Fakir Chand College stands today in Diamond Harbour, in the deep south of West Bengal – the culmination of the vision of one man to bring higher education facilities to the people of this area. About 100 km from south to north, there was no college before independence. The academically inclined would have to travel to Kolkata. This was a difficult proposition – physically and financially – for many.
The PG Section was started in 2005 with the MA course in Education only. After that, M.A. in Bengali and Modern History and then M.Com. and M.Sc. in Math was introduced. The setting up of the college was envisioned as far back as 1925, but it was possible to set it up only in 1948, when Calcutta University planned a decentralization of higher education. Jagadish Chandra Halder, local businessman, set up Fakir Chand College in the memory of his father. The beginning was with Intermediate Courses in Arts and Science. In the 1955-56 academic year, undergraduate courses in Arts were introduced. The years from 1958 to 1966 were vital years when undergraduate courses in Science and Commerce, and the B.Ed. course were introduced under the able leadership of Principal A.C.Roy.
In 1969, Professor Hari Rakhal Biswas took over as Principal and he introduced a democratic process of administration, heralding a new era in the history of the college. Cooperation among all –administration, faculty, teaching staff and students – led to highly efficient running of the institution. Goals were set and reached in planned time and the developmental apur then started has never slowed down.
The College now has 19honours courses in Arts, Science and Commerce, a teacher training course and Post graduate courses in Education and Bengali. And eye remains on the economic and social exigencies in the introduction and conduct of courses.
At F.C.College, academics is not just books and examination. It is about developing the correct attitude to life.