Shaping Minds, Shaping Futures: Our College History

Previously a part of the nationally renowned Holkar College in Indore, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Arts & Commerce College received a "A" accreditation from the NAAC in the second cycle in 2014 and B+ in the third cycle in 2019. When Holkar College first opened its doors in 1891, it had faculties of Science, Arts, Commerce, and Law. A new structure was planned as the number of pupils grew annually. On November 3, 1958, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, the Indian Prime Minister at the time, laid the cornerstone of this college. On December 25, 1960, Dr. Saravapalli Radhakrishnan officially opened the new structure. Since then, the institution had faculties of law, commerce, and the arts. Department of Law was later on given the status of a separate Law College in April 2003.

Our college is affiliated to Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore. It is situated prominently on main NH-3 (A.B. Road) and has a huge campus sprawling over an area of 52 Acres with a huge playground, gardens and four buildings used for academic purposes. There are separate blocks for Administration, NCC, NSS, Sports. Indore has been, other than just being a business city an educational hub with institutes of National reputes like IIT, IIM, NMIMS, Symbiosis. The College has been endeavouring to cater to the needs of higher/advanced academic knowledge in Arts, Commerce, Science, Yoga, Journalism, Management, Computer etc in Indore region. There are 11 departments as authorized research centres, 53 teachers with PhD and 30 teachers as research guides. It is the first of its kind Government College to air GACC ABC NEWS from its own studio in the campus.

It is one of the largest co-ed colleges of the State of Madhya Pradesh with an honor of being chosen as “Pradhanmantri College of Excellence”. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Mr. Amit Shah inaugurated 55 Pradhan Mantri Colleges of Excellence in the state from our college on 14th July 2025 and congratulated the Madhya Pradesh government for being the first state to implement NEP 2020.

"Na Gyanen Sadrusham Pavithram Iha Vidyate," which translates to "nothing is more sacred than education (knowledge)," is the college's striking motto. The College maintains its motto by skilfully transforming its vision into a tangible reality, facilitating meaningful education, and motivating young people to make significant changes. The campus is a confluence of teachers with variety of skills and experiences in diverse fields offering students not only an abundant academic wealth but also moral and ethical values.