Lahore is known for Government College Lahore, or just GCU. It is one of the most well-known Lahore colleges and one of the first academic institutions to be founded in the Punjab. Numerous generations of pupils have gone through its doors and obtained prestigious positions in Pakistan’s many professions.
Despite the fact that the establishment of a Central College in Lahore was approved in 1856 with the stipulation that the professors must hold degrees from Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, or Durham, the college did not officially open its doors until January 1, 1864, inside the palace (haveli) of Dhian Singh/Khushal Singh, in Lahore’s Walled City.
The college relocated to a sizable bungalow close to Anarkali in April 1871. Its position was shifted in 1873 to Rahim Khans Kothi, another residence. The college relocated to the current structure in 1876. Construction began nearly in the middle of 1872 and was finished in 1877.
The renowned Dr. G. W. Leitner, whose name is firmly associated with the College, served as its first principal. The college relocated to a sizable bungalow close to Anarkali in April 1871. Its location was shifted in 1873 to Rahim Khan’s Kothi, another residence.
A site on an eminence north of the Soldier’s Garden (Gol Bagh) was chosen when it was decided to relocate to more suitable premises, and a “picturesque edifice” with a huge central clock tower was built there.
It is hardly unexpected that Gothic was the building’s style of choice. The Lawrence brothers (Henry and John Lawrence), who regularly proclaimed their fervour for missions, undoubtedly had an influence on the architectural expression of the institution, one of the earliest significant buildings in Lahore.
Executive Engineer Kannhaiya Lal oversaw the building’s construction while W. Purdon, the superintendent engineer, designed it. It cost Rs. 320,100 to finish, and that was in 1877. a few years after it was finished. The convocation of “Punjab University College” (1879) was presided over by Viceroy Lord Lytton and was held in the large, high convocation hall known as “the big hall of the Lahore College, which was attractively furnished and arranged for the occasion.”
Compared to 30.5 in 2021 and 24 in 2020, GCU’s total score has grown to 66.9 in 2022, according to Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Asghar Zaidi. We were ranked in the 1000+ banding last year in 2021, but this year we have moved up to the 401-600 banding, which is without a doubt a remarkable accomplishment, he continued.
