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| CMS college, Kottayam, Kerala. deccanchronicle.com |
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| Earliest buildings, CMC thehindu.com |
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| CMS College, Kottayam allegiance-educare.in |
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| Wide verandah, CMS College, Kottayam allegiance-educare.in |
CMS College, Kottayam, came second in the list of 19 colleges, which were accorded with the UGC prestigious Heritage tag competition in April, 2018.
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| Physics block, CMCen.wikipedia.org |
CMS College, Kottayam, established in 1817 by the Church Missionary Society of England, is among the oldest Western-style colleges in India. Located in Kerala’s Kottayam district, it was founded when no similar institution existed in Travancore. The college was supported by Colonel John Munro (not related to Gov. Thomas Monroe of Madras Presidency) Resident of the East India Company and Dewan of Travancore, with Rev. Benjamin Bailey serving as its first principal. Early subjects included English, Latin, Greek, and later, a broad spectrum including Malayalam, Sanskrit, Syriac, Hebrew, Mathematics, and Geography.
In 1838, the college moved to its current hilltop campus overlooking the Western Ghats. "Room 52" or the "Grammar School" is one of its oldest surviving structures. In 1857, the college was affiliated to the University of Madras, presenting students for the matriculation exam. Until 1855, education was free. By 1870, student strength was 129 and reached 220 by 1840. The college started F.A. classes in 1890, admitted women only in 1938, and began degree and postgraduate courses in the 1950s. In 1981, its management was transferred to the CSI Madhya Kerala Diocese.
The college is now autonomous and affiliated with Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. It offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and vocational courses. CMS College was ranked 92nd among Indian colleges by NIRF in 2024.
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| Pretty old archival image of CMC, Kottayam,Kerala |
Above image: Established in 1817 by the Church Missionary Society with Benjamin Bailey as its first principal. Even after retiring he associated with the college and introducing a printing press in 1820. Besides, he took up the tedious task of designing the Malayalam (native language spoken in Kerala) and carefully adopted it for printing in that machine. He was instrumental in publishing Malayalam to English and English to Malayalam dictionaries which were quite helpful to the students and people........
The iconic Great Hall, a central architectural feature, has undergone structural conservation and restoration funded by the UGC and supported by the Diocese. Renovation efforts include preservation of colonial-era facades, wooden ceilings, tiled roofs, and verandahs. Efforts are also being made to digitize historic manuscripts and documents in the Collins Library. In 2016, India Post released a special commemorative envelope on the college's bicentenary.
Today, the college stands as a symbol of Kerala’s early embrace of modern education, producing numerous scholars, writers, and administrators over its two-century legacy. It continues to be a a beacon in Kerala's educational and cultural history.
https://www.navrangindia.in/2016/08/cmc-college-kottayam-kerala-oldest.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Christian_College
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMS_College_Kottayam
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