Kolkata: The city's 192-year-old Presidency College, which played a sterling role in the 19th century renaissance besides churning out scholars and luminaries in various walks of life till date, is now all set to be upgraded to a university.

West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on Tuesday gave his written consent on upgradation of the hallowed institution of learning, which has among its alumni Swami Vivekananda, Nobel laureate economist Amartya Sen, scientist Satyendranath Bose, revolutionary Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, India's first president Rajendra Prasad and filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi had given his assent earlier.

Presidency University will for the time function as a unitary one, without any power to have any affiliate colleges. However, such powers can also be given later, sources at the chief minister's secretariat said.

Granting of university status to the Presidency College has been a long-standing demand of the state's academicians and intellectuals.

Founded in 1817 as Hindu College, the institution was christened Presidency College in 1855. So long, it was an affiliate of the Calcutta University. IANS