Malabar History journal

K. A. Vaidyanath Ayyar was its first Headmaster, who, along with the Director of Public Instruction, Duncan, played a pivotal role in popularising the institution. The institution attracted a large number of students in its initial years. It had 182 students in 1917–18; 170 in 1918–19; 229 in 1919–20; However, there was a decline in strength during the war years. The school initially planned to relocate to a different location, after operating in a centre for five years and meeting the demand for commercial education there.

But the school’s enrollment was seen to grow, which contributed to its success. As a result, the government took the decision to keep the institution in Calicut to meet the need for commercial education throughout the presidency. The school had the highest enrollment of 300 students in July 1912.

Wealthy Muslim merchant families took advantage of the chance to receive hands-on training to help their families manage their business concerns. As a result, the institution generated stenographers, commercial instructors, and accountants. In response to the lack of teachers qualified to teach commercial education, a special commercial training class for teachers was later added. Those who completed the courses successfully got additional training in accounting at the Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics in Bombay.

However, at the beginning of the 1930s, the school had to close due to a lack of students and the consequent financial crisis. Calicut’s business class expressed its outrage at this incident. The Malabar Chamber of Commerce in Calicut expressed regret and their willingness to assume the school’s management on the condition that it be returned to the government if the circumstances improved. Nevertheless, the government rejected it due to financial concerns.

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