St. Xavier's College, Mumbai

St.Xavier's College, Bombay

St Xavier's College is one of Mumbai's (India) oldest and the city's most famous college.

It offers arts and science. The college is known for its well rounded students a.k.a. "Xavierites" and its strong extra-curricular activities such as its famous inter-collegiate festival 'Malhar'. Famous alumni include Sunil Gavaskar, Zubin Mehta, Charles Correa, Alyque Padamsee, Shabana Azmi and the notorious Cyrus Broacha.

The college building is made in the Indo Gothic architecture style and has been declared a heritage structure.

It's located in the "Metro" area in the "Colonial District" of Mumbai. The college can be easily accessed from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus and Marine Lines Railway Station.

The College

File:SXClogo.jpg St. Xavier's College, is named after St. Francis Xavier, a Jesuit saint of the 16th Century who travelled to India. The College was founded by the Society of Jesus, a Christian Religious Group started by St. Ignatius of Loyola in 1540. Since its inception, the Jesuits have toiled in the field of education, among other things, and were even called 'the school-masters of Europe' at one time. They are inspired by a vision of humanity drawn from the life, teachings and personality of Jesus Christ.

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The First Quadrant

St. Xavier's College is a Catholic institution, which strives to form men and women, especially Christians and the marginalised, to build a more just and humane world. The intellectual endeavour it strives for, focuses on critical and creative thinking, with the aim of social transformation. This endeavour is inspired by the Values of the Gospel - from the New Testament of the Christian scriptures - while it appreciates and promotes all the other religions, especially the rich religious heritage of India.

The College makes a preferential option for the marginalised and it seeks to give an all-round formation, inculcating both human and spiritual values. St. Xavier's College is only a part of the vast educational efforts of the Jesuits in India and throughout the world. At present Jesuits run about 100 schools, 24 colleges, and innumerable non-formal and adult education centres in India, and all these form part of the effort of the Catholic Church to share in the vital task of education in our land.

On January 30, 1869, St. Xavier's College was affiliated to the University of Bombay. It is accredited by the University with the task of preparing students for degrees in Arts, Science and Commerce.

The Society of Jesus manages the college through a Governing Body whose Chairman is the Provincial of the Bombay Province of the Society. It's Vice-Chairman is the Rector of the College, while its Secretary and Chief Executive is the Principal. Currently Fr. Rudolf Heredia SJ is the Rector of the College, and Fr. Frazer Mascharenhas SJ is the Principal.

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The Second Quadrant Arches

5-Star Rating

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The NAAC Certificate

The National Assessment and Accreditation Council which has just finished evaluating our college, has made the following remarks: The College has some unique features, which enhance the academic ambiance of the institution:

The Heras Institute of Indian History and Culture and its Museum, founded in 1926 by the late Rev. Fr. Henry Heras, S.J... has an excellent Research Library and Museum. It provides guidance and facilities for post-graduate research in the fields of Ancient, Medieval and Modern Indian History, Indian Art and Literature, etc.

The Social Service League, started in 1940 in order to promote adult education and prevent child delinquency.

The Caius Laboratory for Inter-Disciplinary Research, named after the late Fr. J.F. Caius, S.J., established in 1947 for the purpose of carrying out drug research. It provides services to all science departments.

The Counselling Centre, founded in 1954, offers the following services: psychological counselling, inventories on better personal and social adjustment, personal evaluation tests, testing programmes for vocational purposes, information on careers and professions etc.

The Teacher Assessment Questionnaire introduced in 1968-69, consists of a specially formulated questionnaire for the students to evaluate their teachers.

The Nadkarny-Sacasa Research Laboratory opened in July 1972, is a well-equipped laboratory for research in Organic Chemistry. It attempts to link research with industry.

The Indian Music Group, founded in 1973 to promote Indian Classical Music in the city, especially among its young people.

The Malhar Inter-Collegiate Cultural Festival held every year since 1979 in the month of August, during the rains.

The Learning for Life Programme, started in 1980, in order to offer students courses which they could choose voluntarily outside the usual syllabus and lecture hours.

The Social Science Centre inaugurated in 1980, which focuses on regional and applied research on issues of social concern.

The Honours Programme introduced in 1985, in order to challenge faculty and students to go beyond the syllabus.

The Department of Inter-Religious Studies, inaugurated in 1987 to foster an understanding and appreciation of religions and thereby to contribute towards communal harmony and national integration.

The Evening Commerce Section, started in 1988-89, for the economically disadvantaged, to provide an opportunity for working students to improve their prospects in life.

The Social Involvement Programme introduced in 1996, as an attempt to add a social component to education.

The Blatter Herbarium started at the end of the last century with a very large number of plants collected by the late Rev. E. Blatter, S.J., his associates and students. It has the largest collection of plants in Western India. It provides facilities for the study of Plant system and has a well stocked library.

The Fell Gymkhana, named after the late Fr. J. Fell, S.J., furnished with equipment and facilities for body building and recreation for staff and students.