News Analysis India

Tag: St Xaviers College

  • St Xavier’s College to upgrade all UG Departments to PG studies as part of Vision 2025 roadmap

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: St Xavier’s College (Autonomous) is upgrading all its undergraduate departments to postgraduate studies within the next three years as part of its Vision 2025 roadmap, Principal Father Dominic Savio said at the 15th Convocation of the institute.

    The college plans to introduce PhD programmes in Bengali and English very soon followed by commencement of doctoral studies in all the departments, he said on Saturday.

    Savio said the construction of the new campus of the College near EM Bypass will begin shortly as part of Vision 2025 to be realised in three years.

    “This is the third campus of the college, after its Kolkata campus and Raghabpur rural campus in South 24-Parganas district housing a state of the art hub.

    “It will house the Mass Communication and Multimedia department, the community radio station, a modern incubation centre for facilitating startups and modern research facilities for Science PG departments,” the principal said.

    The college is going to launch its ‘School for Gender Studies’ from the next month at the rural campus at Raghabpur.

    “The aim is to empower girl students with knowledge and self-confidence and also to facilitate awareness among their family members, neighbours and others with regard to gender equality. The centre also has a plan to start with peer reviewed journals on the subject both in English and Bengali with ISSN numbers,” he said.

    Calcutta University Vice-Chancellor Prof Sonali Chakravarti Banerjee presided over the convocation.

    Eminent cardiac surgeon and Xaverian Dr Kunal Sarkar was presented this year’s Nihil Ultra Award for his outstanding contribution to the society, especially during the corona period.

    Nine PhD, 352 PG, 2,539 UG and 95 BEd students were awarded their degrees in this year’s convocation which was held at the campus, the first convocation held physically at an educational institution in the city in past two years.

    Father Savio mentioned that as a part of the expansion plan, the rural campus at Raghabpur is also being upgraded to bridge the rural-urban divide among the students in the society.

    Other than new PG departments, the Raghabpur campus is also going to provide vocational courses designed to meet the needs of the local populace.

    A centre for Skill Development is also being planned at the Raghabpur Campus to impart technical skills to the local rural residents.

  • Kolkata diary: Bringing news from the ‘City of Joy’

    Express News Service
    Private hospitals asked to procure jabs from makers

    The state health department has informed the private hospitals in the state that they will have to procure the vaccines from the manufacturers starting from next month. At present, the state government supplies vaccines to private hospitals. This arrangement will come to an end on April 30. Private hospitals now pay Rs 150 a vial. Each vial has 10 doses.

    From May 1, the private hospitals have to shell out more. The Serum Institute of India, which manufactures Covishield, announced that private hospitals have to pay Rs 600 for each dose. Bharat Biotech, which produces Covaxin, has priced its vaccine at Rs 1,200 a dose for private hospitals and Rs 600 for government hospitals.

    Probe into IIT-Kharagpur professor over alleged casteist remark

    The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has taken suo-motu cognizance of alleged casteist remarks made by a professor of IIT-Kharagpur during an online class. The Commission has asked the institute to submit a report on the action taken against the professor within 15 days.

    The class on preparatory English, during which the remarks were made, was attended by a number of students from the SC community. A notice was sent to IIT Kharagpur director, VK Tewari, by the Commission’s Director of administration, Ajit Kumar Sahu.

    The notice says, “Her remarks have hurt the sentiments of many Indians, specifically the SC community.” Sources in the institute said an investigation has been launched.

    St Xavier’s College to wrap up online classes early

    In light of the Covid situation, St Xavier’s College has decided to wrap up classes on May 10, instead of May 29 as originally planned. According to a notice issued by Father Diminic Savio, the principal of the college, “The last day of class for B. Ed semester two is being brought forward to 10th May instead of 29th May.”

    The notice was issued a day after the college put off holding online semester exams given the increasing gravity of the pandemic. The students had complained that they were struggling to prepare for the exams in light of the situation.

    Kolkata’s South Point High School sets up COVID-19 helpline

    The management of Kolkata’s South Point High School has started a “COVID helpline” where parents or staff members can ask for information on the availability of hospital beds, oxygen cylinders, blood plasma donors, etc.

    The school will then post the question to the 25,000 users of the school app. According to a notice issued by the school to all parents and staff members, information could be sought on the availability of medical facilities like hospital beds, ambulances, oxygen, medicines, blood/plasma donors, nursing care services, food supply, and isolation/quarantine centers.