Pandit Raghunath Murmu Smriti Mahavidyalaya is a general degree college located in the state of West Bengal, India. The institution offers undergraduate education and is named in memory of Pandit Raghunath Murmu, the celebrated Santali scholar and creator of the Ol Chiki script used to write the Santali language.
| Name | Pandit Raghunath Murmu Smriti Mahavidyalaya |
|---|---|
| Type | General degree college |
| State | West Bengal |
| Country | India |
| Named after | Pandit Raghunath Murmu |
The college functions as part of the network of general degree colleges in West Bengal that provide affordable higher education in arts, science and commerce streams to students, particularly those from rural and tribal backgrounds. Institutions of this kind are typically affiliated to a state university and follow curricula prescribed by the affiliating university and approved by the University Grants Commission.
The college honours Pandit Raghunath Murmu (1905–1982), a writer, dramatist and educator who devised the Ol Chiki script in 1925 to give the Santali language a distinct writing system. Murmu's contributions to Santali literature and to the cultural identity of the Santal community are commemorated through several educational and cultural institutions named after him in eastern India.
As a general degree college, the institution typically offers three-year bachelor's programmes leading to degrees such as the Bachelor of Arts and, where introduced, the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Commerce. Admission and examinations are governed by the affiliating university's regulations.
By bearing the name of Raghunath Murmu, the college reflects the broader recognition of Santali language and literature in West Bengal's higher education sector. Santali is one of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, and colleges named in honour of figures like Murmu underscore the cultural pluralism of the region's academic landscape.