Brief history of college:
Sankardeva Mahavidyalaya was established at Pathalipahar in the Narayanpur Block of Lakhimpur District on 5th September 1982 by the relentless efforts and hard labour of the inhabitants of Pathalipahar on the hilltop besides NH-52 under the leadership of well known social worker late Bhabendra Kumar Saikia. Pathalipahar is a miserably backward place at the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and in this large area no other institution of higher education exists. This place has been a Tribal Sub-Plan Area whose poor students can’t avail themselves of education in town areas. Moreover, the colleges of town can’t fulfill the dreams of these students. Considering the aspects, the local inhabitants planned to establish an institution of Higher Education here. The people of this area also felt seriously that this college would pave the new path of coordination between the two states. From this point of view PATHALIPAHAR ANCHALIK UNNAYAN SEVA SAMITI with the heart-felt cooperation of eminent educationist of Lakhimpur District like late Yogananda Borgohain, then Principal of North Lakhimpur College, Sri Siva Sarmah, then Principal of Madhabdev College Narayanpur, Sri Kiran Chandra Gogoi, then Principal of Bihpuria College, late. Pohar Hazarika, then Principal of Gohain Kamal Higher Secondary School, Sri Jogen Bora, then Principal of Jawaharjyoti Higher Secondary School Pithaguri and all the inhabitants collectively appealed in a general meeting to establish a college at Pathalipahar. The said committee with the efforts and dedication of the people on 5th September 1982 established a college in the pious name of Sankardeva, the trend setter of Assamese community, religious leader and reformer, artist, litterateur of repute and called there after as “SANKARDEVA MAHAVIDYALAYA”.
Srimanta Sankardeva, the greatest social reformer and nation builder of Assam was born in the year 1449. There was a dark period in the middle ages in Assam when several mal practices vitiated the Assamese society. At that time, appeared in the scene, the great humanist Sankardeva in the form of religious saint to rescue the people of Assam from the prevailing adverse situations. Srimanta Sankardeva was one of the most illustrations son, precious gems and jewels of mother Assam. Sankardeva possessed brilliant wisdom and acquired mastery in Sanskrit language and read almost all the scriptures of Hinduism. He propagated “EK SARANA NAMA DHARMA” or religion, known popularly as “Mahapurusia Dharma” where he advocated single God worship of lord Krishna, incarnation of lord Vishnu.
He discarded caste hierarchy, sacrifice system and Idol-worship. He brought unification among Assamese society by treating every one equally. “Namghar” became temple or assembling house for small units of society. He evolved “Satras” in the line of “Karma Satras” of Bhagawata Puran, an unparalleled contribution to the Assamese socio-religious life. Sankardeva, a Neo Vaishnavite saint had contributed greatly in the arena of Assamese literature. He created and established identity of Assamese dance and music, now in cooperated in Indian classical music. He composed a large number of books in Assamese and Sanskrit. His song and hymns known as “ Borgeet”, his one-act plays “ Ankiya Nats” religious dramas “Bhaonas” and his famous piece of literature “Kritana Ghosa” elevated the Assamese literature to a very high level of excellence. This saint and reformer of versatile genius breathed his last in the year 1568 at the age of 120 years. The relevance of his teachings has still no diminished to any extent. No higher educational institution in Assam had been named SANKARDEVA MAHAVIDYALAYA as a monument of tribute to the great reformer and trendsetter of Assam.
The main objective and idea behind establishing this institution of Higher Education to provide opportunity to those students of poor farmer families to become at least a graduate and may further dream of securing a better place in society by earning money either through jobs or other legal means to support their families in the path of progress. As education is the panacea of all evils, the college is to educate the pupils to get ride of all the evils prevalent in the society and to combat the serious threats to the society with indomitable courage and in rational manner. Besides this main objective, the college is to educate the pupils to become self-reliant, useful and responsible citizen of India. The students after receiving education in this college will be able to disseminate good and necessary knowledge among the uneducated masses of the society to make them aware about the existing problems, their causes and effects, and the ways to solve those problems in a reasonable manner. Last but not the least, the college is to inculcate among the future citizen of India (The students) civic responsibilities and develop their personality in such a way that they will be able to participate in socio-cultural development of the society with a democratic sprit.
Sankardeva Mahavidyalaya is a Deficit Grant-in-Aid College affiliated to Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh. The college is also affiliated to the UGC under section 2(F) and 12 (B) of UGC act vide letter No. F8-36/90 (cpp) dated 21-08-1991. The college has one stream of Arts teaching ten subjects. The college offers B.A. (Major) and B.A. (Pass course) programmes along with Higher Secondary Classes. There is one certificate course in Computer Application. The college has Sankardeva Study and Research Centre and Tribal Development Centre as extension centre of college to enrich and preserve the socio-cultural aspects of our society. This rural college is located in the border of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, which has been notified as a Tribal Sub-plan Area by the Govt. of Assam. The College stands as a centre of integration and coordination between the two states. The students of this college come from agricultural based rural economy and they are financially weak. The students excepting some bright once mostly are average in academic performance and background. The college Endeavour’s and attempts to fulfill the objectives of enlightening such students by all possible efforts within the limited resources available. The college has also established one Information and Career Guidance Cell (ICGC) for counseling the students (regular as well as out going students). The college also has the NSS and NCC (both Boys and Girls) wings.