NGM College (Autonomous), Pollachi, marks its 70th year with immense pride, celebrating a remarkable legacy built upon seven decades of academic excellence, visionary leadership, and an unwavering commitment to societal progress. Established with the noble aspiration of making quality higher education accessible to all, the College has steadily evolved into one of the most distinguished centres of learning in the region. For seventy years, NGM College has remained a vibrant confluence of knowledge, values, research, creativity, and service. Its classrooms have ignited curiosity, its laboratories have fostered innovation, its libraries have cultivated wisdom, and its campus has inspired dreams that have reached far beyond geographical boundaries.
The College’s pursuit of excellence is reflected in its NAAC A++ Accreditation, autonomous status, dynamic academic environment, impactful research, industry partnerships, community engagement, and commitment to holistic education. Every milestone achieved stands as a testimony to the dedication of its visionary management, accomplished faculty, committed staff, distinguished alumni, and enterprising students. The Platinum Jubilee Year is not merely a celebration of longevity but a tribute to a living legacy that continues to redefine educational excellence.
The history of this remarkable journey has its roots in a modest yet visionary initiative that sought to address the growing educational aspirations of the region. The foundation for this enduring legacy was laid in 1957, when the growing need for higher education among students from the high schools of Pollachi and Udumalpet Taluks led to the formation of “Pollachi Kalvi Kazhagam” with the following office bearers:
Thiru S.P. Nallamuthu Gounder – President
Thiru V.K. Palanisamy Gounder – Vice-President
Thiru M.S. Palaniappa Mudaliar –Treasurer
Dr. N. Mahalingam – Secretary
Thiru S.A. Ramachandran – Asst. Secretary
The institution was established through the collective efforts of the members of Pollachi Kalvi Kazhagam, with the encouragement and support of Thiru C. Subramaniam, the then Union Minister for Finance, who showed keen interest in the initiative.
NGM College was inaugurated on 12 July 1957 in the gracious presence of its Chief Donor, Thiru S.P. Nallamuthu Gounder, and commenced its academic journey with 160 students in the Pre-University Course. Under the visionary leadership of Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam, the College introduced degree programmes in Economics, Mathematics, and Physics in 1959, laying the foundation for its remarkable growth into a full-fledged academic institution offering undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across diverse disciplines.
The Science Block was inaugurated in July 1960 by the then Governor of Madras. The College expanded its academic offerings with the introduction of B.Sc. in Chemistry in July 1965 and B.Com. in July 1968. The B.A. programme in English Literature was introduced in July 1971, followed by B.A. in History and B.Sc. in Botany in July 1972.
In September 1972, the “Pollachi Kalvi Kazhagam” was renamed as “Nallamuthu Gounder Mahalingam College KalviKazhagam”.
The College marked another significant phase in its institutional development with the construction of a new block through a UGC grant, which was inaugurated on 3
March 1974 by Thiru N. D. Sundaravadivelu, the then Vice-Chancellor of the University of Madras. The introduction of co-education in 1975 further broadened the College’s academic reach, while the semester system was introduced in 1976, marking important milestones in its continuing evolution.
The academic profile of the College was further strengthened with the introduction of the Postgraduate programme in Mathematics in 1979, followed by Postgraduate programmes in Physics in 1980 and Commerce in 1981. The academic spectrum was further broadened with the introduction of B.Sc. in Zoology in 1982.
The Silver Jubilee of the College was celebrated in February 1984, marking twenty-five years of excellence in higher education. The celebrations were inaugurated by the then Governor of Kerala Hon’ble Sri P. Ramachandran, who commended the institution for its significant contributions to education and laid the foundation stone for the Silver Jubilee Block. The Block was subsequently completed, further strengthening the College’s academic infrastructure. In 1986, the B.Sc. Programme in Computer Science was introduced, reflecting the institution’s commitment to academic advancement and emerging disciplines.
A significant milestone was marked in the College’s academic development with the attainment of autonomous status from the academic year 1987–88. Under the autonomous system, courses were restructured and syllabi were redesigned to make higher education more progressive and purposeful. In 1994, selected disciplines, including B.Sc. in Physics, B.A. in Economics, and B.Com., were vocationalised to enhance the career orientation and employment prospects of the degree programmes.
The portfolio of the self-financing programmes of the College steadily expanded over the years, responding to emerging academic and professional needs. The self- financing stream commenced with B.Com. in 1982, followed by M.C.A. (Master of Computer Applications) in 1990; B.B.M. and B.Sc. Computer Science in 1996; and B.Sc. Mathematics in 1999. In 2000, B.C.A. and B.Com. Computer Applications were introduced, followed by M.A. English in 2001. M.I.B. and M.A. Tamil were added in 2002, and the Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration in 2003. B.A. Tamil was introduced in 2004.
The College continued to diversify its self-financing programmes with an additional section in B.Com. Computer Applications and B.Sc. Information Technology in 2008; B.Com. E-Commerce and M.S.W. were introduced in 2009; and B.A. English Literature, B.Com. Finance, and M.Sc. Computer Science in 2010. The academic portfolio was further strengthened with B.Sc. Computer Technology and M.Com. Computer Applications in 2011, followed by B.Com. Professional Accounting and B.Com. Banking and Insurance in 2012, B.Com. Business Process Services in 2014, and M.Sc. Chemistry and M.Sc. Botany in 2015. In 2017, B.Com. International Business was introduced. The College further embraced emerging areas of study with the introduction of B.Sc. Computer Science with Data Analytics, B.Sc. Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and B.S.W. in 2022. In 2026, B.Com. Business Process Services was renamed as B.Com. Information Technology (B.Com. IT) to align the programme with emerging technological trends and evolving industry requirements.
The birth centenary of the founder, Thiru S. P. Nallamuthu Gounder, was commemorated with grandeur and distinction on 27 January 1998.
Recognising the integral role of spiritual values in education, the College established a temple dedicated to Sri Maha Vidya Ganapathy, the God of Gods, and Sri Viyakiana Dhakshinamoorthy, the God of Gurus, under the guidance of its Patron, Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam, and the then College Secretary, Thiru S. K. Kalyanasundaram. The temple was consecrated through the Maha Kumbhabhishekam performed on 15 March 2001.
To meet the growing demand for additional classrooms and specialised facilities for the newly introduced programmes, a spacious new building housing the MCA and Undergraduate Computer Centres and classrooms was constructed in the southern section of the College. The building was inaugurated on 2 November 2001 by the President, Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam. The various sections of the Computer Centres were inaugurated by Dr. B. K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar, Vice-President; Dr. S. V. Chittibabu, former Vice-Chancellor, Annamalai University; Rev. Dr. S. Ignacimuthu, Vice-Chancellor; Dr. K. P. Kandasami, Registrar, Bharathiar University; and Dr. G. Gopal, Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Coimbatore.
The academic and research infrastructure of the College was further strengthened with the establishment of a world-class Biotechnology Block, designed and constructed under the guidance of the then Secretary, Thiru S. K. Kalyanasundaram, with the vision of advancing Biotechnology education and research in the region.
The Sathabhishekam of Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam was commemorated on 11 April 2003. To mark this momentous occasion, the Computer Science Block was renamed the Dr. Mahalingam Centre for Research and Development (MCRD) Block and inaugurated by Dr. K. Kulandaivel, the then Chancellor of Avinashilingam Deemed University, Coimbatore, in the presence of the then Vice-President, Dr. B. K. Krishnaraj
Vanavarayar, and the then Treasurer, Dr. S. Murugaiyan.
A new block, named Thiru S. P. Krishnaswamy Gounder Science Block, was dedicated to the students by the Patron, Dr. N. Mahalingam, on 16 September 2005 to accommodate additional science classrooms. On the same day, Local Area Network (LAN) facilities with Internet connectivity across all buildings and staff rooms were inaugurated by Dr. S. Murugaiyan.
The year 2007 marked a significant milestone in the College’s journey, with its first accreditation by NAAC with an ‘A’ Grade in March 2007. The College continued its pursuit of academic excellence and was re- accredited by NAAC with an ‘A’ Grade and a CGPA of 3.33 in March 2013.
The year 2007 also witnessed the inauguration of several important facilities, including the Sri M. S. Palaniappa Mudaliar Block, Prof. M. Alkondan Air-Conditioned Hall, two Internet Centres, a Language Laboratory, a Virtual Classroom, and a modernised Library with Digital Library facilities.
In 2008, Bharathiar Arangam, a modernised hall, was inaugurated to facilitate Yoga classes under the Human Excellence Course. The College further enhanced its academic infrastructure with the establishment of Vivekanandar Arangam, an air-conditioned hall equipped with modern facilities, in 2009 for conducting academic meetings and programmes.
In the memory of its Founder Amarar Thiru S. P. Nallamuthu Gounder, the College unveiled his statue on 20 July 2009. The statue was unveiled by the Patron of the College, Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam, in the presence of the President, Dr. B. K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar.
In tune with the continued expansion of the College, an additional 8,000 sq.ft. wing was constructed for the Library, which was modernised with contemporary facilities. Dedicated to the cherished memory of former Finance Minister of India, Dr. C. Subramaniam, the Library was rechristened the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Centenary Library and inaugurated by the Patron, Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam, on 21 December 2009.
In recognition of its distinguished service to the field of education since 1957, the College received the “Meritorious Service Award” from the Rotary Club of Pollachi on 20 June 2010.
The College enhanced its sports infrastructure with the establishment of the UGC-funded Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam Arangam Indoor Stadium, inaugurated on 3 January 2014 by Prof. Dr. H. Devaraj, Vice- Chairman, University Grants Commission, New Delhi, in the presence of the College Patron, Arutchelvar Dr. N. Mahalingam. The multipurpose complex, measuring 160 × 80 ft, has a seating capacity of 1,500 and houses four badminton courts, a basketball court and other recreational facilities. Equipped with ample natural light and ventilation, the facility serves as a venue for academic and cultural events, examinations, yoga classes, exhibitions and community activities.
The year 2017 marked the College’s Diamond Jubilee, commemorating six decades of its educational journey. As part of the celebrations, a statue of Swami Vivekananda, the youth icon of India, was unveiled by the students of the College on 28 June 2017. Srimath Swami Yathunathananthar of the Ramakrishna Mission, Chennai, delivered an address on the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda. The function was presided over by the President of the College, Dr. B. K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar, in the presence of the Secretary, Thiru M. Balasubramaniam, and the Treasurer, Thiru S. Sivakumar. The Diamond Jubilee Block was also inaugurated in 2017, further strengthening the College’s academic and infrastructural facilities. The College further enhanced its academic and institutional infrastructure with the inauguration of the Abdul Kalam Hall on 23 March 2018.
The College honoured the legacy of Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiar with the unveiling of his statue by the students on 13 September 2022. Padma Shri Sirpi Balasubramanian, former Head of the Department of Tamil, NGM College, and Bharathiar University, delivered an inspirational address on the occasion. The function was presided over by the President of the College, Dr. B. K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar, in the presence of the Secretary, Thiru M. Balasubramaniam, and the Treasurer, Thiru S. Sivakumar.
To commemorate the enduring legacy of its founder, Arutchelvar Padma Bhushan Dr. N. Mahalingam, the College unveiled his statue on 4 March 2023. Hon’ble Justice V. Ramasubramanian, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India, New Delhi, unveiled the statue. The occasion was graced by the presence of the President, Dr. B. K. Krishnaraj Vanavarayar, the Secretary, Thiru M. Balasubramaniam, and the Treasurer, Thiru S. Sivakumar.
The College Turf, measuring 62 ft × 100 ft and a height of 25 ft, was inaugurated by Dr. T. K. Naik Nenavath on 29 August 2024. Equipped with 20 LED floodlights, the turf serves as a hub for sports and fitness activities, inspiring students to pursue excellence in games while promoting an active campus life.
A major milestone in the College’s history was achieved in 2024, when it was awarded the prestigious A++ Grade by NAAC during its Fourth Cycle of Accreditation, with an impressive Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.51. The College also secured a position in the 101–150 band in the NIRF Rankings, reflecting its growing academic and institutional stature. In the same year, the UGC extended the autonomous status of the institution for a further period of ten years, reaffirming its academic excellence and institutional credibility.
In 2026, the College renewed its campus frontage with the renovation and enhancement of the main entrance, gateway, and associated areas, further enriching the campus’s visual appeal and welcoming environment. As part of the College’s continuing commitment to preserving its spiritual heritage, the temple was renovated and the Kumbhabhishekam was performed on 4 April 2026.
From the Hand Book & Calendar 2026 - 27, page 2–6.