History

Despite the growing demand for Western education the foundation of the Nizamat College at Murshidabad in 1826 AD could not be hailed with joy because of its sectarian and exclusive character. The idea of founding a Nizamat College was for the first time conceived in 1823 AD by Nawab Nazim Wala Jah , but he died the next year and was succeeded by Nawab Nazim Humayun Jah , on the 31st August, 1824 AD, William Loch, the Governor-General’s Agent at Murshidabad, submitted to the Governor General a scheme for the foundation of a School and College for the education of Sahebzadas and Akrobas or blood relations. On the 27th May, 1825 AD, the Governor General approved the plan for the establishment of “A School and College for the education of the youth connected with the Nazim’s family and eventually of children of respectable Mussalman parents generally residing in Moorshedabad”. The College was started in 1826 AD in the Mubarak Mahal and Rs 20,000 was fixed as the annual charges of the College to be spent from the Nizamat Deposit Fund.

 

In 1831 AD, when Raja Gangadhar Roy was the Dewan of the Nizamat, the College was thrown open, at the discretion of the College Committee, to respectable Hindus. The proportion of the students in 1826 AD was 24 Muslims and 32 Hindus. A handsome and extensive building for the College was completed in 1843 AD. The building was designed by Colonel McLeod of the Bengal Engineers and was completed at a cost of Rs 76,500, F.J.V. Seddon, an Oriental Scholar of eminence, who knew 32 languages, was the Principal of the College from 1841 AD to 1845 AD.

[Location Map – Nizamat College, Lalbagh :24°11’26″N 88°16’04″E]