teachers training college building saidapet history
The Teachers' Training College in Saidapet, Chennai, traces its origins to the Government Normal School established in Vepery on March 1, 1856, with JT Fowler as its head.
The institution was affiliated with the University of Madras in 1887, marking a pivotal moment in its history, after which it was renamed the Teachers’ Training College and relocated to its present campus in Saidapet.
The college was initially housed on the first floor of the Agricultural College in Saidapet before moving to a new building constructed on the same campus in 1889, which remains a heritage structure today.
This building, though now in a deteriorated state and no longer in active use, is a significant part of the college’s architectural and historical legacy.
The college has played a foundational role in teacher education in India, being recognized as the first of its kind in Asia and the oldest teacher training institution in the country.
It has produced notable alumni, including Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, who earned an LT qualification from the college.
Over the years, the institution evolved from offering a Licentiate in Teaching (LT) degree to the current Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) course, which was formalized in 1972 after the reorganization of the B.T. course.
The college was upgraded to the Institute of Advanced Study in Education (IASE) with central government assistance in 1990 and granted autonomous status by the University Grants Commission (UGC) from the academic year 2005–2006.
Despite its historical significance, the original 1889 building has suffered from neglect and deterioration, with creepers growing on its walls and structural damage evident.
The campus, once reportedly over 200 acres, has been reduced to 40 acres, with parts of the land now occupied by the Chennai Metro Rail Limited.
The college continues to operate from a newer administrative block, while the historic building stands as a symbol of the institution’s long-standing contribution to education in India"