8°30′07″N 76°56′55″E / 8.50194°N 76.94861°E / 8.50194; 76.94861

University College, Thiruvananthapuram

Former names	The Raja's Free School (1834–1866) H.H. The Maharaja's College (1866–1924) H.H. The Maharaja's College of Science (1924–1942)
Type	Public
Established	1834; 190 years ago (1834)[1]
Founder	Swathi Thirunal Rama Varma
Principal	Dr. T. Subash
Administrative staff	278
Students	3164
Location	Thiruvananthapuram
Affiliations	University of Kerala
Website	www.universitycollege.ac.in

University College, Thiruvananthapuram, abbreviated as UCT, is a constituent college of the University of Kerala, based primarily in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. The college, is one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education in India.

Academics

Faculties

Language faculties

• Faculty of English
• Faculty of Malayalam
• Faculty of Hindi
• Faculty of Arabic
• Faculty of Sanskrit
• Faculty of Tamil
• Faculty of French

Humanities faculties

• Faculty of Economics
• Faculty of History
• Faculty of Political Science
• Faculty of Islamic History
• Faculty of Philosophy

Science faculties

• Faculty of Chemistry
• Faculty of Biochemistry
• Faculty of Mathematics
• Faculty of Physics
• Faculty of Geology
• Faculty of Geography
• Faculty of Botany
• Faculty of Zoology
• Faculty of Statistics
• Faculty of Psychology

Other faculties

• Faculty of Physical Education

Rankings

The college was ranked 24 among colleges in India by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2022^[2]

The college was ranked 26 among colleges in India by National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) in 2023^[3]

Notable alumni

University College Thiruvananthapuram has produced luminaries that include a former president of India, two former chief ministers of Kerala, cabinet secretaries, ambassadors, civil servants, IT doyens, teachers, poets, writers, artists and politicians.

Succession list of principals

H.H. The Maharaja's College

• John Ross M.A. 1866–1884
• Robert Harvey M.A., L.L.D. 1884–1890
• H. N. Read M.A. 1890–1892 (acting)
• Dr Alexander Crichton Mitchell D.Sc., F.R.S.E 1892–1909
• A.W. Bishop PhD 1909–1915
• L.C. Hodson M.A. 1912–1915
• A. R. Raja Raja Varma Kovil Thampuran M.A 1915–1916, 1918
• Dr. J. Stephenson, BSc, A.R.D.S.C. 1916–1927

H.H. The Maharaja's College of Science

• R. Krishnaswamy Iyer, V.A. 1924–1927
• James Pryde, M.A., BSc 1927–1930
• C.V. Chandrasekharan, M.A (Oxon) 1930–1931
• K.V. Rangaswamy Aiyangar, M.A. (Oxon) 1931–1935 (on leave)
• K.L. Moudgil, M.A., D.Sc., F.L.C. 1933–1934 (acting) and 1935–1937 and 1938–1941
• A. Gopala Menon, M.A., B.Com. 1934–1935 (acting)
• R. Srinivasan, M.A. 1937–1938 and 1941–1942

H.H. The Maharaja's College of Arts

• K.V. Rangaswamy Aiyangar, M.A. 1924–1928 and 1930–1933
• C.V. Chandrasekharan, M.A (Oxon) 1928–1930 (ag.) and 1933–1935
• A. Gopala Menon, M.A., B.Com. 1935–1937
• P.G. Sahasranama Iyer, M.A. 1937–1942

University College

• Sr. H. Subrahmonia Iyer, M.A., PhD 1942–1948
• Sri. V. Narayana Pillai, M.A., B.L. 1948 (acting)
• Sri. V. Sundararaja Naidu, M.A., B.L.T.D, 1948–1949 (acting) and 1950
• Dr. T.K. Koshy, M.A., PhD 1949–1950
• Sri. C.V. Subbarama Iyer, M.A. 1950–1951 (acting)
• Dr. C.S. Venkateswaran, M.A., MSc, D.Sc., F.Inst.P.FA.Sc. 1951–1957
• Dr. A. Narayanan Potti, M.N., PhD January–August 1954 (acting)
• Sri. C.S. Venkateswaran 1954 August – 1956 November
• Dr. A. Narayanan Potti, M.A., PhD November 1956 – March 1957
• Dr. K. Bhaskaran Nair, MSc, D.Sc. April 1957 – February 1960
• Sri. V.R. Pillai, M.S., MSc February 1960 – March 1962
• Sri. E.P. Narayana Pillai. M.A. (Madras and Oxford) March 1962 – March 1964
• Dr. N. Subramonia Wariyar, MSc, MSc, PhD, FIC. March 1964 – March 1969
• Dr. S. Parameswara Iyer, MSc, PhD 1-4-1959 to 3-7-1969 (acting)
• Sri. R. Suryanarayanan, M.A., B.T. 1969 to March 1977
• Dr. (Mrs.) N.I. Joseph 1-4-1977 to 31-3-1978
• Sri. P. Madusudana Perumal Pillai 1 April 1978 to 6 April 1981
• Sri. K.M. Zachariah 6 April 1981 to 31 March 1982
• Sri. G. Nagappan Nair 1-4-1982 to 31-3-1984
• Sri. A.G. Ramachandran 1-4-1984 to 29-3-1985
• Prof. A. Nabeesa Ummal 1-6-1985 to 31-3-1986
• Prof. C. Ebertchellam 1986–1987
• Prof. S. Ponnayyan 5-8-1987 to 31-3-1989
• Prof. K. Somanadhan from 20-4-1989 to 31-3-1990
• Prof. Rama Sarma 5-5-1990
• Prof. M. Sarojini 14-2-1991 to 31-3-1991
• Dr. H. Parameswaran from 3-4-1991 to 30-4-1991
• Prof. V. Hamsa Devi 21-8-1991 to 24-6-1992
• Prof. R. Balakrishnan Nair 24-6-1992 to 3-11-1992
• Prof. I. Sundaram Pillai 4-11-1992 to 31-3-1993
• Prof. R. Balakrishnan Nair 24-6-1992 to 3-11-1992 and 5-4-1993 to 18-5-1993
• Prof. R. Harihara Subrahmonia Iyer 18-5-1995 to 26-12-1995
• Prof. B. Padmakumari 26-12-1995 to 17-6-1996
• Prof. P. Sahadevan 17-6-1996 to 31-5-1998
• Dr. K.Sukumaran 31-5-1998 to 17-7-1998
• Smt. P. Saraswathy Amma 17-7-1998 to 31-3-1999
• Sri. S. Mohan Kumar 31-3-1999 to 16-6-1999
• Prof. B. Rishikesan Thampy 16-6-1999
• Sri. G. Gopalakrishnan
• Sr. V.R. Ramachandran
• Prof. S. Varghese 6-8-2001 to 16-8-2002
• Smt. Vijayakumi Jaya Singh 17-8-2002 to 31-3-2003
• Prof. Prasanna 28-6-2003 to 30-6-2003
• Prof. A. Salahudeen Kunju 1/7/2003 to 31 March 2004
• Prof. Dr. D. Maya 1/4/2004 to 31 March 2005
• Prof. M.S. Girija 18 August 2005 to 28 April 2006
• Dr. Cyriac Mathews 28 April 2006 to 28 July 2007
• Dr. Asha Balagandharan 27 July 2007 to 30-6-2008
• Smt. Shobha Ravindranath 19 July 2008 to 31 March 2009
• Dr. B.S. Mohanachandran 18 July 2009 to 31 March 2010
• Dr. M. Abdul Rahim 18 June 2010 to 31 March 2011
• Dr. D. Premlal 26-08-2011 to 22-02-2012
• Prof. K. B. Ajithakumar 22-02-2012 to 31-05-2012
• Dr. S. Rajoo Krishnan 27 September 2012 to 04/10/2012
• Prof. R. Thulaseedharan Pillai 04/10/2012 to 02-03-2013
• Prof. T. P. Nalinakshan 21-03-2013 to 30-04-2013
• Dr. T. G. Sarachandran 09-05-2013 to 24-06-2013
• Dr. C. Moly Marceline 24-06-2013 to 31-03-2014
• Dr. Thomas Kuruvila 09-04-2014 to 12-05-2014
• Dr. J. Vijayamohanan 19-05-2014 to 30-07-2014
• Dr. V. T. Beena 02-08-2014 to 31-03-2015
• Prof. K. Jayakumar 28-05-2015 to 31-05-2015
• Dr. M. K. Thankamani 26-06-2015 to 31-03-2016
• Dr. D. K. Satheesh 18-07-2017 to 16-10-2017
• Dr. Omana Pankan 01-01-2018 to 31-05-2018
• Dr. J. Anil Kumar 05-07-2018 to 31-03-2019
• Dr. C. C. Babu 19-07-2019 to 14-10-2019
• Dr. K. Mani 16-10-2019 to 31-03-2020
• Dr. B. Unnikrishnan Nair 21-05-2020 to 31-08-2021
• Dr. Saji Stephen D. 01-11-2021 to 30-04-2023
• Dr. T. Subash 17-05-2023 to till date

Controversy

On 3 May 2019, a first-year BSc Chemistry student attempted suicide on campus, alleging harassment from SFI leaders for not taking part in their programmes and disruption of classes.^[6][7]

On 12 July 2019, a final year B.A. Political Science student was stabbed amid a dispute between two groups of students belonging to the SFI, following which two SFI leaders were arrested.^[8][9][10] Later in the day, answer sheets and the official seal of an Assistant Professor were recovered while clearing the SFI office on campus, raising questions on the credibility of examinations conducted by the university. The police also found fake seals and university answer sheets from the residence of a prime accused.^[11][12]