A Brief History

Dear Aspiring Learners,

We will be very glad to have you all as members of our College Family. But before this happens, you would perhaps like to know something about this temple of higher learning. Well, here is a brief account of when, why and how Bilasipara College came into existence.

Tenth (10th) August, 1960 is a red letter day for the people of Bilasipara, as on this auspicious day the college was established in a picturesque surroundings of Bilasipara town. It was a small beginning but a gigantic and historic step. From a tiny seedling the institution has been, over the last 59 years, emerging as a giant tree of knowledge, standing proud and erect and spreading its leaves and branches all over every nook and cranny of Bilasipara sub-division and its adjoining areas. It has produced hundreds of graduates who have been rendering yeomen service to the society and the nation in various capacities.

The present administrative sub-division of Bilasipara comprises of a vast area spreading to Salkocha, Chapar and Bahalpur on the east, Bagribari, Manipur and Rangamati on the west, Sapatgram on the north and a vast tract of Char area on the south. Most of the inhabitants of this area are small farmers. Fifty nine years ago, there was no institution of higher learning in this locality. Though B.N. College was established way back in 1946 in Dhubri town, it was not possible for the students of Bilasipara to reap the benefits of higher education there because of the miserable condition of transport and communication.

However, after independence a bunch of enlightened people of this locality felt the need of establishing a college for the education and upliftment of the students of this economically backward place. It was no doubt a herculean task at that point of time but the sincerity, determination and dedication of the founding fathers of the college would not admit defeat. It was a happy co-incidence that the last Zamindar of Chapar Zamindary Late Nripendra Narayan Choudhury expressed his desire to donate his “Kirti Mandir”, also called Rangmahal, for some public institution. The founding fathers seized the opportunity and approached the Late N.N. Choudhury and requested him to donate this architectural building and adjoining plot of land for the establishment of a college. The Zamindar readily complied with their request, helped them constitute a Trust Board and within a few days donated the “Kirti Mandir” and an adjoining plot of land for this noble cause. The founding fathers held a number of meetings one after the other and formed a 56 – membered General Committee of the college and a 20 – membered Executive Committee. They worked day in and day out and at last on August 10, 1960 the college was set up on the south-eastern side of Bilasipara town. Initially, it was named N.N. College, after the name of the Zamindar. Students enrolled themselves in I.A. first year and regular classes were held from that very month (i.e., August, 1960). However, Bachelor Degree Courses in Arts were introduced in 1964.

In order to meet the academic, administrative and infrastructural expenses of the college a regular campaign for collection of money and materials began. Members of the G.B., students, lecturers and well-wishers of the institution went all out in their effort to collect adequate fund for the college. For raising funds the students frequented the market places, fairs, public gatherings with a begging bowl in their hands. They also collected paddy, jute, etc. from the farmers of the neighbouring villagers. The general public overwhelmingly responded to the call for help and donated their mite generously. The Marwary Association of Bilasipara donated a reasonable amount of money. The Bilasipara Town Committee extended a sizeable amount of money collected from various auctions of the market places every year, starting from 1960 till 1969.

In 1965, the Education Department of the Govt. of Assam insisted that the college be dissociated with feudal legacy by renaming it and the college authority was compelled to name it “Bilasipara College”, deleting the nomenclature – N.N. College and as soon as it was renamed it started receiving a special grant of Rs. 1500/- (Rupees One thousand five hundred) only per month w.e.f. July, 1966. The financial suffering of the college, however, ended when it came under the Deficit-Grant-in-Aid system of the Govt. of Assam from September, 1969. Then the college came under the Provincialisation Act from December-1, 2005. The Science Stream, which was introduced at the H.S. level in 1991 and at the Degree level in 1995, was provincialised in 2013, adding another feather to the cap of the college.

The establishment of the Science Stream of t he college owes much to Sri Dhrubajyoti Hazarika, who had joined office as the second S.D.O. (Civil) of the newly formed Bilasipara Sub-division in 1989. He became the President of the college G.B. and in one of its meetings, he first mooted the proposal for the introduction of a science stream in the institution and directed the then Principal and Secretary Late Ram Kanu to immediately convene a general meeting in connection with this matter. Accordingly, a general meeting of the local citizens, guardians and well-wishers of the college was held and after threadbare discussion of the agendum the meeting constituted a Feasibility Committee headed by Prof. Raju Bordoloi (Deptt. of Mathematics) to study the feasibility aspect of the proposal for introducing Science Stream. On examining the pros and cons of the proposal the Feasibility Committee submitted its report favouring the setting up of the said stream to the G.B., which after considering the detailed report, decided that the Science Stream be introduced in the college from the academic year 1991-92 vide Resolution No. 6 of its meeting held on 10-11-1990.

The foundation stone of the stream was laid down by the then Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri. The construction work of a huge two-storeyed RCC building measuring 120 feet in length and 30 feet in breadth began and the expenditure incurred for the purpose was initially met out of the fund collected from the students against Building Fee and then from the financial assistance of Rs. 4 lakh extended by the Govt. of Assam from its Lottery Fund. The construction work was expedited under the active supervision of the G.B. members, namely, Late Arun Kumar Das, Sri Ganeshmal Sethia, Sri Madan Saha, Late Jabbar Ali, and above all, Prof. Bordoloi.

In its inception the finance of the Science Stream was managed from the fund of Rs. 1750/- extended from the monthly rent of Rs. 2500/- collected from the bus owners of Bilasipara Private Bus Stand, the donation of paise 10 per ticket made by the owner of the local Indrapuri Cinema Hall, paise 2 per litre of Kerosene sold by the A.O.C., Bilasipara and from the monthly tuition fee collected from the students under the active supervision and co-operation of the S.D.O. (Civil) and the Executive Officer of Bilasipara Town Committee Smt. Indrabati Das. A well-furnished laboratory with water supply facility was also set up in no time. Two human embryos were donated and a microscope was given for use in the laboratory by a local doctor.

The college owes it debt of gratitude to, among others, the late Zamindar N.N. Choudhury, Late Jagadananda Chakraborty, Ex. Chairman, Bilasipara Town Committee, late Nripendra Nath Chakraboty, Ex. Headmaster, Rokakhata High School, late Gangaram Sharma, local leader, late Laxmi Narayan Agarwala, local businessman , late Jonab Deraj Uddin Sarkar, Ex. M.L.A., and late Shekandar Ali Bepari, local leader who had offered untiring services for its development.

The college was under the stewardship of a number of distinguished educationists at different points of time. Sri P.P. Changkakati was the founder Principal of the college. After him, Sri S.P. Kanu, Dr. Mahendra Bora, Sri B. Gohain, Dr. N.C. Thakuria, Dr. J.K. Talukdar, Sri S.K. Mondal and Dr. Malek Uddin adorned the Principal’s chair at different times. Moreover, Sri M.M. Das, Sri D. Bhattacharjee, Dr. A.K. Chakraborty, Mrs. G. Guha Roy, Dr. P.K. Mahanta, Sri R. Tamuli, late R.A. Sharma, Sri M.R. Sheikh, late P.K. Pathak, Sri I.A. Mondal, Mrs. Bharati Patgiri, Sri A.B. Siddique, Miss Angira Mazumdar, Dr. Raju Bordoloi, Sri Karuna Kanta Sarmah and Mrs. Anushila Chakravarty remained as Principal-in-charge at different intervals of time while there was no regular Principal.

The college has successfully completed 59 years of its glorious existence and its Golden Jubilee was celebrated in 2010 with pomp and gaiety with the active participation of alumni, well wishers, students, faculty members, non-teaching staff and the public in general. The institution underwent the process of National Accreditation in 2004 & 2019 by the NAAC and accredited at the “B” level twice.

Conforming to the National Pattern of education (10+2+3), this full-fledged degree college imparts two-year Higher Secondary and six-semester Degree Courses of study in both Arts and Science. It has a well-furnished central library, well-equipped laboratories with sophisticated instruments, wi-fi facility, I.C.T.U., Reprography facility, CCTV cameras in almost all the classrooms and digitalized classrooms like A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Hall, Dr. Bhupen Hazarika Hall, smart class-rooms for Major classes like Pancharatna Pahar, Mahamaya Pahar, Talumalu Beel, Shakhati Pahar, Tokrabandha Pahar, Chandardinga Pahar, Pachnoi, Namchang, Hulukanda Pahar, etc. have come up; wall magazines for the students of all the departments have been provided; the entire campus has been beautified with the introduction of floriculture; canteens for both staff and students have been set up. The introduction of the Commerce Stream from the next academic year has been on the offing; with the active support and patronage of the local M.L.A. Sjt. Ashok Kumar Singhi & this dream will soon be translated into a reality. Necessary initiation has already been undertaken in order to introduce IT department in the college from this very academic session. In this connection the courses like PGDCA, BCA & B.Sc. IT under Gauhati University will get priority.

A few years back a study centre each of Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University (KKHSOU) and the Institute of Distance and Open Learning (IDOL) under G.U. were opened at the college campus and these centres are a great help in the field of distance education catering to the needs of housewives and in-service learners. Besides these, a non-formal Sanskrit Education Centre has recently been set up for the study of this classical language.

Much has been done but much remains to be done. The college authority is trying its best to cater to the needs of the students and the staff in spite of its limited resources. It will not be out of place to mention here that there are some good scholars among the teaching staff in different departments of the college who are ready to guide the students and help them make their dreams a reality.