There is no doubt that Kottayam is one of the most literate places in India and the fact that it is the first town in India to attain 100% literacy really says something about the place. In making Kottayam the Letter Capital of Kerala, the role of educational institutions is really huge.
As such, let us try to understand a few of the most famous educational institutions in Kottayam.
MG University
One of the premier educational institutions in Kerala, MG University was incepted on October 02, 1983 on the auspicious occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi, the birthday of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The university has received a B+ accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council of India and is recognized by the UGC. It must be understood that only four universities of the state have been able to get an accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council of India. The university has under it over 100 colleges affiliated to it spreading across the surrounding 5 districts. Three decades into its existence, the university has grown to become one of the 50 best universities in India as acclaimed by the India Today magazine.
Some of the notable alumni are;
- B. Kemal Pasha
- Aprem Mooken
- Asin Thottumkal
- B. Unnikrishnan
- Kandathil Sebastian
- K. M. Tharakan
- Shiju Radhakrishnan
- Prasanth Manghat
CMS College
CMS College of Kottayam was officially founded by the Christ Missionary Society of England in 1817 and it is also one of the first Western-style colleges not just in Kerala but also in India. During 1817, there wasn’t an institute to teach English in the princely state of Travancore. In the early days of the college, the syllabus included subjects such as Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Mathematics, Geography and History along with several languages such as English, Sanskrit, Malayalam, and Syriac. The college slowly began gaining prominence in the educational spectrum of not just Kottayam but also of Kerala. In 1999, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council accredited the college with a five-star status, which is a coveted status for any college speaking of its excellence. Again in 2004, the college was accorded with the status of College with Potential for Excellence by the University Grants Commission of India.
Some of the notable alumni are;
- K. R. Narayanan
- K. P. S. Menon
- Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II
- K. T. Thomas
- Oommen Chandy
- Kavalam Narayana Panikkar
Baselius College
Incepted in 1964, Baselius College is one of the most prominent colleges in Kottayam. Baselius College is accredited with ‘A’ Grade by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council making it among the very few colleges in Kerala to receive the laurel. Located at the heart of the city, the college stands tall at the MD Seminary Compound. The college now offers a myriad of undergraduate courses in Business Administration, Mathematics, Chemistry, Zoology, Physics, Malayalam, Economics, Commerce, English, Politics and Botany and several post-graduate courses in Economics, Chemistry, English, Physics and Commerce. It also offers an English Research Program that leads to PhD.
A notable alumnus is;
- Guinness Pakru
As you have seen, these institutions have played an exceptional role in shaping the social and cultural background of Kottayam where education is considered to be really paramount.
