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]
History
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 CambridgeWrangler 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]
Ranking
Presidency College is ranked third as per National Institutional Ranking Framework for colleges.[4]
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]
History
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 CambridgeWrangler 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]
Ranking
Presidency College is ranked third as per National Institutional Ranking Framework for colleges.[4]