Madras Christian College: An enviable legacy

The Madras Christian College (MCC) has been instrumental in shaping the minds of the nation’s young people. Not many colleges in India can boast of a legacy of providing quality education to the masses for close to two centuries.

MCC started off as a school founded in 1837 by Rev. John Anderson, a missionary from Scotland. The school was upgraded to a college in 1865 under the stewardship of Dr William Miller. The college stood as an institute of learning for a century in Georgetown before shifting to the current location, spread over 365 acres in suburban Tambaram, in 1937. 

The college is surrounded by lush greenery and is cloaked in an air of tranquillity that prevents outside distractions from percolating into the college premises. Dr Alexander Jesudasan, Principal of the college proudly says, “MCC has been serving humanity through education since 1837. The college has always been at the forefront of providing scholarships to deserving students who are academically strong, but hail from economically weaker sections of society. Since 1937, MCC has voluntarily assumed the responsibility of adopting villages adjacent to the college premises and providing education, empowerment and social upliftment to the people living there,” said Dr Jesudasan.

The college has the distinction of being one of the first in the country to be granted autonomy, granted in 1978. This has enabled it to introduce new courses, innovations in curriculum and reforms in examination. In 2012, the college was reaccredited with a grade ‘A’ by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). The University Grants Commission (UGC) has awarded the college Potential for Excellence (CPE) status for the period 2014 -2019.

The quantum of a college is gauged by the number of illustrious alumni that graduate from the institute. The MCC is no exception. Dr S. Radhakrishnan, former President of India graduated from MCC in 1906 with a master’s degree in Philosophy.  Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo received her bachelor’s degrees in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in 1974. She is consistently featured among the most powerful women in the world. Raja Ramanna is best remembered for his role in India’s nuclear programme.  After obtaining a B.Sc in Physics and a BA in Classical Music in 1947, he worked with Homi Bhabha in realising the country’s nuclear aspirations. 

Owning to the college’s rich history a few urban myths have also crept in. Many students believe the college to be one of the most haunted places in the city.  According to Rahulnath Ramesh, “Room 148 situated in Bishop Heber hall is haunted by the spirit of a former student.  You will experience an eerie feeling when you cross the room. The door has been sealed shut for many years and is rumored to be locked from both sides.” Another myth is over the statue of William Miller. It’s said that any student who is bold enough to touch the mustache on the statue will suffer an arrear at least once while pursuing a course at the college. Whether there is any truth to the story or is it just a convenient excuse remains a mystery.

“Here at MCC, we follow a system called EweR. The ‘E’ stands for excellence and the ‘R’ symbolises relevance. ‘We’ represents the students and faculty members of the college and it is our task to ensure that excellence and relevance are reflected in every sphere of college life. We believe in moving vertically always, with respect to excellence while remaining horizontally relevant to society,” adds Dr Jesudasan. 

Apart from encouraging high academic performance, the college also takes pride in promoting extracurricular activities, leaving the onus of organising cultural and sports events to the students. MCC has hosted Deepwoods, an inter-collegiate cultural festival, since 1980. The festival is considered to be the cream of the crop when it comes to cultural events and attracts students from all over the country. It provides a platform for students to showcase their talent in the fields of art and music. 

The college has nurtured the dreams and aspirations of some illustrious alumni, who have gone on to become nation builders and industry leaders in different fields. The MCC Alumni Association was founded in 1891 and is considered one of the oldest in the country. The association will celebrate its 125th anniversary later this year in August by organising a global alumni reunion.