On September 13, 1896, His Majesty King Chulalongkorn the great, raised the status of Mahathat Witthahayalai to that of a royal college, under the title of Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya (Mahachulalongkorn Royal College), aimed at providing Tipitaka studies, and higher education, not only for monks and novices, but also for laypeople.