On Gilchrist's suggestion, the Governor-General, the Marquess of Wellesley, and the East India Company decided to set up a training institution for its recruits in Calcutta. This started as the "Oriental Seminary" or "Gilchrist ka madrasa", but was enlarged within a year to become Fort William College in 1800. Gilchrist served as the first principal of the college until 1804, and through the personal patronage of Wellesley received a generous salary of 1500 rupees a month, or about £1800 per year (about £180,000 in present-day terms). During this time, he also published a number of books: "The Stranger's East India Guide to the Hindoostanee or Grand Popular Language of India", "The Hindustani Manual or Casket of India", "Nastaliq-e-Hindoe", "The Hindu Roman Orthoeptical Ultimatum", "The Oriental Fabulist", and others.