History

St. John’s College, Agra established in 1850 by the church Missionary Society of England, completed more than 150 years to the cause of higher education. The first Principal of the college. The Rev. Thomas Valpy French, a distinguished fellow of University college, oxford, was a man of great vision and missionary Zeal. At its inception, the college formulated its own curriculum and conducted its own examination. From 1862 to 1888 the college remained affiliated to Calcutta University and later upto 1927 to Allahabad University. Since 1927 the college remains affiliated to Agra University (now known as Dr. B.R Ambedkar University, Agra.). The college from its beginning strived for extension of education keeping dispensation of social justice and upliftment of the down –trodden, as one of major concern. The college became a first Grade College in 1891 with B.A and L.LB classes and affiliation was granted in 1893 for postgraduate classes. Thus it has the rare distinction of being a postgraduate institution of more than a century’s standing.
It was the dream of the founding fathers and the earnest desire of St. John’s today that the young men and women passing out and moving into the wider area of life outside these college walls may reflect through its motto. “The truth shall make you free” and its aim “The imparting of sound learning, the building of character, and the spread of spiritual truth”, the qualities which will stand in the in good stead as able and responsible citizens of our great country.
St. John’s College can boast of having one of the beautiful buildings at Agra. The foundation stone of the centenary wing was laid by Bharat Ratna Sarvapali Radhakrishnan, former President of India in 1957 and was opened by Bharat Ratna Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the Former Prime Minister of India in 1959 with the words “I have come to pay Tribute to this temple of learning.”
The college has got a very distinguished list of alumni: the Foremost of the being Late Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma, the Former President of India.