Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College


Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College popularly known as ABN Seal, earlier Victoria College, is a co-educational college in Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India. It was established in 1888 and offers undergraduate and postgraduate education. The college is affiliated to the Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University and accredited as A by NAAC. The college has been conferred "Centre of Excellence" status by the University Grants Commission.

History

Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College was established in 1888 as Victoria College by Maharaja Nripendra Narayan of Koch Bihar to enhance student capability in the Kingdom. The first principal was John Cornwallis Godley who in 1895 became the second principal of Aitchison College in Lahore. Later Maharaja Nripendra Naryayan offered the post of principal to Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal, a Brahmo and philosopher, who remained in the post for eighteen years from 1896 to 1913. In 1950, when the state of Cooch Behar was merged into Union of India, the governance was passed to Government of West Bengal. It was earlier affiliated to the University of Calcutta and University of North Bengal and is now affiliated to Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University after the creation of the same. In 1970, it was renamed as Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College. It is one of the few colleges under the Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University to give postgraduate education.

Facilities and campus

The college is in the heart of the town with a campus of and built-up area of 9032.96 sq. meters. The college is divided into six blocks — administrative, bioscience, centenary, humanities, chemistry, and library — and twelve departments. The college has separate hostels for boys and girls with a capacity of 85 and 75 respectively. There are separate common rooms for boys, girls and teachers with facilities for indoor games like carom and table tennis. There is provision for playing outdoor games. There is a in-campus canteen offering snacks and beverages. The college has an IGNOU study center to facilitate distance education.
Acharya Brojendra Nath Seal College has a library with about 55,000 books, journals and periodicals in a two-storied building with an area of about with two reading rooms. The library has LAN facilities and LIBSYS software and follows open access for PG students. The library has photocopying facilities and is partially computerised. Computers with Internet connection are available in the computer center.
There are twenty laboratories for science subjects.

Notable alumni