St. Xavier's University, Kolkata
{{short description|Jesuit university in India}}
{{Undisclosed paid|date=October 2023}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox university
| name = St. Xavier's University, Kolkata
| native_name = সেন্ট জেভিয়ার্স বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, কলকাতা
| image_name = St. Xavier's University, Kolkata logo.png
| image_size = 200px
| caption =
| latin_name =
| motto = Nihil Ultra (Latin)
| mottoeng = Nothing Beyond
| type = Private Roman Catholic research non-profit coeducational
| established = {{Start date and age|df=y|2017|2|8}}
| closed =
| academic_affiliations = UGC AICTE BCI
| religious_affiliation = Catholic Church (Jesuit)
| endowment =
| budget =
| officer_in_charge =
| chairman =
| vice_chancellor = Rev. Dr. John Felix Raj, S. J.
| other =
| city = New Town, Kolkata
| state = West Bengal
| country = India
| coor = {{Coord|22.5619|N|88.4875|E|region:IN_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| campus = Urban 16.64 Acres
| athletics =
| colours =
| colors =
| sports =
| nickname = "Xaverians"
| mascot =
| free_label = Patron saint
| free = St. Francis Xavier
| website = {{url|http://www.sxuk.edu.in/}}
| logo =
| footnotes =
}}
St. Xavier's University Kolkata is a Jesuit university located in New Town, Kolkata, India. It was established in February 2018 and inaugurated in July of the same year. Although run by the same Jesuit community which administers St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, the college, established in 1860, is independent of and not affiliated to St. Xavier's University, Kolkata, but instead functions autonomously within the University of Calcutta.
History
In 2011, the St. Xavier's College, Kolkata Alumni Association under its president, Father John Felix Raj, the principal of the college, devised Vision 2020, a ten-year plan which included the founding of St. Xavier's University, Kolkata.{{cite web |title=Brief Proceedings of the Interactive Session on 'SXC Vision 2020' |url=http://mcciorg.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/pro-session-on-SXC-vision-2020-281015.pdf |website=mcciorg.com}} In 2012, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee invited St. Xavier's College to open a university.{{cite news |title=Mamata promises help in getting varsity status for St Xaviers' |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/policy/mamata-promises-help-in-getting-varsity-status-for-st-xaviers/article20387222.ece1 |work=The Hindu |date=12 March 2018}} Land was purchased from the government in 2013 and the foundation stone was laid by Mamata Banerjee in December that year.{{cite news |date=6 Dec 2013 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/St-Xaviers-College-to-start-building-campus-in-Rajarhat/articleshow/26928684.cms |newspaper=Times of India |title=St Xavier's College to start building campus in Rajarhat}} The West Bengal Legislative Assembly unanimously passed the St. Xavier's University, Kolkata Act 2016 on 15 December 2016 and the Governor gave his assent to the Act on 16 January 2017.{{cite news |url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/bill-passed-in-wb-assembly-to-ensure-improved-higher-education-117020901274_1.html |newspaper=Business Standard |title=Bill passed in WB Assembly to ensure improved higher education |date=9 February 2017}}
The State University of New Town Kolkata (SXUK) was established in February 2017 by the West Bengal government and formally inaugurated in July 2017 by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Lakshmi Mittal, the CEO of ArcelorMittal.{{cite news |title=Inauguration of St. Xaviers University, Kolkata |url=http://www.uniindia.com/mamata-along-with-mittal-inaugurates-new-campus-of-st-xavier-s-university-at-rajarhat/other/news/923778.html |publisher=United News of India |date=7 July 2017}} The same month, Father Felix Raj took charge of the university as its first vice-chancellor.{{cite web|title=Xavier's varsity gets vice-chancellor|url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170216/jsp/calcutta/story_136032.jsp#.WKgZITt97IU|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170219005310/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170216/jsp/calcutta/story_136032.jsp#.WKgZITt97IU|url-status=dead|archive-date=19 February 2017|publisher=The Telegraph|place=Kolkata|access-date=18 February 2017}}
By the St. Xavier's University, Kolkata, Act 2016 of the Bengal Assembly, the university may have constituent Jesuit Colleges situated in West Bengal. St. Xavier's College Kolkata Educational Trust is the sponsoring Trust of the university, with the Jesuit provincial as its president and Father Raj as secretary.{{Cite magazine|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/st-xaviers-university-kolkata-bill-2016-passed-in-wb-assembly/1/835572.html|title=St Xaviers University Kolkata Bill 2016 passed in WB Assembly|date=15 December 2016|magazine=India Today|access-date=2017-10-10}} Also established were the governing board, executive council, academic council, faculty councils, boards of studies and finance committee.{{cite web |title=Vice-Chancellor's Report 2017-18 |url=https://www.sxuk.edu.in/aboutSXUK/documents/vc-annualReports/SXUK-VC-AnnualReport2017-18.pdf |website=www.sxuk.edu.in}}
Controversy
A female professor at St. Xavier's University Kolkata was allegedly forced to resign after sharing personal photos on social media. The university reportedly demanded a financial penalty of ₹99 crores.{{Cite news |last=Gupta |first=Saurabh |date=10 Aug 2022 |title=Kolkata Professor Forced To Quit Allegedly Over Swimsuit Pic On Instagram |work=NDTV |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/kolkata-professor-forced-to-quit-allegedly-over-swimsuit-pic-on-instagram-3241785}} According to the professor, "The vice-chancellor John Felix Raj said this parent had found his son looking at my photographs on Instagram where I was wearing just my undergarments. He said they were sexually explicit and requested the university to save his son from such vulgarity." The professor explained that the photos were posted on 13 June 2021, prior to her joining the university faculty and before she accepted any requests from her students to follow her account which is private. She took the photos as selfies and posted them as an Instagram story which disappeared after 24 hours, so she accused the university panel of gaslighting her.{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-62601044 | title=Kolkata St Xavier's teacher: 'I was forced to resign over bikini photos' | work=BBC News | date=22 August 2022 }} In July 2023, the Supreme Court of India refused to hear the case due to lacking paperwork.{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/supreme-court-refuses-to-entertain-plea-of-professor-dismissed-from-stxaviers-university-over-instagram-picture-232384?infinitescroll=1|title=Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Plea Of Professor Dismissed From St.Xavier's University Over Instagram Picture|date=10 July 2023 |publisher=livelaw.in|access-date=2023-10-13}}
Honoris Causa
- St. Xavier's University, Kolkata conferred the D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) on eminent industrialist and Xaverian, Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group in the third Convocation on 5 March 2022.{{Cite web |title=RPSG Group Chairman Sanjiv Goenka receives honorary doctorate from Kolkata's St Xavier's University |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/business/story/rpsg-group-chairman-sanjiv-goenka-receives-honorary-doctorate-from-kolkata-s-st-xavier-s-university-1921195-2022-03-05 |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=India Today |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=সংবাদদাতা |first=নিজস্ব |title=Sanjiv Goenka: সঞ্জীব গোয়েঙ্কাকে সাম্মানিক ডিলিট দিল সেন্ট জেভিয়ার্স বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় |url=https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/kolkata/sanjiv-goenka-st-xaviers-university-kolkata-has-bestowed-the-degree-of-doctor-of-literature-honoris-causa-to-rpsg-chairman-sanjiv-goenka-dgtl/cid/1332184 |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=www.anandabazar.com |language=bn}}
- St. Xavier's University, Kolkata conferred the D.Litt. (Honoris Causa) on Mamata Banerjee, Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal in the fourth Convocation ceremony on 6 February 2023.{{Cite web |title=Mamata Banerjee conferred D. Litt by St Xavier's University, Governor Ananda Bose says - 'Her Contributions in Spheres of Literature...' |url=https://zeenews.india.com/india/mamata-banerjee-conferred-d-litt-by-st-xaviers-university-governor-ananda-bose-says-her-contributions-in-spheres-of-literature-2570329.html |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=Zee News |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=In pics: Mamata Banerjee awarded D.Litt., Kolkata Book Fair and more news from Kolkata |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/my-kolkata/news/in-pics-mamata-banerjee-awarded-d-litt-kolkata-book-fair-and-more-news-from-kolkata-photogallery/cid/1914732 |access-date=2023-07-13 |website=www.telegraphindia.com}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official|https://sxuk.edu.in/}}
{{Universities in West Bengal}}
{{Jesuit Colleges in India}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Xavier's University, Kolkata}}
Category:Universities in Kolkata
Category:Jesuit universities and colleges in India
Category:Universities and colleges established in 2017