page_title: University College Thiruvananthapuram
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: University College Thiruvananthapuram / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The Maharajah's College, Trevandrum (p.103, 1891), London Missionary Society
context_page_description: University College, Thiruvananthapuram is a constituent college of the University of Kerala, based primarily in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the Indian state of Kerala.
  The college was awarded 23rd rank by National Institutional Ranking Framework, NIRF in 2019.
context_section_description: The institution, now called the University College, was founded in 1834 by the Government of Travancore during the reign of his Highness Sri Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma, one of the most illustrious rulers of the former state of Travancore, who was known for his devotion and great contributions to art and culture.
  The Maharaja had occasion to visit a school that was imparting instruction in English at Nagercoil under the auspices of the London Missionary Society (LMS). He was impressed by the school and the quality of the education given there and was convinced that the new type of school held out great prospects for the people of the state. The school later evolved into Scott Christian College, Nagercoil. Shortly, thereafter, he invited Mr. Roberts who was in charge of the school at Nagercoil to come to Thiruvananthapuram and start a similar school there. The educationist, who was an Englishman, agreed and a new school was started in 1834. It was private institution, but the state Government contributed the prescribed fees for 80 pupils who thereby got free tuition. The classes were conducted in an old building about half a mile to the south of University College, on the premises where the Govt. Ayurveda College stands today. In less than a year, the government took over the school and assumed full responsibility for its management. Roberts was appointed headmaster and it came to be known as the Raja's Free School. In the following year, the institution was moved to a new building constructed for the purpose on the premises where the University College is now located. The school continued as a free institution till 1863–64. Those were days when education of the western type was being newly introduced in India and the Raja's Free School was one of the earliest institutions in South India established under the auspices of the Government for imparting instruction to the children of the state. It attracted pupils from all parts of Travancore and many of its alumni rose to high positions in the public life of the state and distinguished themselves in may fields of cultural activity.
  In 1866, during the reign of His Highness Sri Ayilyam Thirunal Rama Varma Maharaja of Travancore, it was decided that facilities for higher education should also be provided by the Government and the Raja's School was raised to the status of a college affiliated to the University of Madras. It was named H.H. The Maharaja's College, though it still had the original school attached to it. John Ross, an inspiring teacher whom many in Travancore of the previous generation still remembers with reverence and affection, was the first principal. Courses leading to the first examination in Arts of the Madras University were started. A spacious building for housing the college was constructed in 1870. It was a two-storeyed structure and has lasted to this day, forming the central block of the main building of the University College, which bears the bell tower and the ornamental G.I. roofing at the two ends. In laying the foundation stone of the building, His Highness the Maharaja Ayilyam Thirunal said:
  "I consider this a grand occasion. In laying the foundation stone for a college we are in fact imparting strength and durability to a system of public education of a high order, which cannot fail to exercise a most important influence on the rising generation and on generations yet unborn.
  It is gratifying to me to reflect that English education struck early root in Travancore, that under favourable auspices, it has attained satisfactory growth and that already, pressing on the material limits provided for its by my venerated predecessor, it now calls for enlarged accommodation.
  
  Such a call, it is superfluous for me to say, will at all times be responded to by the State with the utmost alacrity. To the numerous pupils I see assembled on this auspicious occasion I will only say: Pursue your various studies with the utmost devotion and perseverance; show yourselves worthily of the anxious care bestowed on you by your country for cultivated intelligence and, eve
caption: The Maharajah's College, Trivandrum (p.103, 1891), London Missionary Society[3]
exif: {"Image Tag 0x000B": "Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image Software": "Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384", "Image DateTime": "2015:11:02 12:30:30", "Image ExifOffset": "2242", "Image Padding": "[]", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "96", "Thumbnail YResolution": "96", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "4516", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "16785", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2015:11:02 12:18:23", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2015:11:02 12:18:23", "EXIF SubSecTimeOriginal": "96", "EXIF SubSecTimeDigitized": "96", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF Padding": "[]"}