History

About Mizoram

Mizoram is a small state tucked away in the north-eastern corner of India, and shares borders with Myanmar (formerly Burma) and Bangladesh. Though situated in a remote part of the country with difficult terrain and under-developed means of communication, the people of Mizoram have always been hardy and welcome to challenges. The state boasts of the highest rate of literacy in India (88.49%, according to the 2001 Census report), second only to the state of Kerala. Education is given a very high priority by the people of Mizoram, which has necessitated in a flourishing of educational institutions all over the State. Indeed, the state also boasts of many senior Government officials even at the central level.

Location

Kolasib is on National Highway-54 that connects Silchar in Assam to the southern end of Mizoram. It is a newly-formed district capital, formed in late 1998, from the undivided Aizawl District. Kolasib lies about 97 kilometers from Silchar to the north, and about 83 kilometers from the state capital Aizawl towards the south.

By the 1971 census, Kolasib was next to only the state capital, Aizawl, in population. However, at that time, there were only two High Schools, three Middle Schools, and about five Primary Schools in Kolasib, and five Colleges in the whole of Mizoram. This state of affairs prompted right-thinking leaders and members of the general public about aspiring to have a college of their own.

Efforts by the general public

On the 10th October 1977, some prominent citizens of Kolasib convened a meeting, which considered the problems faced by many of the local youth. Until then, students after passing High School (Class X), had to go to Aizawl or to outside the State to continue studies, a daunting prospect for many of the parents and families, most of whom were rural folk who were not all financially well to do. The meeting resolved to establish a College, which would be called Kolasib College, and formed an ad hoc committee to that end, Mr Vanlalngaia was appointed as Chairman and Mr F. Hrangchhuana as Secretary.

The first step

The Committee pursued the matter of establishment of a College. Finances were collected by voluntary donations from the public and well wishers. The first staffs of Kolasib College were appointed on 28th October 1977. The College started with Pre-University Classes, with 131 students, at Kolasib High School and the first batch of candidates was sent to the Pre-University Course examinations under North-Eastern Hill University (N.E.H.U.) in 1979. The College opened Degree classes in 1981, and the first batch of students was sent to the Degree examinations in 1983.

Since the College had no building of its own, it had to often move to different locations. In 1980, the classes were shifted from Kolasib High School to Government Middle School. Only in 1983 did the College finally move to its present location, after the first building was constructed at the cost of Rs. 1,05,000/- (Rupees One lakh five thousand only).

The College was now on the road to progress. After affiliation to N.E.H.U. up to Pre-University level in 1979, the College was given recognition by the State Government. Affiliation by the University upto Degree level was accorded to the College in 1982. In 1985, Kolasib College was granted deficit status. Pre-University Science classes were started at the College in 1987, and were upgraded to Degree level in 1992, for which affiliation to the University was gained in 1994.

Recognition by the University Grants Commission

The College was included in the Commission's list of Colleges under section 2(f) and "declared fit to receive assistance from the University Grants Commission and other Central sources under 12(B) of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956" in 1990 [UGC Letter No. F. 8-93/86 (CPP-I) dated 27 October 1990].

Provincialization

Kolasib College was taken over by the State Government under Provincialization Rules from 31st January 1992, and then came to be known as Government Kolasib College. The College is presently affiliated to Mizoram University since its establishment in 2000.

Over the past 30 years, the College has grown by leaps and bounds, from a "mobile" College to an established institution of higher education that serves the students made up of rural, tribal youth of the northern part of Mizoram, most of whom can ill afford the financial burden of studying at Aizawl or outside the state in pursuit of further education. This is in tune with the vision, intentions, and aspirations of the founders of the College, as well as of the general public.

Chronology of Events