St. Xavier's College, Mapusa, Goa

St. Xavier's College

St. Xavier's College
Founder(s) The Archdiocese of Goa & Daman
Established 1963
Location Mapusa, Goa, India
Website www.xavierscollege-goa.com

St. Xavier's is a college located in the North Goa district's town of Mapusa (also spelt as Mapuca, Mapusa 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 principal is Dr. Fr. Walter de Sá, who joined in 2008. The college is accredited by the NAAC with a Grade “A” with CGPA 3.36 on a scale ranging from 0-4.

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 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.

The college started in a vacated high school building in Bastora, a village located a few kilometers from Mapusa town.

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 premises". 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 fledgling college.

It began with 140 students in 1963, with the college offering a 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 of principal, 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 given for a doctorate in Portuguese.

Since 1986, St Xavier's College has been attached to Goa University, which was set up in the State of Goa. In 1993, the college got permission to start a Commerce faculty. In June 1995 Computer Science began, 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 been introduced.

St Xaviers has started Goa's only media production course that offers a mass communication degree to students who want to pusure a career in film production, media and journalism. St Xaviers under the guidance of Mr Newman Fernandes has 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.

Courses offered

Undergraduate courses

Postgraduate courses

College social

The annual college dance — or social -is held to celebrate the feast of St. Francis Xavier. It is a day of fun and dance and food where all students are allowed to attend. In 2009, the theme was "Spelldom".

Campus

The campus covers 22 acres (89,000 m2) on the heights of what it calls Xaviernagar, looking down on Mapusa city and affording the panoramic view of the surrounding villages.

The college has two basketball courts, one football ground, running track, and an indoor gymnasium.

Past builders of the institution

The 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 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 the USA. The 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.

Campus radio

In December 2006 the launch of the 'campus radio station' called Radio Xavier was announced.

College landmarks

External links