Mahatma Gandhi College, Thiruvananthapuram was established in March 1948 and managed by Nair Service Society (NSS) which was established on 31st October 1914.

It is one of the premier colleges established to impart & provide in the field of higher education for the deserving candidates and prove to be a milestone on the part of progress.

The college is affiliated with University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram and it is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under section 2(f) & 12(B) under Act, 1956.

It is re-accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with "A" Grade (CGPA Score 3.16 on a 4 Point Scale 2nd Cycle) on 22nd March 2018.

The aim of the college was to provide cultural and physical training inputs for building a healthy and viable society through the balanced orientation towards basic and applied sciences with due importance to humanities and social sciences.

It is a co-educational government Institute, providing a regular course in which is located in the urban part of Thiruvananthapuram played a pioneering role in the field of higher education.

The college started functioning at Vadassery Amma Veedu at Perunthanni in 1948 and was later shifted to the present site at Kattachakkonam, now known as Kesavadasapuram.

Late C. Rajagopalachari, the last Governor General of India, laid the foundation stone for the new building on 22nd August 1948.

The Arts section was shifted to the building in 1949, and the Science section in 1950. The main building was completed in 1958 and was inaugurated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India, on  24th April 1958.

The college has 4,000 students, 12 degree, and eight postgraduate courses. Besides providing research facilities in various disciplines, the college has started an Instrumentation course attached to the Department of Physics.

The government of Kerala recognized it as a Centre of Excellence in the state and the University Grants Commission awarded the college with Potential for Excellence (CPE).

The college conferred the status of grant-in-aid college that the fees and all the facilities for the students are fixed by the government. The student's admission is done as per the admission criteria prescribed by the affiliating university.

The college had received many awards and accolades at a city, state and national level for their educational advancements also received the numbers of achievements awards in the field of sports and curricular activities under the University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram.

The institution was selected for the award of three FIST (Fund for Improvement of S&T Infrastructure in Universities and Higher Educational Institutions) programmes of the DST (Department of Science and Technology, Government of India)

The college offers three years undergraduate and two years postgraduate courses in Arts, Commerce, and Science streams with various specializations under the University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram.

University examinations of different courses, examinations conducted by the University of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram, and various other examinations are held in the college premises.

Motto:

"Sa Vidya Ya Vimukthaye"

Vision:

• Envisages the translation of its motto Sa Vidya Ya Vimukthaye into actuality
• See education as a means of socio-cultural emancipation and economic empowerment of the underprivileged masses and also as a tool for the development of character, competence, and commitment

Mission:

• Aims to set standards in educational excellence and competence through curriculum enrichment and information dissemination
• To provide cultural and physical training inputs for building a healthy and viable society through the balanced orientation in basic and applied sciences with due importance to humanity and social sciences