 Tower Block, SB College | |
Other name | SB College |
|---|---|
| Motto | Latin:Caritas Vera Nobilitas |
Motto in English | Charity or Love of one's Fellow men is true Nobility. |
| Type | Autonomous |
| Established | 19 June 1922; 103 years ago (1922-06-19) |
| Founder | Venerable Mar Thomas Kurialacherry |
Parent institution | Syro-Malabar Catholic Archdiocese of Changanassery |
Religious affiliation | Syro Malabar Catholic Church |
Academic affiliations | Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam |
| Principal | Rev. Fr. Dr. Teddy C. Kanjooparambil |
| Patron | Mar Thomas Tharayil |
Academic staff | 200 |
Administrative staff | 50 |
| Students | 3008 |
| Location | , 9°27′05″N76°32′19″E / 9.45139°N 76.53861°E /9.45139; 76.53861 |
| Campus | Semi-urban |
| Nickname | SBC |
| Website | www |
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St. Berchmans College, popularly known asSBCollege, is one of the first autonomous colleges in Kerala, India. Located in Changanasserry, just 17 km from Kottayam, the college was established in 1922 and is recognized as one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education in the country.[1][2][3] The University Grants Commission (UGC) has recognized SB College under its “College with Potential for Excellence” scheme. On 13 June 2014, both the UGC and the Government of Kerala granted autonomy to the institution. The college marked its centenary during the academic year 2022, celebrating 100 years of academic excellence and service.
The college is named afterJohn Berchmans, a 17th centuryBelgianJesuit saint, who is also thepatron saint of the college and is venerated in the Church as thePatron Saint of Students and Scholars. The college is situated in the town ofChanganassery 18 kilometers south ofKottayam. Established in 1922, It has 19 postgraduate and eight research departments. It offers 17 UG, 21 PG, 3 MPhil, and 9 doctoral programmes. Students and alumni of the college are referred to as 'Berchmanites'. It is run by theSyro Malabar CatholicArchdiocese of Changanassery, is affiliated to theMahatma Gandhi University inKottayam and is recognized by theUniversity Grants Commission (UGC).
The college was first accredited with ‘Five Star’ in 1999 and reaccredited with ‘A+’ in 2006. In the third cycle of accreditation in 2012, the college was graded at A. In 2017, it was again reaccredited with ‘A’ grade.[4][5] The University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Government of Kerala granted autonomy to this college in 2014. In 1996 and 1997, it won the “R Shankar Award” for the Best College in the State, instituted by the Government of Kerala. In 2004, the UGC identified the college under its “College with Potential for Excellence” scheme. The National Commission for Minority Educational Institution, New Delhi has granted minority status to the college in 2010. All the Science Departments are supported by the FIST of DST, Government of India. It has been ranked among the top 100 Indian colleges by theNational Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), MHRD, Government of India since 2018.[6] The college also has twosister institutions -Assumption College, Changanassery andSt Berchmans Higher Secondary School, Changanasserry.
St Berchmans College is the first higher education institution under theSyro-Malabar Catholic Archeparchy of Changanacherry. After the establishment ofSt Berchmans English High School, Changanasserry by firstVicar Apostolic of Kottayam,Msgr.Fr. Charles Lavigne andclergy ofCatholic Church in 1891, he laid the foundation stone of the college in 1895 on seeing the need for an institution of higher education inTravancore andMalabar region.[7] The college was established in 1922 byVenerableMar Thomas Kurialacherry, Bishop ofChanganassery diocese with the help of both theCatholic Church and theTravancore royal family.[7] In 1925, the college was transferred to its current place.
In 1925, the college authorities decided to install the 12 feet tall statue ofChrist the King, brought fromSpain, on the top of theCollege Tower, on a 6 feet tall pedestal. Thecollege chapel, built in 1940, was named Christ King's Chapel, after the installation of the statue.[8][9] Today, the college is affiliated toMG University, Kottayam.
In June 2022, therelics ofSt John Berchmans brought from Italy were placed in the College Chapel, as part of the centenary.[10]
The college crest features a Greek cross dividing four quarters. The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit, the fleur-de-lis represents purity, and the coconut trees signify Kerala. Waves depict the college's location, and the open book on the Greek cross symbolizes wisdom. The Latin motto "Caritas Vera Nobilitas" and its Sanskrit equivalent "सैभ्रात्रं हि कूलीनता (saibhrātram hi kūlīnatā)" are inscribed below the shield.[11][12]
| College rankings | |
|---|---|
| General – India | |
| NIRF (Colleges) (2024)[13] | 69 |
The college was ranked 54 in All India ranking by NIRF (National Institutional Ranking Framework) in 2023,69 in 2024, and 56 in 2025.[14]
The college brings Nobel laureates and other scholars including asEi-ichi Negishi (Nobel in Chemistry 2010) in 2016,Ada E Yonath (Nobel in Chemistry, 2009) in 2019,Anthony James Leggett (Nobel in Physics 2003) in 2020 andMartin Chalfie (Nobel in Chemistry 2008) in 2021.[15]
Berchmans Institute of Management Studies (BIMS) established in 1995, is under the management of St. Berchmans College affiliated toMahatma Gandhi University,Kottayam.[citation needed]
St Berchmans College is today considered to be one of the top ten colleges in Kerala and has always been in the top 100 colleges in India.[16] The college is today a heritage instituition of higher education in Kerala.[17]
UGC has recognized the college as 'College with Potential for Excellence'. It is one of the first colleges in Kerala to undergo NAAC accreditation and is currently undergoing fifth cycle. In May 2006, NAAC accredited the college with Grade A+. In 2012, the college was re-accredited with Grade A in the country with a CGPA of 3.37 on a four-point scale. In 2017, it was re-accredited with Grade A. It is also one of the topmost NAAC-accredited college in Kerala with the highest CGPA.[18]
The college which was one of the last bastions of male exclusivity has opened its door to female students to various undergraduate programmes.[19] The college is also appreciated for its beautiful combination ofVictorian architecture, characterized by the use of red bricks,pointed andsemicircular arches, ornate detailing, dome and towering structures, with a blend ofDutch colonial andDravidian architecture,[20] especially in the college tower, Kurialacherry block and the chapel.[8] The college has one of the largestcollege libraries in South India, with more than a collection of 100,000 books.[21] The college also kept the 100 year old tradition of starting the day with the one minute hymn 'Lead, Kindly Light' byCardinal Newman which is said to halt everyone from their work. The college is also one of the notedCatholic Institutions in the world notable for producing threeCardinals of Catholic Church .[22]
As a part of the centenary, the college underwent major renovations and heritage restoration in 2022.
The college has produced a diverse alumni ranging from politicians to businessmen, writers to actors, religious leaders to scientists, athletes tomilitary personnel and civil servants.[8]
One of the legendary actors of theMalayalam film industry,Prem Nazir, an alumnus of the college, said[23]
"Back in my college days, that is when I was in Changanaserry SB College, I got a chance to play my first character asShylock inMerchant Of Venice directed by CA Sheppard, a professor of English department in SB. He was also the one that helped me to reach my first film, Thyagaseema, which I acted withSathyan Sir."[24]
Though he was active in student politics,Oommen Chandy was not engaged in activism within the campus when he was student of BA Economics in SB.
"It has been 55 years since I passed out of college. Still, I try to go to the campus at least once every year. I also found time to attend the alumni meet on the Republic Day for the past few years."
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The college has produced two Chief Ministers, Oommen Chandy andP.K. Vasudevan Nair, former minister in thefirst EMS Namboodiripad ministry and Communist LeaderT. V. Thomas, first Opposition Leader and former Home Minister,P T Chacko, a number of writers and artists, includingPrem Nazir,MG Soman,Kunchacko Boban,Sibi Malayil,Jeethu Joseph,Martin Prakatt,George Onakkoor,Muttathu Varkey andVishnunarayanan Namboothiri, three cardinals of the Catholic Church,Mar George Alencherry,Moran Mor Baselious Cleemis andMar George Koovakad (which is highest for any college in India), NSS General SecretaryPK Narayana Panicker, archbishops includingMar Joseph Powathil,Mar Joseph Perumthottam, FormerApostolic Nuncio Mar George Kochery,Mar Thomas Tharayil, Bishop of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of Niranam DioceseYuhanon Mar Chrysostamos, Bishop of Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church of Niranam DioceseCoorilose Mar Geevarghese besides a long list of legal luminaries, bureaucrats and academicians such asJustice Cyriac Joseph,C.V. Ananda Bose,Raju Narayana Swami,Jancy James,B. Ekbal and so on.[25]
 | This list of alumnimay not follow Wikipedia'sverifiability policy. Please helpimprove it by addingreliable sources for existing names which prove they are alumni. Unsourced names may be challenged and removed.(April 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Name | Class Year | Degree | Notability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kuzhikalail M. Abraham | 1962-1965, 1965-1967 | BSc. Chemistry, MSc. Chemistry | Scientist, professor, and expert on lithium-ion batteries |
| George Alencherry | BA. Economics | Cardinal and former Major Archbishop of Syro Malabar Catholic Church | |
| Moran Mor Baselius Cleemis | BA. Economics | Cardinal and Major Archbishop of Syro Malankara Catholic Church | |
| Justice A. M. Babu | Former judge ofKerala High Court (2016-2019) | ||
| Fr. Gabriel Chiramel CMI | Pre-university degree | Indian Syro-Malabar Catholic priest, educationist, zoologist, author and social reformer | |
| T. V. Thomas | Pre-university Degree | Indian Communist leader, first Minister of Labour and Transport | |
| Kunchacko Boban | Pre-university degree | Actor | |
| Dr. C. V. Ananda Bose | Retd. IAS officer, 22ndGovernor of West Bengal | ||
| P. T. Chacko | Former Home Minister of Kerala | ||
| Bipin Chandran | Scriptwriter | ||
| K.M. Chandy | Former governor (MP,Gujarat &Pondicherry) | ||
| Oommen Chandy | BA. Economics | Former Chief Minister of Kerala | |
| Dr.B. Ekbal | Kerala State Planning Board member, former Kerala University VC | ||
| V. J. James | Writer | ||
| Cyriac Joseph | Retired Supreme Court Justice | ||
| George Joseph | Padma Bhushan ISRO scientist | ||
| Jeethu Joseph | Film director | ||
| P. J. Joseph | Former Education Minister, Ex. MLA | ||
| Yuhanon Chrysostamos | BSc Mathematics | Bishop of Malankara Orthodox Niranam Archdiocese | |
| Mar George Koovakad | Pre-university degree, BSc. Chemistry | Cardinal ofNisibis[26] | |
| Manoj Kuroor | Writer | ||
| Sibi Malayil | Pre-university degree | Film director | |
| N. Sreekantan Nair | Former MP for Kollam Constituency | ||
| Prem Nazir | Film actor | ||
| Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri[27] | Poet, writer | ||
| Raju Narayanaswamy | IAS - Addl. Secretary, Govt. of Kerala | ||
| George Onakkoor | MA. Malayalam | Novelist, short story writer | |
| P. K. Narayana Panicker | Former NSS General Secretary | ||
| P. Parameswaran (AKA Parameshwarji ) | Director of Bharatiya Vichara Kendra, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue, Padmavibhooshan awardee | ||
| Dr. Jitheshji | World's fastest performing cartoonist, former vice chairman of Kerala Cartoon Academy | ||
| Martin Prakkat | Film director | ||
| Coorilose Mar Geevarghese | Intermediate degree and BA English | Metropolitian of Malankara Syrian Jacobite Niranam Diocese | |
| Dr.M. V. Pylee | Indian scholar, Padmabhushan awardee, former vice chancellor -Cochin University of Science and Technology | ||
| A. A. Rahim | Indian politician, freedom fighter, and union minister[28] | ||
| JusticeC. T. Ravikumar | Judge Supreme Court of India | ||
| John Sankaramangalam | Filmmaker and former director of the FTII, Pune | ||
| M. G. Soman | Pre-university degree | Film actor | |
| K.C. Joseph | BA. Economics | Former minister of Rural Development | |
| Prof N.M. Joseph | BA Economics | Former minister of Forest | |
| P. C. Thomas | Former Central Minister | ||
| Mar George Kocherry | BA. Economics | Bishop of Ghana and Togo | |
| Santosh Thundiyil | BSc. Chemistry | Cinematographer | |
| Vinu Abraham | BA. Economics | Script writer | |
| Joseph Powathil | BA Economics, Head of Economics Department | former Archbishop of Changanasserry | |
| Joseph Perumthottam[29] | Intermediate degree, BA | former Archbishop of Changanasserry | |
| Thomas Tharayil[30] | Archbishop of Changanasserry | ||
| Thomas Padiyath[31] | Intermediate degree | Auxiliary Bishop ofShamshabad diocese |
The college has been featured in many films such as Tamil-language romantic dramaAutograph (2004), Malayalam-language action crime filmMasters (2012), Malayalam romantic comedy filmDoctor Love (2011) andThe Campus (2005).[citation needed]
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