Darjeeling Government College as it stands today since 5thAugust, 1948, has traversed a long way in serving the community. Darjeeling is very fortunate to have a Government college of this stature and potentiality in this district town.
The college is situated at the foothills of the eastern sub-Himalayan region at an altitude of 2134 metres. It stands on the Lebong Cart Road near the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park and the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute. At the place where the college stands today in its full stature, previously stood St. Michael’s School.
The full-time Government College teachers are appointed by the Government under the West Bengal Education Service (W.B.E.S.) & West Bengal Senior Education Service (W.B.S.E.S.) on the basis of the recommendation of the Public Service Commission, West Bengal, following the eligibility criteria framed by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The college is a full-fledged Government college and is totally under the administrative control of the Higher Education Department (headed by the Principal Secretary, Government of West Bengal) that frames all the policies and modalities regarding the functioning of the college for the Principal to execute. The District Magistrate acts as the President of the Governing Body.
The college boasts of running the Indira Gandhi National Open University study centre since 1986; only one year after the University was established by the Central Government. Initially starting with 34 students, it now claims strength of around 2500 pupils and offers courses such as B.A.; B.Com.; M.A. (English, Hindi, History, Economics, Political Science, Public Administration, Rural Development, Sociology, Tourism Management and Commerce); certificate courses in Teaching of Primary School Mathematics; Diploma in Tourism Studies, English Teaching; selected Doctoral programme and so on.
One of the most important achievements of the college is the building up of a Central Library with a rich collection of more than 1,00,000 books and good number of journals including rare volumes of Tibetan, Nepali and Sanskrit works. The students are allowed to borrow books for studying at home and are encouraged to use the reading room during the college hours. Honours and Post Graduate students enjoy an additional facility of using the extremely rich seminar libraries of their respective departments. The library keeps on adding to its existing resources by utilizing the annual grants provided by the Government and the UGC. The library also provides internet, e-journals and INFLIBNET facilities to the students.
In order to boost information intensive curriculum, most of the departments and offices are provided internet connections with WIFI (wireless fidelity) facility so that any student or teacher can avail unwired internet connection. The college is trying to introduce new subjects at the undergraduate level. The primary interest of Darjeeling Government College has always been to give maximum facility to its students. The Institute offers a well-equipped cheap store and a cheap canteen. Three girls’ hostels including a post graduate girls’ hostel take care of the accommodation of out-station students. Apart from keeping strict vigilance on the academic performances of the students through regular internal tests, the college also emphasizes on their holistic development through encouragement of games and sports. A new fitness Centre has also been added to the college with the latest fitness equipments to cater to the physical fitness of the students as well as the teachers.
Cultural programmes are annually held and co-curricular activities such as quiz, inter- college debates etc. are encouraged. The final year students are guided to make their future career plans through regular career counseling sessions. Along with holding social awareness programmes, the college tries to produce good citizens by providing National Cadet Corps (N.C.C.) training to its students. The college has one Company Senior Division NCC (boys) under 5 Bengal Boys Battalion NCC, Darjeeling, and two Platoon Senior Wing (girls) under 4 Bengal Girls Battalion NCC, Siliguri. Their training is managed by the Associate NCC Officers (ANO). The college N.C.C. Girls cadets have received prestigious awards like the Governor’s medal, the Higher Education Minister’s medal etc. The Girl Cadets of this college have represented the India Youth Exchange Programme in foreign countries like U.K., Vietnam and Bangladesh. Some of the college cadets have also participated in the Republic Day parade in New Delhi and organized different courses of mountaineering, rock climbing, trekking and army attachment programmes etc. The college is also proud of having a vibrant National Service Scheme (N.S.S.) unit established in 2004. It has participated in social programmes organized by the Government and non-governmental organizations and also looks after the upkeep of the college.
The Teachers’ Council is an academic body comprising of all the teachers of the college bounded by its constitution. The Teachers’ Council gives advice to the Principal on different academic issues in relation to the college and different sub-committees regulate various activities of the college. The Council is headed by an elected General Secretary whose term in office is one year. Principal is the ex-officio President of this Council.
Besides Darjeeling Government College Alumni Association has been formed and is registered under the West Bengal Societies Act.
Darjeeling Government College has already earned fame in its 75 years of excellence for encouraging academic intercourse through organizing national and international seminars and workshops on specific disciplines and interdisciplinary subjects. It is now on its way to inviting the 2nd cycle NAAC visit and planning to further bolster students’ welfare by organizing regular parent-teacher and alumni meets to get essential feedbacks about the functioning of the college.
From its day of inception to its journey till date, the college encountered many hurdles; but it has never stopped moving forward. Research projects sponsored by UGC, DST-GoI, WB DST-BT, and other funding agencies are being carried out at the Doctoral levels. The college aims to become an affiliate of many other similar projects and has a vision to upgrade this institution to its zenith.
