One of India’s oldest college in Punjab silently turns 150 years old without any celebrations
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ April 16,2025
Government Mohindra College, Patiala has got the rare distinction of turning 150 years of its establishment on March 30,2025
The Earl of Northbrook, the then Viceroy of India laid the foundation stone of the College building on 30th March 1875.
The 150th year of its establishment goes unnoticed as no function is marked even by the college authorities, district administration, alumni association or by anyone.
When contacted Sukhwinder Singh, who was the officiating Principal of Govt Mohindra college on March 30,2025, he said “no event was organised on that day as the appointment of regular principal was expected at that time.
When contacted Maninder Kaur Sidhu, Principal Govt Mohindra College, Patiala, she said “ i had joined this prestigious institution in the first week of April 2025. We have planned a series of function to commemorate the historic 150th year of establishment of world renowned Govt Mohindra College, Patiala.”
One of India’s oldest college in Punjab silently turns 150 years old without any celebrations. When contacted Anandita Mitra, IAS administrative secretary higher education on phone, she asked to text the question on the issue. Later she switched off her mobile.
One of the oldest institutions in India, Govt. Mohindra College, Patiala, is a living monument of rare magnificence and breath-taking grandeur. At the time of its inception in 1875, it was the only institution of its kind in a vast area stretching from Lahore to other parts of India. The College was established to provide free education to the state subjects as this region was educationally impoverished. His Excellency, The Earl of Northbrook, the then Viceroy of India laid the foundation stone of the College building on 30th March 1875.
The building was completed in about nine years and His Excellency, Viceroy Lord Ripon performed the Opening Ceremony on 17th March, 1884. At that time the College was affiliated to the Calcutta University. The college imparted free education to the state subjects until 1937.
Initially the college imparted education in Sanskrit, Persian, and Arabic and the teaching of English and Mathematics was commenced shortly afterwards. In 1880, intermediate classes were started and in 1887, to commemorate the 50th year of the reign of Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, the college was upgraded to B.A. standard of Punjab University, Lahore. Post-graduation in Mathematics was started in 1912, in Philosophy in 1922 and in Punjabi in 1949. The College remained affiliated to Punjab University, Chandigarh also.
In recognition of its contribution to higher learning the Govt. of India issued a commemorative Postage Stamp on Mohindra College on March 14, 1988. Later on the State Govt. adjudged the college as one of the four ‘Model’ colleges of the State. The College was awarded the A+ Grade by the ‘NAAC’ in April 2003 in the Cycle-I of NAAC and in the Cycle-II, the college is awarded with “A” Grade with a CGPA “3.86” by the ‘NAAC’ in February 2016, the highest score given to any college in the country. In 2006 the University Grants Commission accorded CPE status to the College under its scheme of ‘Colleges with Potential for Excellence’, a status which the College enjoyed until 2014. In 2009, the Department of Biotechnology of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, selected the college for financial assistance under its ‘Star College in Life Sciences Scheme’. The College has been selected for being a Community College under the Community College Scheme of the UGC.
