History

The starting of an English School in June 1877 to impart English Education to the young members of the Zamorin’s family marked the beginning of a great educational institution which largely played a vital role in shaping the educational and intellectual life of Malabar.  The school was started by H.H. Sri Manavikrama Maharaja Bahodur, K.C.S.I; F.M.U, the Zamorin of Calicut, acting in conjunction with the Senior Rajas of his family and on the advice of Mr. Logan, the then Collector of Malabar.  The School began functioning in the Zamorin’s Palace at Tali with Mr. Ceril. M. Borrow as Head Master.  The very next year the school was thrown open to Hindu boys of all caste and was given the name “Kerala Vidyasala”.  In the same year, the Government of Madras, in recognition of the public spirit of the Zamorin Raja, made a gift of Rs.1815 to the institution for the purchase of a small library, physical science apparatus and physiological diograms and models.

Founder H.H. Sri Manavikrama Maharaja Bahodur

In February 1879, the institution was affiliated to the University of Madras as a Second Grade College.  In 1900, the name “Kerala Vidyasala” was given up and the institution was renamed as the “Zamorin’s College”.  The Zamorin himself administrated the affairs of the College till 1904.  In 1904 the Zamorin constituted a Board of Management.  Eleven years lager, in 1915 the court of wards took over the Management of the Zamorin’s estate and in the same yea the college was thrown open to all pupils irrespective of caste, creed and colour.  Subsequent on the court wards relinquishing the management in 1927, the Zamorin constituted a Bord of Management comprising seven members. 

    In 1927 the Guruvayur Devaswam graciously sanctioned an annual grant Rs.5000/- for the growing needs of th e college.  Early in 1951 the H.R.E.Board sanctiond from the Guruvayur Devaswam funds to a grant of Rs.1 lakh for the maintenance of the college.  In the same year a new site “Pokkunnu” covering an area of 92 acres, was bought by the management for the college,.  In 1952, permission was accorded to divert of Rs.5lakhs from the surplus of the Guruvayur Devaswom funds to the college.

    The name of the institution was changed to The Guruvayurappan College in graceful recognition of the munificent gift from the Guruvayur Devaswam, with out which it would not have been possible to raise the college to First Grade Status.  In 1955 the College was shifted to the Pokkunnu Campus abot 8 K.,. east of the Calicut Railway Station.  The name of the college was again modified as the “The Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan College “in the year 1981.

    Consequent on the state reorganization in 1956, the college was affiliated to the University of Travancore which become the University of Kerala in 1958.  at present the college stands affiliated to the University of Calicut which come into existence in 1968.  The present Governing Body of the college is constituted as per the provisions of the Calicut University Act.

    Since shifting to Pokkunnu, systematic efforts have been made to develop the campus and continuus extension work of buildings have been undertaken.  The college has today on its campus, in addition to its main buildings, an open air theatre, a cottege for women students, a cafeteria, an auditorium, two hostals for girls and one hostel for boys.  The Shanmugha Mudaliar Hostal was the result of generous contribution from late Nataraj Mudaliar and the late P.S.Nair of the Calicut Tile Company.   The library block and the Games pavilion were donated by the old Student’s Association and Sri.A.P.Chirukandan respectively.  The Commerce Block costing one lakh of rupees donated by the Gwalior Rayons was built in 1982.  the Women’s Hostel constructed with financial assistance from the University Grants Commission was opend during the year 1983.  the Parent Teacher Association built a new block, which houses the Computer Centre in the yea 1992.

A Post-Graduate block “V.K.Krishna Menon Centre” was constructed with centenary grant from the University Grants Commission and the building was inaugurated on 2nd September 2000.

A statue named “Chintha Silpam” the biggest Campus statue in India was inaugurated in our College camps by Zamorin Raja of Calicut on 31st March 2002.

The college was accredited at the B++ level in 2003-04 by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council, an autonomous institution of the University Grants Commission.  Based on the recommendations of the duly appointed peer Team which visited the college on 25th, 26th and 27th February 2004 to assess the quality profile, the institution scored 84.2% marks.  

A Health Centre building was constructed in the college with the aid of UGC.  The building was inaugurated by Dr.T. M. Sarvothaman Nedungadi on 18th, November 2005.  

The college has a student strength of 1615 with the teaching staff numbering 82 and non-teaching staff numbering 37 on 31st March 2009.