Surendranath Banerjea needs no introduction as a great patriot, political leader, orator, teacher, educationist, journalist. He is one of the most eminent personalities in the history of India. He was the founder of this prestigious institution and his noble idea of bringing higher education within the reach of the widest possible sections of the society remains the guiding motto of the college.
In 1882, the Presidency School, which formed the nucleus of the present Institution, was handed over to Sir Surendranath Banerjea on 1st January 1884. He raised it to the status of a college affiliated to the F.A. standard and named it “THE PRESIDENCY INSTITUTION”. Within a year the institution was converted into a full fledged, first grade college under the name “RIPON COLLEGE”. Its activity was further extended through the opening of the Post-Graduate Department of Law in 1884, which was later affiliated to the Calcutta University in the year 1885, as an independent professional college. Since then, as long as he lived, Sir Surendranath not only remained at the helm of affairs, but was also active as a teacher, in the college. Sir Surendranath attached the name of Lord Ripon to his Institution as a tribute to the enlightened policies of the Viceroy. But after the attainment of independence, the golden cause to which Sir Surendranath dedicated his entire life, the name of the college was altered to Surendranath College. This was done to commemorate Sir Surendranath who had established this pioneering institution and nurtured it with utmost love and dedication.
This esteemed Law College is now regarded as one of the oldest law colleges of the country. The students of the College include Dr. Rajendra Prosad, the first president of India, Harendra Kumar Mukherjee, the first Governor of West Bengal, Justice Bijan Kumar Mukherjee, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India and many other luminaries and eminent personalities.
‘Rastraguru’ Surendranath Banerjea founded this college in the heart of the city close to the Sealdah Station - considering the convenience of commuting and to encourage more students to partake of quality education, especially for those who belonged to the downtrodden community . The former address of the college was 60, Mirzapur Street. The present address is 24/2, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Calcutta – 700 009.
Surendranath Banerjea was the absolute owner of Ripon College(now Surendranath College) and Ripon Law College including the Collegiate School up to 1908. With the aim of placing the Ripon Group of Institutions on a permanent footing and affiliating them to public institutions, Surendranath Banerjea, the proprietor, thought it desirable to divest himself of all private rights of property that he had over the said institutions and vesting them with a Public Charitable Trust in the year 1909. The signatories of the Trust deed were all notable personalities and educationists. The first signatory was Surendranath Banerjea and the rest were ----

1. Satyendra Nath Mukherjee
2.Upendra Nath Mukherjee
3.Jogesh Chandra Choudhury
4.Rashbehari Ghosh
5.Ashutosh Chaudhuri
6.Baikuntanath Sen
7.Baron Sinha of Raipur
8.Bhupendranath Basu
9.Ramendra Sundar Trivedi

After 1948, at instance of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the High Court at Calcutta, the Ripon Group of Institutions was renamed after Rashtraguru Surendranath Banerjea.
Both in the pre-independence and post-independence era, Surendranath Law College always responded to the demand of the time and society in all its earnestness. During the Partition Movement in 1905 and 1942, many teachers and students actively protested against the wrongful act of partition and did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives for the noble cause. Many students were arrested by the British Police from Ripon Hostel attached to the college. In fact, the sense of nationalism and patriotism were genuinely inculcated amongst the students by their teachers.
In the field of academic performance, including university examinations, students from this college have performed brilliantly and have secured gold medals in their respective course of study.
After 1980 legal education in Calcutta University was revamped to meet the challenge of time and 5 year LL.B. course was introduced instead of 3 year LL.B. Course.
In Surendranath Law College 5 year LL.B. Course was introduced since 1987 with renewed vigour and infrastructural change. Presently there are 1000 students in 5 yr. LL.B. Course. The rate of success in the university examination has been always above 92% since its inception.
The college is committed towards the overall development of the students and encourage them to regularly take part in extra-curricular activities.Students take keen interest in games and sports, in both the state and national level.They also take part in all India Moot Court competitions held in different parts of the country. Students and teachers, jointly organize awareness generating camps in various parts of the country to help people to fight social maladies and evils.
With the help of the Directorate, various NGOs, and the Government of West Bengal, the students have successfully organized anti-dowry campaigns and anti-pollution campaigns in the city and AIDs prevention campaign in the college premises.
On 10th December, Universal Declaration of Human Rights Day is celebrated each year in the college.
Students and teachers of this institution are aware of the lofty ideals and heritage of this college and from time to time organize many cultural programmes. These programmes are also organized with the motive of acquainting the students with the spirit and ideals of the founder and other nationally acclaimed personalities.
Law is a dynamic Social science. It requires continuous examination and re-examination, legal thoughts and legislative processes and instruments. The authority of the college is conscious of their responsibility and organises seminars and symposium with learned judges and juries, educationist and social thinkers in order to make the students aware and to broaden their knowledge spectrum.

Performance in Lok-Adalat

Since the inception of the Lok-Adalats in the Annexe Building of the Calcutta High Court under the able guidance and leadership of Justice Dilip Kumar Basu, the students of this esteemed institution have continued to take an active part in it. They get specialised training for becoming good counselors to affectively adopt the alternative dispute resolution(ADR). Through counseling camps across the different parts of the state, our students have received applause and appreciation from the Bar, press and law-abiding people, particularly the down-trodden.

Training for Participation in Family Court

This institution, after enactment of the Family Court, has decided to impart legal training to the students and with this aim the training process is in progress.

Legal Aid Clinic

As a corollary to the centenary programme, the college has started a Legal Aid Clinic in the college premises to render legal assistance for ensuring social justice to the victimized poor and downtrodden people. The 21st century poses new challenges in every sphere including the field of legal education. Keeping in view its heritage, this college is modulating the academic curriculum to make the students more adept to the present crises and needs of the society.