A Bengali educationist named Thakurdas Chakraborty founded Metropolitan Training School (later Calcutta Training School) in 1859 at 1 Arpuly Lane, Kolkata. Pundit
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, the educationist and social reformer, joined the institution as the President of the Managing Committee in the school in 1860. In 1864, the school was renamed as the Metropolitan Institution.
Upgradation to college In 1864,
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar applied to the Calcutta University for their affiliation to the First Arts (FA) course. The application was turned down, mainly due to the objection raised by Mr J. Sutcliffe, the then Principal of Presidency College. He stated that giving affiliation to a competitive college run by the Indians may undermine the dignity and importance of Presidency College. However, the students of the school performed extremely well in the Entrance Examination, conducted by the University of Calcutta in 1871. For this brilliant performance of students, Pundit Vidyasagar renewed his efforts for getting affiliation of the University. This time, despite some opposition, the University Vice-Chancellor, Edward Clive Bail, agreed to the proposal and on 27 January 1871, the Syndicate in its meeting sanctioned the prayer for affiliation and recommended it to the Government. Finally, on 19 February 1871 the Government of India sanctified affiliation of the institution up to the standard of the First Examination in Arts (FA), with effect from the month of January 1872. The College received affiliation of the University for Imparting Education up to Graduation level in 1879 and for BL course in 1882.
Renaming, upgrowth and formation of evening and woman wings After the passing away of the founder in 1891, Metropolitan Institute, was renamed to Vidyasagar College in 1917.
Saradaranjan Ray, who taught Sanskrit, was the principal of the college, at that time. His third brother, Muktidaranjan Ray, who taught Mathematics, was also a professor of this college. Since 1917 the College entered a phase of rapid upgradation, expanded academic curriculum and introduced a commerce department in 1922. The Commerce Department has been considered as the oldest commerce teaching department in India. It had its affiliation up to B.Com standard in 1928 and gradually attracted students from whole India. Due to the rapid growth of the commerce section, in terms of faculty and student strength, a separate wing devoted to commerce teaching in evening hours was established in 1951. In 1961, the evening section emerged as an independent entity with a separate Governing Body and affiliation from University of Calcutta, having a new name "Vidyasagar Metropolitan College". ==Campuses==