Sir Syed College is situated in the Taliparamba Municipality of Kannur District of Kerala State. Established in 1967 the institution was the culmination of a search by a socially committed team for a goal, not thought to be easily achievable in the region, the search for a center of higher education and a solution to the educational backwardness of an area and of a community that was officially classified educationally backward. The idea took the embryonic form in 1966, when the then minister for education late Janab C.H.Muhammed Koya officially announced the Government’s decision to sanction a College under the Cannanore District Muslim Educational Association (CDMEA) from the academic year 1967 onwards. The college was formally inaugurated by the then Chief Minister late E.M.S.Namboodiripad at a function presided over by Janab C.H.Mohammed Koya.
The institution was appropriately named after the great Muslim socio-educational reformer Sir Syed Ahamed Khan, symbolizing the revival of modern learning targeted through the institution – a cause dear to, and religiously pursued by the eventual founder of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU).
Aims and objectives
The aim of Sir Syed College is the educational and moral upliftment of the Muslim minority in particular and rurally backward public in general.
Management
Cannanore District Muslim Educational Association (CDMEA) runs the College. There is a separate Governing Body of CDMEA members to supervise the functioning of Sir Syed College. The 20 members Governing Body with Janab K. Abdul Kader (Chairman), and Adv. P. Mahamood(Manager & Correspondent) has the Principal as ex-officio members.
Administration
Principal is the administrative head of the institution. College office headed by the Senior Superintendent assists the Principal in day-to-day administration. Dr. K.M.Khaleel is the present Principal and Mr. Babu AR is the Senior Superintendent.
The college council consisting of Heads of all the Departments, two elected staff members, librarian and NCC officers advise the Principal in all the academic and administrative matters.
Cannanore District Muslim Educational Association (CDMEA)
The Cannanore District Muslim Educational Association was founded on April 28, 1964 at a meeting of eminent and socially committed Muslims, convened at Taj Hotel, Tellicherry. Late Jb. P.P. Ummer Kutty Haji chaired the meeting. An Executive Committee consisting of 27 members with Jb. V. Khalid Sahib as President and late Jb. Adv. P.M. Aboobacker as Secretary and late Jb. N.N. Ahamed Haji as Treasurer was constituted unanimously.
The aim of the Association was to work for the educational progress of the Muslims of the erstwhile Kannur District (consisting of present Kannur and Kasaragod Districts and North Wynad Taluk). The Association’s jurisdiction is even now the old Kannur District. What inspired the founders of the Association to form such an organization was the educational backwardness of the area and especially of Muslim community and their earnest desire to elevate them from this dismal state.
The immediate attention of the Association soon after its formation was attracted towards the pitiable condition of the Muslim boys and girls coming from poor family who were gifted by God with immense talent and immeasurable desire for study but hampered only by their poverty. The only remedy was to assist them financially to complete their studies. The Association envisaged a scheme for this and implemented it. Though the scheme had a setback for some time now it is being implemented with vigor and fervor.
One can imagine the thrilling emotional gratification the members of the Association derive as they see around them persons who got financial assistance from the Association to complete their studies and occupy position of eminence in the society. They are buds that would have been blown by adverse winds but blossomed into bright flowers, thanks to CDMEA.
Muslims of this region very badly felt the need to start a college of their own to meet the growing demands of ever-increasing numbers of students of the community who seek admission to colleges but the avenue for the same was missing.
In those days there were only a few colleges in the north Malabar region. There the seats were usually not available for Muslim students because admission was strictly on merit, which generally Muslim candidates lacked miserably. So the Association started an Arts and Science College, the Sir Syed College in Taliparamba, in 1967 in 25 acre land donated for this purpose by Taliparamba Juma Masjid Trust Committee. The then Muthavalli of the Trust Jb. K.V. Zeiuddin Haji deserved special gratitude for this magnificent gift.
The Muslim community of Kerala in general and Kannur area in particular remembers with great gratitude and high respect the patient sufferings, hard work and general contributions made by those peerless pioneers and charismatic leaders like Jb. C.K.P. Cheriya Mammoo Keyi Sahib (Vice President) and Jb. V.P. Mahamood Haji Sahib (General Secretary, CDMEA). Some other important members and office bearers of the Association who also rendered great service to it were Dr. A.V. Abdul Azeez Sahib, Jb. M.V. Aboo Sahib both former General Secretaries, Jb. C.O.T. Kunhi Pakki Sahib and Adv. K.K. Usman Kutty Sahib, both former Manager and Correspondent, Sir Syed College.
Among the leading lights of CDMEA Jb. A.K. Kader Kutty Sahib was a luminous figure. His zest for education, inspiring leadership and enviable service are still fresh in the minds of the Muslim community. But for him Sir Syed College would have been a poor shadow of what it is today. Many Life Members of the Association like Jb. P.C.K. Thangal, Dr. A.K. Kather Kunhi and Kallatra Abdul Kader Haji served the Association with devotion.
The Association is now managed by 69 members Executive Committee
| Janab. K. Abdul Kadar | President |
| Janab. S.A Puthiya Valappil | Vice President |
| Janab. V.K.Abdul Kadar Moulavi | " |
| Janab. C.Mahamood Haji | " |
| Janab. C.P Moosan Kutty | " |
| Janab. K.V Muhammed Kunhi | General Secretary |
| Janab. Pilakandy Muhammed Ali | Secretary |
| Janab. Adv.P.Mahamood | " |
| Janab. C.Khalid Engineer | " |
| Janab. Mahamood Allamkulam | " |
| Janab. P.K.Muhammed | Tresurer |
College Office
| College Office | |
| 1.Babu A.R. | Senior Superintendent |
| 2.Kunhi Moideen K.P | Head Accountant |
| 3.Muhammed Nazar A.V | U.D.Clerk |
| 4.Abdu.K | " |
| 6.Shaduli Kinakool Kunnumbrath | L.D.Clerk |
| 7.T.Mustafa | U.D.Clerk |
| 8.Ahamed Malikantakath | L.D.Clerk |
| 9.Eramu P | " |
| 10.Abdul Sathar K.P | U.D.Typist |
| 11.Muhammad Iqubal Koroth | L.D.Typist |
| Technical Assistant | |
| 12.Muhsin K. M.Sc.Comp.Sc.,DCA | Technical Assistant (Computer) |
| Library and Lab Assistants | |
| 13.Mustafa K.P | Lib.Asst |
| 14.K.P.Thajudhin | " |
| 15.Abdul Razack .P.C | " |
| 16.Abdul Rasheed Kayakool Thiruvattookaran | Lab.Asst |
| 17.Aboobackar T | " |
| 18.Abdulla Katti Koottathil | " |
| 19.Abdul Salam Thaninta Keezhil | " |
| 20.Siddik .P | " |
| 21.Aboobacker Siddik | " |
| 22.Abdussamad Komath | " |
| 23.Ummer Kutty T.P | " |
| 24.Amsakutty Parapprath | " |
| 25.Muhammed Shafi | " |
| 26.Muhammed Ashraf. C | " |
| 27.Hamza K.P | " |
| 28.Musthafa M.P | " |
| Gardner | |
| 29.Muneer K K | Gardener |
| Technical | |
| 30.Hassan T.P | Mechanic (Physics) |
| 31.Abdul Rahiman Kuttukkantakath | Herbarium Keeper (Botany) |
| Last Grade Staff | |
| 32.Abdu Seentakath | L.G.S |
| 33.Sharafudheen Kinakool Vayalippath | " |
| 34.Ashkar M.M.V(On LWA) | " |
| 35.Abdurrasheed Kinakool | " |
| 36.Ayyoob Parappurath | " |
| 37.Muhammed Shafi. K | " |
| 38.Mustafa K.P | " |