| CMS College Kottayam | |
|---|---|
| Motto | Thy Word Is Truth |
| Established | 1817 |
| Academic affiliation | Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam |
| Principal | Korah Mani |
| Location | Kottayam |
| Website | cmscollege.ac.in |
The CMS College (CMS College Kottayam) is the first college in Kottayam, Kerala, India. It was started by the Church Missionary Society, England, in 1817 when no institution existed in the then-Travancore state to teach English. The Rev. Benjamin Bailey was the first principal of The College, COTTYM, as it was then called and spelt. The government welcomed the College as "a place of general education whence any demands of the state for officers to fill all departments of public service would be met".[1]
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The college has 14 departments and 47 courses. There are six research centres in the college. PhD research work is conducted in the departments of Botany, Zoology, Physics, Chemistry, English and Commerce.
In the early years, the curriculum included the study of Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Mathematics, History and Geography besides English, Malayalam, Sanskrit and Syriac. In 1838, the College was shifted to the wooded hillock — the present site — commanding views of the distant Western Ghats. One of the oldest buildings in the campus is Room 52 or "Grammar School" as it was then named. The College magazine in Malayalam was started in 1864 by Principal Richard Collins, after whom the college library is named.
In 1857 the college was affiliated to Madras University soon after its incorporation and the college presented students for the Matriculation examination. The college provided free education to all the students until 1855 when the fee of 1 Rupee a month began to be collected from each student. The total number of students in 1870 was only 129. In 1880, the Maharaja of Travancore who visited the College observed: "Long before the state undertook the humanizing task of educating the subjects, the Christian Missionaries had raised the beacon of knowledge in the land".
In 1890, two-year classes were started and the first batch of students was presented for the F.A Examination in 1892. It was in 1938 that female students were admitted in the College for the first time.
In 1840, the number of students in the College was 220. In 1950, Degree classes were started and by 1960, the number of students in the college rose to 1250. Postgraduate classes were started in 1959. The college is now affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. In 1981, the Synod of the Church of South India transferred the management of the college to the C. S. I. Madhya Kerala Diocese.
In 1999 the college was accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with five star status. Later in 2004 the University Grants Commission (UGC) accorded the status of college with Potential for Excellence (CPE). In 2009, CMS College English Department which is the oldest department in the oldest college in the state celebrated the golden jubilee of introduction of the postgraduate programme.[2]
The alumni of the college include Dr. K. R. Narayanan, former President of India; Mr.K. P. S. Menon; formulator of Indian foreign policy; Sardar K.M. Panikkar, former ambassador to China; Dr. E.C.G Sudharshan , world famous physicist;[3] Padma Bhushan Dr. Jacob Chandy, noted neurosurgeon; Justice K. T. Thomas, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India;[3] Padma Bhushan Sri. K. M. Mathew,former chief Editor of Malayala Manorama; Mr.Oommen Chandy, Chief Minister of Kerala; dramatist, poet Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, Mr.Suresh Kurup, Member of Parliament; Olympian Sally (former national football player), Dr. Margarete Nawgiri née Kurian (Ophthalmologist), Dr. Maya S. Kurup (Paediatrician), Dr. Razia Sulaiman, Dr. Sathish Kuruvilla (Obstetrics and Gynaecology), Dr. Philipose John (Cardiologist),Ittoop Kurian and Matthai Kurian(Engineers),Mr.Kurian Simon,Sheela Kuriakose née Thomas who is a free-spirited homemaker.
The alumni of the college include Dr. K. R. Narayanan, former President of India; Mr.K. P. S. Menon; formulator of Indian foreign policy; Sardar K.M. Panikkar, former ambassador to China; Dr. E.C.G Sudharshan , world famous physicist [3]; Padma Bhushan Dr. Jacob Chandy, noted neurosurgeon; Justice K. T. Thomas, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India [3]; Padma Bhushan Sri. K. M. Mathew, chief Editor of Malayala Manorama; Mr.Oommen Chandy, former Chief Minister of Kerala; dramatist, poet Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, Mr.Suresh Kurup, Member of Parliament and Olympian Sally (former national football player). Dr.U Jyaprakash (Cardiologist), Dr Vijayan C P (Gynaecologist and former Supt,, Medical College Hospital, Kottayam)