Old world charm

The college came into existence with the untiring efforts of people like Gujarmal Verma,founder president of Arya College Managing Committee and Hans Raj Dhanda,a pioneer in hosiery industry in the city.

Various famous personalities of today owe their educational credentials to this institute. Veteran actor Pankaj Kapur,telecom tycoon Sunil Mittal,CEO of Bharti Airtel,former cricketer Yashpal Sharma,noted weight-lifter Parvesh Chander,and former chief secretary BS Ojha are among the list of prominent products of the college.

Even though the old days’ charm of the college has gradually eroded from its walls,the college still emerges as one of the first preferences when it comes to studies in commerce.

The college shifted to its present campus in 1955 which was inaugurated by the then vice-president of the country Dr S Radhakrishan. The management of the college soon realised the need to provide a separate section for girl students and the women wing housed in the old campus of the college came into being in 1970. The wing was later shifted to a building adjoining the DMC campus in Civil Lines.

At the peak of its glory,the college had more than 4,500 students when many of the aspiring students wanting to go for graduation favoured it for its high levels of education. Gradually,the strength of the students,however,decreased due to competition from other colleges and recently due to fall in the number of students in science and postgraduate courses,the student strength has dipped to 1,800.

In the recent years,however,the college has also been mired in the controversies over teachers’ pending demands and their struggle with the management for the same,affecting the studies in the college to an extent.

For college principal Dr SM Sharma,it still remains the institute of learning which produces the best talent in commerce. “We are doing pretty well in commerce and our results speak of our image in this stream. We are also the first and only college in the city to impart commerce classes early in the morning for the students who are also undergoing CA course,” he tells.