In 1854 Monsignor Zuber, Vicar Apostolic of Patna, purchased the land where the school stands intending to form a community of native Christians. The
Indian Rebellion of 1857 destroyed his plans and the place was left without any residents. In 1858, when order was restored, Anastasius Hartmann opened the building as an orphanage for children who became orphans during the rebellion. More buildings were added and the institution gradually grew to become a large boarding house and orphanage combined. In 1894, the management of the school was handed over to the
Irish Christian Brothers (commonly known as Christian Brothers) under whose management it became one of the leading schools in
Bengal. St Michael's became a high school and sent its first batch of four students to the high school examination in 1896. In 1907, Bengal District Gazetteers for Patna states the number of boys in the school at 283, including a large number of orphans. The staff consisted of six brothers and six secular teachers. During this period, the school received an annual government grant, regulated by the number of students enrolled. St. Michael's set up a volunteer cadet corps in 1893. Since 1968, the school has been managed by the Jesuits of the Patna Province of the Society of Jesus, In 1988 the school's affiliation board changed from
ICSE Board to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). ==Campus and infrastructure==