ST. XAVIER’S COLLEGE, MUMBAI was re-accredited in February 2007 with an A+ by the NAAC. This is the highest grade awarded in the second round of accreditation. We join 2 other Jesuit colleges (Trichi and Chennai) in being among the 8 colleges so awarded out of the 76 re-accredited upto February 2007. Along with the “College with a Potential for Excellence” award of the UGC in May 2006 (which had a grant of Rs. 60 Lakhs), the “India Today” journalistic rating of being the best college in the country (June 2006) and the University of Mumbai declaration as the best College in terms of toppers at the exams in April 2006, the NAAC grade appears as a crowning achievement in this academic year.
The Peer Team that inspected the College, headed by Prof. Sashidhara Prasad, Vice Chancellor of Mysore University, felt that the College “keeps itself abreast of the changing times and is on a fast move to equip its students to meet the challenges of globalization and the knowledge explosion. There is a well-managed system of active academic interaction between the teachers and the taught. In realising its objective of providing equal opportunities to the disadvantaged group, the Xavier's Centre for the Visually Challenged is an ambitious project. The performance of the Centre is exemplary and probably one of its kind in the country and worth being emulated. The College can claim uniqueness in providing special support to the visually challenged students and the slow learners. It has various mechanisms to facilitate the academic pursuits of the students from the socio-economically weaker sections. The College promotes quality research in various fields. The College has a golden legacy of providing extension services to society at large and to the deprived and the under privileged in particular. The College is well equipped with sophisticated infrastructure needed for modern research and higher academic activities. Among the learning resources a centralized computer facility is remarkable along with the library and the laboratories. The recently created Video Conferencing Centre and Cyber Café under the aegis of the Knowledge Centre are great steps in the promotion of international collaboration and promotion of IT education.
The College can act as a role model for other institutions so far as healthy practices are concerned. The commerce section of the college which works in the evening has a highly noteworthy practice that could be emulated by any Institution. Academically less endowed poor folk, who have taken up full time jobs at a lower level for a living, are admitted to the course. They are trained to come out with bright colours matching the result score of the University. The College is unique in imparting truly value-based education, which manifests in the multifarious extension activities aiming to enhance social welfare. The interaction with the students bubbling with enthusiasm indicates the quality and openness of the academic and the administrative system provided to the students that would help them to face the challenges of life. The Jesuit Fathers who are working behind the scene selflessly with love and affection have been role models for the faculty and the students”.
This acknowledgement about being among the best in the country has now made St. Xavier’s strive to reach the best international standards of Higher Education. Our infrastructure, learning processes, ties with industry and with international institutions, student activities for all-round formation, commitment to justice and to values – are all being upgraded and we now hope to do an even better service to our country and to the international community.
All this is only possible because of the collaboration our Faculty, other Staff and our students receive from so many quarters – our alumni/ae being the most precious. You will find information in this issue of the Xaverian about a host of Alumni events, about our new Xavier Advisory Council of eminent Alumni/ae and about those who have made a mark in society. We congratulate them all and invite others to contribute to making St. Xavier’s great.
Frazer Mascarenhas S.J.
Principal