HOOGHLY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Hooghly Collegiate School was established in 1812 under the name Hooghly College, making it one of the oldest educational institutions in India and the second oldest school in West Bengal, after St Thomas School in Kolkata. Its history is documented in sources such as Karuņāsāgar Vidyāsāgar, which draw upon 'Education Committee' reports and contemporary periodicals. Over time, the institution's name changed, eventually becoming 'Hooghly Collegiate School' once a college wing was introduced. The school also underwent physical relocations; a 'new building' was constructed near the 'Ṣāṇḍeśvar Talā' end of the prayer ground to house laboratories and classes IX to XI under the new Higher Secondary scheme, along with a separate crafts-cum-smithy building, both completed between 1956 and 1957. The school's oldest building, along with part of the adjoining Mohsin College, originally belonged to Hazi Mohammad Mohsin. Notable alumni include Bankimchandra Chattopadhyay, Dwarka Nath Mitra, Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, Brahmabandhab Upadhyay, Pratul Mukhopadhyay, and Shamsuddin Ahmed. The school has also appeared in popular culture, notably in Suman Sen's 2017 book 'Koto Bhoot! Ki Adbhut!', where its protagonist is depicted as an alumnus.