Garhbeta College - GC West Bengal - GC

In the Bargiraj Dynasty, Garhbeta was a small hamlet. As found in the history, this place became popular in the art an culture since 16th century. The river Silabati was a silent viewer of many ups and downs happened in Garbhbeta. There are many evidences that occurred in British Rule of oppression an its strong opposition from the people of Garhbeta. To take a frontier role in the development of the nation, the people of Garbheta established Garhbeta High School in 1888. It was a milestone on the way to spread education in the jangal area. The famous and well known leader in ‘Quit India’ movement Late Gobinda Kumar Singha envisaged to establish one higher educational institution at Garhbeta an he successfully did this noble work with the full support of the villagers as well as the Jamindar of this area.The auspicious day in which the ‘Rarah Bangla’ got the door to higher study was 13th August 1948. Garhbeta has a rich cultural heritage in its past.The bank of the holy river Silabati was the mother of many great sons like freedom fighter, educationist, big corporate owner etc. The place with religious interest , enchanting sight of the Mahabharata famne ‘Gangani’ and the varied beauty of pleasant vast green forest and laterite soil attract large number of visitors with diverse interest on different occasions throughout the year. More and more water have passed though Silabati, Garhbeta  adopted various changes in due course of time. Fertile land, well connected road & railways and expertise persons in various field put Garhbeta to its inevitable position in agriculture, business and education. The college has started its journey from Banerjeedanga High school with only 50 students on 12th February 1950. The college was shifted to its campus constituted by the generous donation of 12.58 acres of land by the local fighter Late Basanta Kumar Sarkar and 9.56 acres of land by Midnapur Zamindar Company. The college is marching forward with a vision to achieve its mission of catering higher education to students of Paschim Medinipur and the adjoining districts of Bankura and Hooghly. In the 67 years of its long journey started just with a corrugated sheet shade in the jangal, the college has now reached at a height and possesses long buildings, well established laboratories with sophisticated instruments and provided with other basic amenities that are essential for an institution of higher learning. Since inception the College was affiliated to the University of Calcutta with Arts and Commerce stream in Intermediate standard at first.Affiliation up to B.A.(Pass) standard was extended in 1957, followed by B.Sc (Pass) in 1960 and Mathematics (Hons) and History (Hons) in 1964. Subsequently, University of Calcutta granted B.Com. (Pass) and Zoology (Pass) and Botany (Pass) in 1982 and 1983 respectively. In 1985, the education hunger people of undivided Midnapore received the long waiting and most coveted gift Vidyasagar University from UGC as well as Govt. of West Bengal and Garhbeta College became affiliated to the University and the college steadily progressed in all its dimensions of academic sphere. Now the college offers honours in thirteen subjects in arts, science and commerce. Besides, there are three more general subjects, one major vocational course (O.M.S.V.), one professional course B.P.Ed. (N.C.T.E. approved) and one UGC sponsored certificate course (Food Processing Training Course). There has been continuous research activity in most of the departments as well. Ex-students are also in constant touch with departments in the perspective of higher studies and research. Apart from the degree, diploma or certificate course, college has adopted a scheme of free coaching (Sponsored by UGC) to the reserved category and economically backward students. In another scheme of UGC , college made some arrangement to provide free coaching for various competitive examinations to the unemployed youth resides in the catchment area of Garhbeta. To send the message that the education is not only for all but to all ages, Garhbeta College has a wing of distance education in its campus namely Netaji Subhas Open University Study Centre. In the near future Garhbeta College will take a frontier leadership in the propagation of higher education in the country.