Patna College


Patna College, established in 1863 during the British Raj, is one of the oldest colleges in the state of Bihar. It offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in science, arts and commerce as well some vocational courses like BBA,BMC & BCA. The college is affiliated to Patna University. It is also considered to be the oldest institution of higher education in Bihar.

History

Patna College is the oldest institution that provides higher education in entire Bihar state. Nearly every major college of Patna- Patna Law College, Engineering College, Patna Science College and Vanijya Mahavidyala, has their roots from this college. Patna College was established on 9 January 1863, during the British Raj. The paradigm of 20th century education has been appropriated in the history of this college. Accordingly, this ideal college as a complete institution, was to provide multilateral intellectual, social development as its own organization.
For years, Patna College remained reputed in state Bihar as the maiden institution for Post-graduate course in humanities. This college has been a leading institution for intermediate, graduate and post-graduate studies in the state of Bihar. It has established a spectacular tradition in the field of education.
After the split up of old Patna University into Patna University and Bihar University on 2 January 1952, the institution saw a significant shift. Until January 1952, the College was a government college and it functioned as an independent unit, but later it became an implied college of Patna University and became responsible only for Undergraduate studies due to the shifting of the burden of Post-graduate learning on University. After the centralization of two years of special honors-teaching, the honors of all art subjects remained in this college. Honors teaching was carried out by the nominated teachers of the Faculty of Arts from all the colleges of the University. In the first two hours, the students of Arts of Honors classes, of other colleges also used to come to study in this college.
But due to the gradual increase in the number of students, up to the end of the eighth decade, honors classes of various arts courses were conducted in their respective colleges.
Although in 1957, all but the Geography, Sociology and Psychology post-graduate departments were shifted to Darbhanga House. However many teachers of Patna College still have been bearing the responsibility of the postgraduate education by attending the departments in Darbhanga House.
There is hardly any change in post-operative activities. Maximum old councils, clubs as well as hostels still is under the Principal of the college.
On 9 September 1974, Economics department was split from the Patna College and it took form into Vanijya Mahavidyala. Presently Vanijya Mahavidyala is in the college’s yard itself.
Patna College holds a long standing tradition for more than 150 years. Patna College is the maiden college in the entire Bihar that holds the luck to celebrate the centenary ceremony in 1963 itself.
The College is also associated with E. M. Forster's novel, A Passage to India. According to Adwaita P. Ganguly, the institution known as Chandrapore College in the novel is "a replica of Patna College". Forster met Charles Russell and V. H. Jackson, who were professors of the college, in the course of writing his novel, A Passage to India. Forster had collected Hiuen Tsang's Indian Diary from Russell before he made his visit to Barabar Caves that appear as an important location in the novel. A hostel in the campus of the college is named after Jackson.
The legendary filmmaker, Satyajit Ray, used the picturesque campus of the college for his award winning film, Seemabaddha.

Campus and buildings

The administrative block of the college is the oldest of all the buildings. It used to be the site for an opium store-house and a Dutch factory in the 17th century, much before the college was started. Other buildings were constructed gradually over a period of time.
Some of these are the western wing, the eastern, the portico and the present BA lecture theater connected with the main building by the long western corridor named after principal Ewbank. Later the hostels like Jackson, Minto, New and Iqbal and quarters for the principal and professors were constructed.
The college building has been declared to be a heritage site by the Archaeological Survey of India.

Departments

Arts & Commerce

A number of celebrations were organised during 2012 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the college. Coinciding with the anniversary is the centenary of the Bihar Legislative Council, which held its first session in the seminar hall of Patna college in 1913 and returned there to mark the occasion on 20 January 2012.

Notable alumni