History
A PROFILE OF MAJDIA RAIL BAZAR HIGH SCHOOL
Majdia Rail Bazar High School, formerly called Majdia Rail Bazar High English School, is situated at Majdia in Krishnaganj Block in the district of Nadia. It is one of the oldest and best schools in Nadia. It started as Majdia Rail Bazar Middle English (M.E) English long way back in 1868. On the recommendation of Macaulay’s Minute William Bentinck recognized and patronized English as the medium of instruction in Govt. schools. In the missionary schools also English was the medium of instruction. At that time, some educationists of the country like Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar started establishing schools where medium was Bengali, and English was also taught as a second language. Inspired by Vidyasagar some enlightened persons of Majdia like Narayan Nath Roy established this school in 1868 and Narayan Nath Roy himself became the first Headmaster of the school. In 1890 Babu Paresh Nath Roy, the then secretary and Station Master of Majdia Railway Station, took special initiative for the recognition and upgradation of the school. Ultimately, the school was recognized by Calcutta University in 1890 and upgraded to High School the next year in 1891. The school was upgraded to Higher Secondary School in 1957.
The school has a glorious past – in academic excellence, in sports and games and in freedom movement. Before 1951, when the school was under Calcutta University, it produced a good number of scholars (twenty one approximately) and nine gold medalists who later became doctors, lawyer, engineers, professors, IAS officers etc. It is a matter of great pride for the school that the present director of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Calcutta Dr. Milan Sanyal is an alumnus of this school. Still now, toppers of the school crack WBJEE and other all India basis exams. every year.
The school played a great role in the freedom movement. In 1938 when Subhash Ch. Bose was going to Dhaka by Dhaka Mail, the students of this school stopped the train at Majdia Station in a unique way, met Sri Bose, touched his feet, got blessings and handed over their collected subscriptions for freedom movement. The students were guided by the great patriot and headmaster Late Tarapada Ghosh who also arranged for a meeting of the leaders and members of Indian National Congress in August in 1942 in the school campus where 500 such members attended. In the 2nd decade of the twentieth century this school was centre and shelter of anti-British activities. The students and teachers of the school had actively taken part in Swadeshi & Bycott Movement, August Revolution and Quit India Movement.
The students were inspired and encouraged to take part in freedom movement by the renowned headmaster Late Tarapada Ghosh who had great love and affection for the students taking part in freedom movement. The hostel of the school was the shelter and den of the revolutionaries. He saved the students accused of rampaging in Assam Mail by telling the British police, “The students were at the hostel at that time.” On 18th August, 1947 when Krishnaganj block got freedom the 1st flag of Independence was hoisted in the premises of this school.
In the post Independence era the school flourished well in every field - academic, sports and games and in cultural programmes. Both N.C.C. and N.S.S. were there in the school. In Basket ball, hockey and football the school had a good reputation in the district. There are three play grounds of the school for sports and games.
Presently, the school is 148 years old. Spread on a large campus the school has almost 1800 students, mostly of SC/ST communities. There are Arts, Commerce and Science streams in HS with five labs, one computer lab and a rich library. But the labs need renovation and modernisation.
The school is trying hard to regain its lost glory. The school celebrates all national events and ceremonies. But the condition of the stage of the school is very bad. It may break down any time. Cycles of the students are kept in the open. A cycle shed is urgently needed. The old boundary wall at the front and side of the school is almost on the verge of break down. The main play ground of the school is being encroached upon day by day as there is no boundary wall. A community hall and a general science lab are the need of the hour.
The students of the school take part in different competitive programmes in the district and bring laurels for the school. The school football team has come out as the champion in Inter-school Football Championship in Krishnaganj Zone in 2014. The U-17 and U-14 football teams of the school participated in the All India Subrata Cup in 2014 and reached the final at the Sub-divisional level. The students of Geography Department of the school go out for excursion every year. Sikkim, Darjeeling, Buxa-Jayanti & Alipurduar have already been visited by the students. The students are taken to Kolkata Book Fair, Science City, Bethuadahari Forest etc.