper accepted the invitation and came to Chennai (Madras). He and his staff opened Presidency School, a preparatory school, in a rented building in Egmore known as Edinburgh Home, on 16 October 1840. Cooper remained in the primary school for only a few months. Soon after Powell's arrival, and before the high school department opened on 12 April 1841, he returned to Kolkata. The preparatory school shifted to Popham's Broadway in 1841.[2]

The schools grew into Presidency College. When the University of Madras was founded in 1857, Presidency College became affiliated with it.[2]

In 1870, the college moved to its present location in Kamaraj Salai, opposite Marina Beach.[3]

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Close up view of the main entrance to the Presidency College
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The clock tower atop the building
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Senior Mathematics Intermediate Group, Break-up social, 3 March 1941

Ranking

In the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for the year 2023, Presidency College has been ranked 3rd again.[4]

Presidency College is ranked third as per National Institutional Ranking Framework for colleges in the year 2022.[5]

Notable alumni

Notable faculty

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Victoria hostel

Presidency College (mainly its campus) was the place where many films were shot, including:[20]

References

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