Metropolitan Institution and Vidyasagar College

  • Thakurdas Chakraborty was an educationist who founded Metropolitan Training School (later Calcutta Training School) in 1859 at 1 Arpuly Lane, Kolkata. 
  • Pundit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar joined the institution as the President of the Managing Committee in the school in 1860.
  • In 1864, the school was renamed as the Metropolitan Institution (now located at 39, Sankar Ghosh Lane, Simla, Machuabazar) and in the same year, Vidyasagar applied to the Calcutta University for their affiliation to the First Arts (FA) course. The application was turned down, mainly due to the objection raised by J. Sutcliffe, the then Principal of Presidency College. The students of the school performed brilliantly in the Entrance Examination, conducted by the University of Calcutta in 1871 and this inspired Vidyasagar to re-apply for getting affiliation of the University. After some opposition, the University Vice-Chancellor, Edward Clive Bail, agreed to the proposal and on 27th January 1871, the Syndicate sanctioned and recommended the appeal to the Government. On 19th February 1871 the Government of India sanctified affiliation of the institution up to the standard of the First Examination in Arts (FA), with effect from the month of January 1872. 
  • The college became the first private and truly secular college in the Presidency of Bengal, run, taught and even financed by Indians. 
  • Metropolitan Institution (Main) also functions as a Government sponsored Higher Secondary School. 







  • The college initially started with only 5 departments, which included Sanskrit, English, Philosophy and General History.
  • Surendranath Banerjee was associated with teaching in the institute. 
  • After the passing away of the founder in 1891, Metropolitan Institute was renamed to Vidyasagar College in 1917. 
  • The Commerce Department (started in 1922) has been considered as the oldest commerce teaching department in India. Due to the rapid growth of the commerce section, a separate wing started at evening hours in 1951. In 1961, the evening section emerged as an independent entity with a separate Governing Body and affiliation from University of Calcutta, having a new name "Vidyasagar Metropolitan College". 
  • On 1st July 1931, the Woman Section of the college was introduced operating in the morning hours. In 1960, the morning Woman section separated as a new independent entity with the affiliation of University of Calcutta. 
  • The college has three campuses in Kolkata: Main campus (heritage campus), Bidhan Sarani Campus and Bidhannagar Campus. The main campus is at 39 Sankar Ghose Lane near the College Street. The second campus is Bidhan Sarani Campus at Bidhan Sarani Road, which is connected internally to the main campus. The Vidyasagar College for Women and Vidyasagar Metropolitan College (night college) are also connected in the same area. The college has its third campus named Bidhannagar Campus at the Salt lake Sector II, which is specialized for post-graduate courses.

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