Rani Benode Manjari Government Girls’ School—also frequently written as Rani Binode Manjari School—is one of Jhargram’s historic institutions for girls’ education. The school’s journey from a small primary school to a Government higher-secondary institution reflects the expansion of public education in the town.

Rani Benode Manjari Government Girls School, Jhargram
Rani Benode Manjari Government Girls’ School in Jhargram. Editorial title image incorporating the school’s official emblem from the Banglar Shiksha portal.

From Barge Memorial Primary School

According to the school’s official history, the institution began as a small primary school known as Barge Memorial Primary School, named after Mr Barge, who served as District Judge of the former Midnapore district. In its earliest phase, both boys and girls studied from Classes I to IV, supported by a small teaching staff. Jagabandhu Babu served as headmaster, while Giribala Debi, Nilima Sen and other early teachers helped establish the school’s academic foundations.

The official account also remembers Nandi Babu, who handled much of the administrative work and voluntarily taught mathematics. Dr Sitanath Dey—described by the school as the first FRCS doctor from Jhargram—was among its early students. These details preserve the character of the institution before it became a dedicated Government girls’ school.

Expansion during the 1940s

Classes V to VIII were introduced gradually around 1942–43 as the school grew beyond the primary stage. Additional space came from a residential building donated by a person remembered as K. C. Sahib. After Jagabandhu Babu’s retirement, Smt Jyotsna Sengupta assumed responsibility for the institution.

The name Rani Benode Manjari

The school’s history connects its present name with the Jhargram royal family. Following the death of Raja Narasingha Malla Ugal Sanda Deb, his sons made a substantial donation to the school and renamed it in honour of their mother, Rani Benode Manjari. The change linked the institution with Jhargram’s wider tradition of royal support for education and public welfare.

Government recognition and higher-secondary education

In 1948, the Government approved and recognised the school as a Government institution. It received approval as a Madhyamik institution in 1956 and was recognised as a Higher Secondary institution in 1976–77. The school is listed by the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education and the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education under its Government girls’ school identity.

Education, opportunity and public life

Rani Benode Manjari Government Girls’ School has helped generations of students pursue education in Jhargram. Its significance lies not only in its age but in the continuity of its public mission: creating access to education, encouraging academic achievement and giving young women a foundation for higher study, professional life and community participation.

The institution has also participated in educational outreach beyond its own campus. Jhargram Raj College records science and bioinformatics outreach programmes involving students of the school, demonstrating the value of collaboration between secondary and higher-education institutions in the town.

Contact and address

Note: Admission rules, subject combinations, timings and contact details may change. Please confirm current information directly through the school or its official Banglar Shiksha page.

Sources and further information