The Christian Brothers were invited to Shillong in 1915 and St. Edmund's College began in 1916. It was, however, in 1923 that the College was ready to start Inter-Arts and Inter-Science classes, and affiliation to Calcutta University, for these courses was received in 1923. The first classes of the University section of St. Edmund’s College opened in 1924. Bro. J E McCann was the first Principal of the College (he was also the Principal of the School at this time). Bro. I.O' Leary was the first Principal of the College (separate from the School).
St. Edmund’s College, Shillong is one of the premier institutions of the North East of India and Meghalaya in particular. Since 1924, till the present date, St. Edmund's College has maintained its excellence by regularly introducing new courses, updating its infrastructure, achieving the highest academic records and maintaining discipline of the students.
From 1924 to 1936, St. Edmund's College was a junior college for Intermediate Arts and Science. At that time, the college offered English, Alternative English, Latin, History and Maths, Geography, Physical Chemistry for Arts and Science respectively. Today, St. Edmund’s College has made commendable progress and has opened up different departments of various disciplines including Electronics, Computer Science, Biochemistry, Biotechnology, Bachelor of Social Work, Environmental Science and B.C.A. In 2010, the Higher Secondary Section has been segregated into a separate section within the College. In 2011 we introduced Post Graduate courses with admission to the Masters Degree in Social Work.
Along with academic excellence, the college has also worked towards the development of the personalities and potential of the students. Many programmes have been introduced in the college to draw out the potential and prowess of students and to help bring them to the forefront. St. Edmund's College is proud to have been the mold of several eminent personalities who have carved a name for themselves in the field of politics, academics, medicine, engineering, bureaucracy, judiciary.
The College celebrated its Platinum Jubilee in 1999. Over the period the College has endeavoured to instill in its students a love for excellence, integrity, concern for one's fellow human beings and the preservation of the environment in an atmosphere conducive to the awareness of God. The College creates an environment where the all-round development of the individual is promoted with dignity, principally through right relationships with God, with others and with the whole creation.