| Pithapur Rajah's Government College | |
| Motto: | Enter, Endeavour, Excel |
| Established: | 1884 |
| Type: | Public |
| Principal: | Dr. B. V. Tirupanyam |
| Campus: | Urban |
The Pithapur Rajah's Government College, commonly known as P. R. Government College, is an Indian autonomous educational institution located in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. Established in 1884, it is one of the oldest higher educational institutions in Andhra. It has been recognized as the 'College with Potential for Excellence' by the University Grants Commission in 2010. It is affiliated to the Adikavi Nannaya University.[1]
Pithapur Rajah's College (P. R. College) is among the oldest educational institutions in Andhra. Initially established as a middle school in 1852, it received an endowment of ₹25,000 in 1865 from the Pithapuram zamindar.[2] In August 1884, it was elevated to a second-grade college under the patronage of Sri Rajah Rao Venkata Mahipathi Gangadhara Rama Rao Bahadur, the then zamindar of Pithapuram.[3] [4]
The college played a pioneering role in promoting women's education, offering full fee exemptions and various incentives for female students. In 1952, the college was taken over by the government, becoming P. R. Government College. It celebrated its centenary in March 1984.
P. R. College has two campuses: the Science College campus, located near the Main Road, and the Arts College campus, which spans approximately 28 acres near the Government General Hospital. The college's surroundings include McLaren High School, the District Collector's Office, and the Zilla Parishad Office.
In 2000, P. R. Government College was granted autonomous status by the University Grants Commission (UGC), with the approval of Andhra University and the Government of Andhra Pradesh. In October 2010, the UGC recognized the college as a College with Potential for Excellence (CPE), providing financial support for its development.
Undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in arts and science, affiliated to the Adikavi Nannaya University, are offered at the college, which has been accredited by NAAC with an A grade (CGPA 3.17).[5]