Mirik College, Darjeeling

About Mirik College, Darjeeling

Mirik College, established in 2000, is a government-run degree college in Mirik, Darjeeling district, India. It offers undergraduate courses in arts. The college has delivered the need for higher education to a vast section of the region. The institute is situated in the midst of open, attractive scenery of nature. The calm, quiet serene situation is quite conductive to academic pursuits. Beside an excellent academic ambience, the emphasis here is on quality education through various teaching aids and over all development of the students through different interactive sessions. All academic activities are carried out in accordance with North Bengal University. The College is well equipped with all modern facilities. The college is affiliated to the University of North Bengal.

The journey of Mirik College is an exemplary testimony of the words of the great Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon – “A small step for man, a giant leap for mankind”. The College had extremely humble origins when a group of visionaries from the Mirik Subdivision in Darjeeling under the aegis of Mr Sagar B Subba, Mr LB Dewan and Mr B B Lama decided to contribute as aspiring civilians to the development of higher education in the area. Their assiduous efforts and vision led to the grant of permission from the Government Of West Bengal to establish a degree college in Mirik. The first batch of teachers included generous patrons giving voluntary lectures like Sri NC Khaling , Fr Martin Sdb, Sri PB Syangden, among others.

It was in 2002 that the first batch of regular lecturers were appointed under the recommendation of the West Bengal College Service Commission. The humility of its origins can be evidenced through the fact that the District Magistrate of Darjeeling had granted the land which had housed the Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society in 2000 to begin classes. However, what seemed little then was a benediction for the denizens of the area whose dream it was to see their wards getting a higher education degree. There has been no looking back since then.

In 2004, the college shifted to its own campus in the Old Dakbungalow line with funding given by the Tea Board, SCA, and BADP fund s. The library and office infrastructure came up with the BADP and MPLADS funds. Also, generous contributions were made by benevolent samaritans like Mr TB. Niraula of Seyoke TE. Rapid strides have been made over the years in the area of introduction of honours courses, enlargement of faculty strength, introduction of co-curricular activities along with managing bodies like the National Social Service NSS and National Cadet Corps NCC, and garnering government support to name only a few. Honour courses in English, Nepali and Political Science were introduced in 2006 and the college produced its first batch of proud graduates in 2009. Honour courses in Geography and History were introduced in 2007 and 2010 respectively. The year 2009 also saw the opening of the NCC Boys’ and Girls’ Wing, thanks to the efforts of generous persons like Col Retd Gurung.

In 2016, the College was shifted to its present location at Kawley, near Alley ground, amidst green forest and serene environment. Equipped with modern facilities like projectors and computers, the college is continuously striving to make learning an easy, interactive, fun-filled and technology-driven exercise.