Rajaram College enjoys the status of the “Pioneering and Premier Institution” in Southern Maharashtra as it was established in the year 1880. In fact, the high school named after His Highness Rajaram Maharaj was established in the year 1870 and after a decade the same was raised to the status of a college, in the old palace adjacent to Bhavani Mandap in Kolhapur city. Mr. C. H. Candy, an Englishman, took over as the first Principal of this new college, which began with a previous class with merely three students.

In 1934, B.Sc. classes started functioning in all subjects and languages like Marathi, Kannada, German, and Ardhamagadhi were introduced on the Arts side. Also the post-graduate classes in English, Sanskrit, History and Economics were started in 1926 and in other Arts and Science subjects in 1935. They were continued up to 1970. Rajaram College is affiliated to the Shivaji University, Kolhapur. It offers the students three-year integrated B. A. and B. Sc. degree courses. It also has a post-graduate department in Psychology. At present, the college has highly experienced and committed members as well as young, enthusiastic and promising ones on the staff.

That a doctoral thesis entitled “History of Rajaram College: 1880-1980” has been submitted to the Shivaji University, Kolhapur in the year 1999 by Shri. B. B. Bhosale, a non-Rajaramian, is an excellent example of the uniqueness of this institution. His concluding remarks would not be out of place here.

“In short, Rajaram College lives upto the expectations of its founders in more ways than one and truly became a pioneering and model institution of higher learning in the state of Maharashtra. Therefore, its role and contribution to the field of Higher Education cannot be underestimated. May this institution continue to burn the torch of ‘HIGHER EDUCATION’ as it has entered the second century of its service to the nation !”

In 1980-81, Rajaram College celebrated its centenary, which was inaugurated by renowned Wrangler Dr. V. V. Naralikar. In order to take a look at its own past the college had brought out a souvenir as a part of the centenary celebrations. It was a serious and a sincere attempt at self-assessment. Now the college feels that National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), Bangalore has offered a fresh opportunity for honest introspection. While preparing this self-study report we understood our own potentialities better which would help us in the process of assessment and accreditation. We have become sufficiently aware of our own limitations and shall certainly try to overcome them in the near future. These details are retrieved from rajacollkop.org