It was in July 1920 that the International Missionary Council suggested at its meeting in Williamstown Massachusetts that a training college be established for graduate teachers of North Tamil and Telugu areas of erstwhile Madras province. The scheme for a training college for men graduates in the premises of the former Wesley College, Royapettah was suggested by the Lindsay Commission on Christian Higher Education in India in the year 1931. On the basis of this eventful recommendation, the Meston Training College was founded in the name of Rev.Dr.William Meston, a distinguished Principal of Madras Christian College with the initial support of Methodist Missions Society, Council for World Mission, Church Missionary Society, United Society for the propagation of the Gospel. Subsequently, various philanthropic unions and churches have nurtured it.

The Founder Principal Rev.T.R. Foulger, a methodist Missionary spared no pains to upgrade the college into a postgraduate institution by starting the M.Ed. course in 1943 in co-operation with various institutions in the city.