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Originally established as St. Mary’s Institution by the French Catholic Missionary, Rev. Magloire Barthet
in 1862, as a French Primary School - “Ecole de Sainte Marie”.
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On 15th December 1887, French Government took control over this Institute from the Jesuit Missionaries, renaming it
“EcolePublique des Garcons”.
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Received an affiliation to the University of Calcutta as a First Arts Level College.
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Renamed “College Dupleix” after the renowned Governor General of the French establishments in India,
Lord Joseph François Dupleix.
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As the struggle for Indian Independence gathered storm and Nationalist activities, movements against the
proposed Partition of Bengal consolidated, the College became a political hotbed and a centre of revolutionary
activity with the support and inspiration of its illustrious sub-director, Professor Charuchandra Ray.
Consequently,the College was closed indefinitely from December 1908.
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After a long hiatus of twenty-three years, the College was ultimately re-opened on 4th July 1931 in
Somerset House, near the south-east corner of Kuthir Math. When it reopened in 1931 it used to be
called, “College Dupleix: Section Anglaise: Course D’ Intermediate”. For twenty-three years
the College did not exist and perhaps no other Indian College has had to sacrifice 23 years of its
history.
In the first year of re-opening itself, I.A. and I.SC.courses were introduced. Hundred eighteen students
were admitted to the College in the first year itself and the numbers kept increasing steadily. Therefore,
the College again had to be shifted from Somerset House and relocated to the comparatively spacious
establishment of Bholanath Nandi’s house on Quai Dupleix for an annual rent of Rs. 1500. The French
Government continued to be indifferent to the welfare of the College.
On 17thJuly, 1931 the University of Calcutta issued the following declaration: It is hereby notified for
general information that the Government of Bengal, and the Ministry of Education are pleased to order that
with effect from the commencement of the session 1930-31 the College Dupleix, Chandernagore shall be affiliated
in the Calcutta University in English, Bengali, French, Sanskrit, History, Logic, Elements of Civics, Physics,
Chemistry and Mathematics to the I.A. and I.SC. Standards
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Due to the attempts and influence of Charuchandra Roy, the French Governor issued an order on 2nd June 1938
through which the government of French India took on the responsibility of administering the College.
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On 2nd June 1938, seven years after its re-opening the College finally received official recognition by
the French government and was brought under the control of the French Education Directorate. After being
integrated with the French government’s Education Department in 1938, it was again re-named as
‘College Dupleix: Section d’EtudesSuperiures Franco-Anglaises’.
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On 13th September 1945, the College section of ‘College Dupleix’ was renamed ‘College deBussy’, after Marquis
de Bussy-Castelnau, who had served with distinction under Joseph François Dupleix in the East Indies Company,
in order to distinguish it from the school section which continued to be known as ‘College Dupleix’. This
made way for the commencement of General Degree courses in the College. In 1945, in order to distinguish the
College from a school of the same name, it was re-christened as ‘College de Bussy’.
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Sudhangshushekhar Dutta, lecturer in Mathematics and a representative in the Representative Assembly of
Chandernagore, submitted a proposal for the initiation of General Degree Courses in the College which
was passed as well. Thereafter, with the approval of the University of Calcutta, from July 1947,
Honours courses in English and French and I.A. course in Commerce began to be taught as well.
Towards the end of the same year approval was received for the commencement of Honours courses in
Physics and Chemistry and an Intermediate course in Geography. To accommodate students of these new
streams in consultation with Mr. Bholanath Nandi, a one storey building was erected on the ground
adjacent to the main college building.
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After India obtained independence, the Freedom movement in the French colony of Chandernagore received great
impetus and Chandernagore was finally declared a ‘free city’ on 27th November 1947. English Honours course
was introduced in the College in 1947.
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After the withdrawal of French colonial control, the new government of the free city of Chandernagore renamed
the College as “Chandernagore College” on 17thMay 1948. The College finally acquired the name of
‘Chandernagore College’ which it carries till date. Just as the Governing Council of the Free City of
Chandernagore attempted to resolve various municipal problems, they also ensured laudable improvement
with regard to Chandernagore College. A building was rented for the functioning of the college office in
1948 and during that same year the teaching of Honours course in Mathematics along with graduate courses
in Physics and Chemistry began after the inauguration of the Science building in February 1948 and the
acquisition of necessary laboratory equipments. This was followed by the commencement of Honours courses
in Commerce, History and Economics in the next couple of years
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The people of Chandernagore, with an overwhelming majority, demanded freedom from French rule, through a
referendum held on 19th June 1949. In this year Commerce course was introduced in the College.
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After the merger of the Free City with the Indian Union on June 9, 1952, the College came under the
Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India. The College continued to grow with the commencement
of Honours courses in Bengali, Physics and Chemistry as well as Intermediate courses in Botany and
Zoology.
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The College was finally integrated with the state ofWest Bengal on 2nd October 1954, as a Government College
and as a part of the West Bengal Education Service.
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Departments of Philosophy Science began teaching Honours courses.
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Departments of Political Science began teaching Honours courses.
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Introduction of Honours courses in the Department of Sanskrit
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The Golden Jubilee of the College was celebrated in February 1982.
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Under-graduate courses were introduced in Botany and Zoology and approval was received for beginning
Honours courses in both subjects.
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Since 1999, the College has also been serving as a study centre for Netaji Subhash Open University (NSOU) for
facilitating distance education.
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Post-Graduate classes were started in the Department of Geography.
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In 2002, Chandernagore College was accorded the status of a constituent College under the University of Burdwan.
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The College celebrated its Platinum Jubilee on 4th July 2006 (counted from the date of its re-establishment).
Post-Graduate course in Bengali was introduced in 2006.
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The College was evaluated by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) in 2007 and was awarded
the B++ rank. The College introduced Honours courses in four different subjects – Computer Science,
Environmental Science, Sociology and Education.
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Post-Graduate course in French was introduced in 2008. Chandernagore College thus became the only institute
in West Bengal which teaches French at both Under-Graduate and Post-Graduate levels. The College introduced
Honours courses in four different subjects – Computer Science, Environmental Science, Sociology and Education.
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The 2nd cycle of evaluation by the National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) was done in 2016 and
Chandernagore College was awarded the B ++ rank with improved overall score.
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In 2017, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software has been introduced in the College Office. As a result, all relevant
structured data base of students can be successfully captured stored and admission, registration, enrolment and all other
allied activities of students are practiced through online mode.
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In 2018,a four storied building was built within the College campus for the purpose of Girls’ Hostel and it became fully
operational from April’2019.
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In 2019, Gurudev Bhaban was handed over to the College authority by the Executive Engineer (Social Sector and Electrical),
PWD on 20th September’2019 and classes commenced from September’2019.
In 2019, out of the RUSA project fund restructuring and face lifting of the College Office and of the Common Research Central
Laboratory was undertaken by the Executive Engineer (Social Sector and Electrical), PWD. In the same year an elevator was
installed in the five storied Administrative and Academic building block.
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In 2020, DG Set Generator has been installed in Gurudev Bhaban to provide un interrupted power supply. Plan
for a two storied building in Gurudev Bhaban has been sanctioned in 2020 and work is undergoing in this
building which will house the College Canteen, Student Union Room, Boys Common Room and the Gymnasium.
A project for the renovation of the 200 years old Heritage Building of the College has been sanctioned by
the Department of Higher Education, Government of West Bengal. Keeping the Heritage structure unaltered,
repair and renovation work has already been started from September’2019 under the supervision of PWD.
This single storied Colonial structure supported on twin Tuscan Columns has a broad flight of stairs
which leads to a spacious verandah and has a deep timber louvered screens topped with a decorative parapet,
after renovation has become a fascinating site.
In 2020 civil and electrical repair and renovation work has been undertaken in the Main Administrative
building and in its adjacent areas. Library automation work has also been completed in 2020.
With such continuous growth in academic diversity and physical infrastructure, the College grows from
strength to strength and hopes to become a nationally recognized institute of academic excellence, in
near future.
