St. Xavier's College, Mapusa, Goa

St. Xavier's is a college run out of the North Goa town of Mapusa (also spelt as Mapuca, Mhapsa or Mapsa). It is the largest and oldest college north of the Mandovi river in Goa, a state along the west coast of India. Its current principal is Newman I.P. Fernandes.

History

This college was set up in 1963, soon after the end of Portuguese rule in Goa, when the new administration undertook an expansion of higher education in the region.

According to the [http://www.xavierscollege-goa.com/genesis.html college website] , the idea of a Catholic college was "conceived by the veteran educationalist Msgr. Filip Mendonsa the then principal of St. Joseph High School Arpora". It was favourably received by the then archbishop patriarch, D.Jose Viera Alvernaz.

Initially, a vacated high school building in Bastora, a village located a few kilometers from Mapusa town, served as a provisional arrangement for a modest beginning.

Fr. Antonio Ataide Lobo, the then secretary of the diocesan secretariat for schools, is credited with having "played a very vital role and was instrumental in giving a facelift to the old premise". In those days, there was no diocesan priest who satisfied the requirements of the University of Bombay to act as principal.

Then Bishop Rebello approached the Provincial of the Jesuits, who placed two priests -- Fr. Edward D'Cruz and Fr Fonseca at the disposal of the Archdiocese of Goa, as principal and vice-principal of the fledging college.

It began with 140 students in the year 1963, with the college offering them First Year in Arts and Science. In March 1964, a farewell function was held for Frs D'Cruz and Fonseca -- on completing their two-year mission in Goa -- and Fr. Nicolau Pereira, who went on to play the role fo principal for a literally a generation of students, was introduced.

It was affiliated to the University of Bombay during 1963. Gradually, more classes were added. In June 1969, registration for candidates for their M.Sc. degree in Physics, Chemistry and Botany and M.A. degree in English, Philosophy and Portuguese were undertaken, and permission was also given for a doctorate in Portuguese.

Since 1986, St Xavier's College was attached to the Goa University, which was set up in the State of Goa, and all colleges located here were required to be affiliated to it. In 1993, the college got permission to start a Commerce faculty. From June 1995, it got affiliation to teach Computer Science, and from the following year, Electronics, both courses being at the Bachelor's of Science level. Computer Applications (vocational) at the BCom level and Industrial Chemistry (vocational) at the BSc level have also been introduced.

St Xaviers has started Goas only media production course that offers a mass communication degree to students who want to pusure a career in Film production, media and journalism.A pioneer in this area in Goa, St Xaviers under the able guidance of Mr Newman Fernandes has recently arranged a merger with Cavendish College London to offer students a top-up course in film production in the United Kingdom on completion of their degree course in Goa.

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College social

St.Xavier's has held its annual college dance -- or social as it is better known -- for a number of years now. This social is usually held to celebrate the feast of St. Francis Xavier. It is a day of fun and dance and food where all second year students and third year students are allowed to attend.

This year the theme was Estrela and the event was possible because of the efforts of a handful of students who worked very hard. This year's Miss Xaviers and Mr.Xaviers were Farell (the general secretary of the college) and Mansueto.

The social used to be open to all students till some years back but that is not the case anymore. For the past couple of years it is only the second year and third year students who have attended. This is because there is not enough place for all the students. So it is held in the college hall as opposed to the college library which used to be huge as compared to now.

Campus

Currently, the campus covers an area of 22 acres of land on the heights of what it calls Xaviernagar overlooking down on Mapusa city and affording the panoramic view of the surrounding villages.With two basketball courts, one football ground, running track,indoor gymnasium, St Xaviers College has a high track record of producing exceptional sportspersons in the areas of Bodybuilding, football, basketball and volleyball.

College in 2006

In 2006, college authorities announced that St. Xavier’s College would be hosting, in mid-December and for the first time, an International Reunion of its alumni/ae and former teachers on December 17, 2006, on Dr. Mariano Saldanha Lawns of the college. This event was being held in association with the Association of Alumni/ae of St. Britto High School, St. Mary’s High School and St. Xavier’s Higher Secondary School and College (BMX). "Around 150 alumni/ae from USA, Canada, Portugal, Spain, Australia, UK, Gulf and some other countries, and an equal number from the other parts of India are expected to participate in this programme," the college said. It noted that most of the students of St. Britto High School, meant for boys, and St. Mary’s High School, meant for girls, join St. Xavier’s. BMX is a Canadian brainchild and the first reunion was held in Toronto, Canada, in 2004. The second was scheduled for Goa from December 16 to 21, 2006. Such reunions have been hosted by the college in the month of December since 2002, with participation mostly of the local alumni/ae and a sprinkling of foreign alumni/ae.

Past builders of the institution

Chief architects of St. Xavier’s have been the Jesuit priest Fr. Edward D’Cruz s.j (1963-65), Fr. Nicolau Pereira (1965-1991) and Fr. Antimo Gomes (1991 – 2002). The former two have died. Fr. D’Cruz was the Principal of St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai and his services were loaned to the Archdiocese by the Jesuits when St. Xavier’s was established in 1963, soon after the end of Portuguese rule in Goa. Fr D'Cruz has been credited with laying the foundation of the College, which initially functioned in the neighbouring Bardez village of Bastora, in the Fransalian Complex for five years. Fr. Pereira joined soon after completing his Ph.D. in Chemistry in U.S.A. The present fairly large-sized complex consisting of teaching block, administrative block and hostel at Altinho, Mapusa, was undertaken by Fr. Pereira along with the expansion of academic courses and other programmes at undergraduate, postgraduate and Ph.D. level. His tenure was the longest. He was known in the student community as "Pop". Fr. Gomes served the Archdiocese for many years as Secretary of Diocesan Society of Education before starting his teaching career at Xavier’s from 1984 to 1991, when he was appointed Principal. He introduced post-graduate degree programme in Psychology and many other courses. College accounts say that during his tenure the gardens became lush green with new plants which he loved very much.

Plan for auditorium, etc

In end-2006, the college was working on a memorial in the form of a vast auditorium named as Fr. Nicolau Pereira Auditorium, which was termed to be a "gift of its alumni/ae and friends of Xavier’s to the student community". According to the plans, this auditorium will accommodate 1500 persons. The alumni/ae & friends of Xavier's were requested to gift chairs which will carry the nameplate of the donor, each chair costing Rs. 15,000, to cover the cost of the building. College Alumni/ae's help has been sought to help this institution -- as education gets increasingly internationalised -- for twining partnerships with foreign universities, faculty exchange programme, student exchange programme, student internship, faculty enrichment partnership , joint research projects, joint publications and the like. In particular, the college has sought "assistance of its alumni/ae for international networking." "This will help the college for enrichment of the teaching-learning process, greater flexibility of educational experience, improved quality of research, sharing of the best practices and economic potential," said the institution. Among its plans for infrastructure expansion include a new state-of-the-art library building, an 1500-seater auditorium and an indoor stadium.

Campus radio

In December2006 the launch of the 'campus radio station' called Radio Xavier was also announced.

College landmarks

* June 1969 - University of Bombay allows registration of candidates for M.Sc. and M.A.
* June 1970 - Psychology introduced.
* June 1983 - Konkani, the official language of Goa, was introduced.
* June 1984 - Microbiology was added to the Science faculty.
* June 1985 - Goa University came into existence and colleges situated in Goa were delinked from the jurisdiction of University of Bombay, and affiliated to Goa University in June 1986.
* June 1993 - Commerce faculty started with the permission of the University.
* June 1995 - Computer Science/Electronics at BSc level introduced.
* June 1995 - U.G.C.-sponsored Computer Applications subject for 20 students at BCom level, along with another 499 colleges across India.
* June 2001 - Indian University Grants Commission-sponsored Industrial Chemistry subject for students at B.Sc. level
* June 2001 - Xavier's offers a M.A. degree in Psychology.
* June 2006 - Xavier's offers Goas first media and mass communication degree course with editing suites, camera and film equipment.

External links

* [http://www.xavierscollege-goa.com/ St Xavier's College, Goa site]
* [http://www.xavierscollege-goa.com/aday.htmL Alumni network link]
* [http://www.goajesuits.in The Goa Jesuit Province of the Society of Jesus] - The Jesuits in Goa