History
A Brief History of Kokrajhar Govt. College
In the first half of 1957, the educated people of Kokrajhar town, some government officers and local enthusiasts came together to discuss the long-felt need of a college at Kokrajhar town. That the place was educationally backward and the people needed a college urgently at the place becomes clear from the proceedings of their first public meeting in connection with the formation of an Organizing Committee to establish a college at Kokrajhar. The record of the meeting reads as follows:
1. The People of northern area of the Goalpara district have keenly felt since a long time the dire necessity of establishing a college for Arts and Science at Kokrajhar to impart higher education to young learners who are unable to go distant places for want of adequate means. It is also observed that for want of institutions for higher education in the area, the number of persons having higher educational qualification may be enumerated at one’s fingertips. There are 14 high Schools existing in the area and the students passing out from these schools are quite adequate in respect of starting and running a college. After considering and examining all relevant factors as regards to the establishment of a college at Kokrajhar the centre place of northern area of the district, the centre of the tribal backward class people and this meeting notes that it is now high time for starting a college for Arts and Science at Kokrajhar. It is now resolved that a college under the name and style Kokrajhar College subject to modification if necessary be started at Kokrajhar and an Organizing Committee of the proposed Kokrajhar College be formed with the following members.
| 1. D.C. Goalpara | 2. D.O. Goalpara | 3. D.N. Sahaya |
| 4. S.C. Dey | 5.H. Choudhury | 6.K.C. Brahmin |
| 7. K. Bastunatary | 8. Satish Basurnatary | 9. Rathin Goswami |
| 10. G.N. Sarma | 11. S.I. of Schools | 12. Head Master, H.E. School, Kokrajhar |
| 13. Head Master, Girls ’ H.E. School | 14. R. Basumatary | 15. M.O., Kokrajhar, Dispensary |
| 16. E.A.C., Kokrajhar | 17. B. Das, B.I. | 18. A.N. Dey |
| 19. T. Mazumdar | 20. J.N. Das | 21. O. Ahmed |
| 22. S. Singha | 23. Srikanta Nath | 24. Abinash Brahma |
| 25. Ramprasad Das | 26. Hari Charan Brahma | 27. Rabi Narzary |
| 28. Krisianananda Basumatary | 29. Jagananda Giri | 30. Panchanan Medhi |
| 31. Promode Chandra Basumatary | 32. B. Banerjee, Manager, Kokrajhar T.E. | 33. C.C. Barman |
| 34. Head Master, Sapatgram Bengali H.E. School | 35. Biran Patgiri | 36.Biran Patgiri |
| 37. M.M. Brahma | 38. J. Banarjee | 39. B.K. Barman |
| 40. Harendra Narayan Barman |
2. Resolved that an executive committee of the Organizing Committee of the proposed Kokrajhar College be formed to execute day to day works on the plan and programme adopted by the organizing committee.
| 1. President | 9. Head Master, Kokrajhar H.E. School |
| 2. Vice President | 10. Head Master, Girls’ High School |
| 3. Secretary | 11. H.C. Choudhury |
| 4. Assistant Secretary | 12. M.O., Kokrajhar Dispensary |
| 5. Satish Basumatary | 13. R. Basumatary |
| 6. Rathin Goswami | 14. K.C. Brahmin |
| 7. G.N. Sarma | 15. E.A.C., Kokrajhar |
| 8. S.I. of Schools | 16. K. Basumatary |
3. Resolved that the following persons be elected to the respective posts of office bearers noted against their names.
| 1. Deputy Commissioner, Goalpara | President |
| 2. D.O. Kokrajhar | Vice President |
| 3. D.N. Sahaya | Secretary |
| 4. S.C. Dey | Secretary |
| 5. H.N. Barman | Secretary |
| 6. Sri C.L. Brahmin of M/S K.C. Brahmin | Treasurer |
In the same meeting the members decided to raise funds to run the College. The record of the proceeding book shows their decision to raise rupees one lakh through collection from the public. They even decided to approach the king of Bhutan for financial assistance. The extract of resolution related to the said decision reads as follows:
In a meeting of the Executive Committee held on 10-09-58, presided over by Biman Ch. Bora, S.D.O., the President of the Executive Committee, a resolution was adopted in connection with the site of the College. Resolution No. 6 of that meeting reads as follows:
Resolved that the Habrubari Khasland 84 Bighas be selected for the construction of the College and the Secretary be authorized to make correspondence with the authority concerned for the purpose.
However this decision was not carried forward and instead the Committee laid the foundation of the College at present site, the area which has around 75 bighas. The Managing Committee, later known as Governing Body drew new resolutions in a meeting held on 30-11-1958. The new decision of resolution No.10 reads as follows:
Resolved that the Governing Body of the Kokrajhar College be authorised to move the authority concerned for giving allotment ofthe required land from the dag No. 2194 situated within Kokrajhar Town Chit.
The Governing Body of the college in a meeting held on 24.12.58 decided to lay the foundation of the college on its selected site on 26.12.58 at 2.30 P.M. through the hand of Dr. V.V. Keskar, the then Union Minister of Broadcasting who was due to visit Kokrajhar town on that day. However their decision did not materialize owing to some reason. In the Governing Body meeting held on 16.02.59. The members had discussion as to which subjects should be introduced in the new college. According to the decision of the meeting the following subjects were selected to begin with: English, Assamese, Bengali, Civics, Logic, Com. Geography, History. After several meetings and discussions, the governing body finally decided to open the classes of the new college within the fortnight of August 1959. The resolution did not mention the exact date of class opening, because the Governing Body wanted to fix the date in consultation with the principal and teachers. Resolution No. 2 of the meeting was as follows:
The proceedings of the meeting of the Governing Body dated 14-08-59 held in the evening decided to appoint Mr. K.K. Roy, M.A. as the Principal of the College. However, he did not turn up for the post. Then the Governing Body in a meeting held on 31-08-59 mentioned the name of Sri Panin Brahma as officiating Principal of the College.
Resolution No. 1 adopted in connection with the allowance of Principal I/C reads as follows:
Resolved that a charge allowance be paid to Sri P. Brahma for officiating as a Principal of the Kokrajhar College at the @ Rs. 40/- P.M. w.e.f. 17-08-59.
After 25 days there was another meeting of the Governing Body on 25-09-59. The proceedings of which mention Ramani Kanta Sarma as Principal of the College. This fact can be ascertained from resolution No. 2 of the meeting:
Resolved that the Governing Body of the Kokrajhar College be authorised to move the authority concerned for giving allotment of the required land from the dag No. 2194 situated within Kokrajhar Town Chit.
Resolved that the construction Sub-Committee be authorized to supervise the construction of the building and they will also show the site of the proposed building. Further resolved that the C.S. Committee be co-opted with the following members :
- Sri R.K. Sarma, Principal
- Sri S.Das, Secretary
- Sri D.N. Sahaya
- Sri P. Brahma, Professor
Finally the Governing Body decided to lay the foundation stone of the College building on 16th August, 1959. In this connection an invitation letter was sent to late Rupnath Brahma, the then cabinet minister of Assam requesting him to lay the foundation stone of the college building. The inviting letter reads as follows:
After traversing a long and arduous journey but nonetheless very adventurous and glorious one of almost 50 years it got a new lease of life when the Govt. of Assam took over Kokrajhar College as a full-fledged Government college vide an order no AHE.425/2005/98 Dated Dispur, the 22nd August, 2006 and has since been rechristened as Kokrajhar Govt. College.