St. Xavier's University, Kolkata

St. Xavier's University, Kolkata
সেন্ট জেভিয়ার্স বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়, কলকাতা
MottoNihil Ultra (Latin)
Motto in English
Nothing Beyond
TypePrivate Roman Catholic research non-profit coeducational
Established8 February 2017; 7 years ago (2017-02-08)
Religious affiliation
Catholic Church (Jesuit)
Academic affiliations
UGC AICTE BCI
Vice-ChancellorRev. Dr. John Felix Raj, S. J.
Location
New Town, Kolkata
,
West Bengal
,
India

22°33′43″N 88°29′15″E / 22.5619°N 88.4875°E / 22.5619; 88.4875
CampusUrban 16.64 Acres
Patron saintSt. Francis Xavier
Nickname"Xaverians"
Websitewww.sxuk.edu.in

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

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The main university building

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.[1] In 2012, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee invited St. Xavier's College to open a university.[2] Land was purchased from the government in 2013 and the foundation stone was laid by Mamata Banerjee in December that year.[3] 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.[4]

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.[5] The same month, Father Felix Raj took charge of the university as its first vice-chancellor.[6]

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.[7] Also established were the governing board, executive council, academic council, faculty councils, boards of studies and finance committee.[8]

Controversy

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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.[9] 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.[10] In July 2023, the Supreme Court of India refused to hear the case due to lacking paperwork.[11]

Honoris Causa

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  • 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.[12][13]
  • 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.[14][15]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Brief Proceedings of the Interactive Session on 'SXC Vision 2020'" (PDF). mcciorg.com.
  2. ^ "Mamata promises help in getting varsity status for St Xaviers'". The Hindu. 12 March 2018.
  3. ^ "St Xavier's College to start building campus in Rajarhat". Times of India. 6 December 2013.
  4. ^ "Bill passed in WB Assembly to ensure improved higher education". Business Standard. 9 February 2017.
  5. ^ "Inauguration of St. Xaviers University, Kolkata". United News of India. 7 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Xavier's varsity gets vice-chancellor". Kolkata: The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  7. ^ "St Xaviers University Kolkata Bill 2016 passed in WB Assembly". India Today. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Vice-Chancellor's Report 2017-18" (PDF). www.sxuk.edu.in.
  9. ^ Gupta, Saurabh (10 August 2022). "Kolkata Professor Forced To Quit Allegedly Over Swimsuit Pic On Instagram". NDTV.
  10. ^ "Kolkata St Xavier's teacher: 'I was forced to resign over bikini photos'". BBC News. 22 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Supreme Court Refuses To Entertain Plea Of Professor Dismissed From St.Xavier's University Over Instagram Picture". livelaw.in. 10 July 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  12. ^ "RPSG Group Chairman Sanjiv Goenka receives honorary doctorate from Kolkata's St Xavier's University". India Today. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  13. ^ সংবাদদাতা, নিজস্ব. "Sanjiv Goenka: সঞ্জীব গোয়েঙ্কাকে সাম্মানিক ডিলিট দিল সেন্ট জেভিয়ার্স বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়". www.anandabazar.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  14. ^ "Mamata Banerjee conferred D. Litt by St Xavier's University, Governor Ananda Bose says - 'Her Contributions in Spheres of Literature...'". Zee News. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  15. ^ "In pics: Mamata Banerjee awarded D.Litt., Kolkata Book Fair and more news from Kolkata". www.telegraphindia.com. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
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