St. Berchmans College, Changanassery (Autonomous), also known as SB College, is one of the first Autonomous Colleges in

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South Ca ...

. One of the most famous colleges in India, the college has a strength of 3000 students with 800 hostlers. Currently, the college is celebrating its centenary (100th year) in the academic year of 2022

Saint John Berchmans John Berchmans ( nl, Jan Berchmans ; 13 March 1599 – 13 August 1621) was a Jesuit scholastic and is a saint in the Catholic Church. In 1615, the Jesuits opened a college at Mechelen and Berchmans was one of the first to enroll. His spiritual m ...

is the patron saint of the college and is venerated in the Church as the Patron of Students. It is a Syrian Catholic

college A college (Latin: ''collegium'') is an educational institution or a constituent part of one. A college may be a degree-awarding tertiary educational institution, a part of a collegiate or federal university, an institution offerin ...

. It is situated in the town of

Changanassery Changanassery or Changanacherry is a municipal town in Kottayam district in the state of Kerala, India. History The first recorded history on the origin of Changanacherry is obtained from Sangam period literature. According to Sangam er ...

18 kilometers south of

Kottayam Kottayam () is a municipal town in the Indian state of Kerala. Flanked by the Western Ghats on the east and the Vembanad Lake and paddy fields of Kuttanad on the west. It is the district headquarters of Kottayam district, located in south ...

. Established in 1922, the college celebrates its centenary in 2022. It has nineteen postgraduate and eight research departments and it offers 17 UG, 19 PG, 3 MPhil, and 9 doctoral programmes. Students and alumni of the college are referred to as ‘Berchmanites’. It is run by the

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Archdiocese of Changanassery, is affiliated to the Mahatma Gandhi University in

and is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The college was granted autonomy by the UGC on 13 June 2014. The college was ranked 62 in all india ranking by NIRF in 2022, & ranked 79 in all India ranking by NIRF (

National Institutional Ranking Framework The National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) is a methodology adopted by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, to rank institutions of higher education in India. The Framework was approved by the MHRD and launched by Minister ...

) in 2021.College Rankings
/ref>

Academics and extra-curricular activities

Research areas in science include Material science,

Nanotechnology Nanotechnology, also shortened to nanotech, is the use of matter on an atomic, molecular, and supramolecular scale for industrial purposes. The earliest, widespread description of nanotechnology referred to the particular technological goal ...

Polymer Chemistry Polymer chemistry is a sub-discipline of chemistry that focuses on the structures of chemicals, chemical synthesis, and chemical and physical properties of polymers and macromolecules. The principles and methods used within polymer chemistry ar ...

, Plant Taxonomy and

Environmental Sciences Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physi ...

. The college conducted an international conference on Science and Technology for

Sustainable Development Sustainable development is an organizing principle for meeting human development goals while also sustaining the ability of natural systems to provide the natural resources and ecosystem services on which the economy and society depend. The ...

participated in by delegates from 26 countries in 2005. Apart from academics, the college has two units of

National Service Scheme The National Service Scheme (NSS) is an Indian government sector public service program conducted by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Government of India. Popularly known as NSS, the scheme was launched in Gandhiji's Centenary ...

(NSS) in which 200 volunteers can be enrolled. NSS gives various avenues for its volunteers to engage in various campus and community activities. The popular extra-curricular societies and clubs engage in activities concerned with debating, drama, film club, social service, photography, Jesus Youth, National Cadet Corps, Mock United Nations (MUN) etc. It is the only college in India, apart from St. Stephen's College,

New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Hous ...

, to have a full-fledged Shakespearean Theatre. Shakespearean plays have been regularly staged since 1938.

Berchmans Institute of Management Studies (BIMS)

Berchmans Institute of Management Studies (BIMS) established in 1995, is under the management of St. Berchmans College affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University,

. It is a full-time

Master of Business Administration A Master of Business Administration (MBA; also Master's in Business Administration) is a postgraduate degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration such as accounti ...

programme. Berchmans Institute of Management Studies is recognized by

All India Council for Technical Education The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is a statutory body, and a national-level council for technical education, under the Department of Higher Education. Established in November 1945 first as an advisory body and later on in ...

, New Delhi.

Notable alumni

* Kuzhikalail M. Abraham - Scientist, Professor and expert on lithium-ion batteries * Mar George Alencherry - Major Arch Bishop of Syro Malabar Catholic Church * Justice A. M. Babu, Former judge of

Kerala High Court The High Court of Kerala is the highest court in the Indian state of Kerala and the Union territory of Lakshadweep. It is located in Kochi. Drawing its powers under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, the High Court has the power to issu ...

Kunchacko Boban Kunchacko Boban (born 2 November 1976) is an Indian actor and film producer. Sometimes referred to as Chackochan, he works in the Malayalam film industry and has acted in more than 90 films in more than two decades. He is a member of the Kun ...

- film actor * C. V. Ananda Bose - IAS * P. T. Chacko - former Home Minister of Kerala * Bipin Chandran - scriptwriter * K.M. Chandy - former Governor( MP,

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

pondicherry Pondicherry (), now known as Puducherry ( French: Pondichéry ʊdʊˈtʃɛɹi(listen), on-dicherry, is the capital and the most populous city of the Union Territory of Puducherry in India. The city is in the Puducherry district on the sout ...

) *

Oommen Chandy Oommen Chandy, , (born 31 October 1943) is an Indian politician and statesman who served as the Chief Minister of Kerala for two terms, from 2004 to 2006 and again from 2011 to 2016. He was also Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislati ...

- former Chief Minister of Kerala * Dr. B. Ekbal - Planning Board member, former Kerala University V.C * V J James - Writer *

Cyriac Joseph Cyriac Joseph (born on 28 January 1947 at Kaipuzha, Kottayam District, Travancore) was a Judge of the Supreme Court of India from 7 July 2008 to 27 January 2012. Early life He was born in Kaipuzha, Kottayam Kerala on 28 January 1947. He comple ...

- retired Supreme Court Justice * George Joseph - Scientist *

Jeethu Joseph Jeethu Joseph (born 10 November 1972) is an Indian film director, screenwriter, and producer who predominantly works in Malayalam cinema. He has also worked in a few Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films. Jeethu made his directional debut with the ...

- film director *

P. J. Joseph Palathinal Joseph Joseph (born 10 June 1941) is an Indian politician from Kerala Congress serving as the Member of the Legislative Assembly from Thodupuzha Assembly Constituency in Kerala. A former cabinet minister, Joseph entered Kerala poli ...

- former Education Minister, MLA *

Mathew Kavukattu Kavukattu Mar Mathew Metropolitan (17 July 1904 – 9 October 1969) was the first Syro-Malabar Catholic Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Changanassery. He was appointed bishop in 1950, elevated as archbishop in 1956 and served as Metropolitan u ...

- Servant of God Mar *

Manoj Kuroor Manoj Kuroor (Malayalam മനോജ് കുറൂർ; born 31 May 1971) is an Indian poet and lyricist who writes in Malayalam. Personal life Manoj Kuroor was born at Kottayam, to chenda exponent Kuroor Cheriya Vasudevan Namboothiri and Sre ...

- writer *

Sibi Malayil Sibi (Sindhi: سيوي ur, ) is a city situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city is the headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name. Etymology The origin of the town's name is attributed to Rani Sewi, a Hindu lad ...

- film director * Tony Mathew -, orator, writer * N. Sreekantan Nair - former MP for Kollam Constituency *

Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri Vishnunarayanan Namboothiri (2 June 1939 – 25 February 2021) was an Indian writer and scholar of Malayalam literature. Known primarily for his poems, Namboothiri also contributed to other genres such as essays, translations and children's lite ...

, poet, writer *

Prem Nazir Prem Nazir (born Abdul Khader; 7 April 1926 – 16 January 1989) was an Indian actor known as one of Malayalam cinema's definitive leading men of his generation. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential actors in the history of India ...

- film actor *

George Onakkoor George Onakkoor (born 16 November 1941, Travancore) is an Indian novelist who writes in Malayalam language. He was a Malayalam professor for over three decades at Mar Ivanios College Mar Ivanios College is an autonomous educational inst ...

* P. K. Narayana Panicker - former NSS General Secretary * P. Parameswaran (AKA Parameshwarji ) - Director of Bharatiya Vichara Kendra,Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue,Padmavibhooshan Awardee *

Martin Prakkat Martin Prakkat is an Indian writer, director and film producer who works in the Malayalam film industry. Career Martin started his career as a celebrity photographer and worked with Vanitha Magazine for 10 years. In 2010, Martin directed ''Be ...

- film director *

M. V. Pylee M. V. Pylee (5 October 1919 - 30 December 2017) was an Indian scholar, educationist and management guru, considered by many as the father of management education in Kerala and an authority on Constitutional Law. He was awarded Padmabhushan in 20 ...

- Indian Scholar, Padmabhushan Awardee *

A. A. Rahim Abubakar Abdul Rahim (7 February 1920 – 31 August 1995) was an Indian politician, freedom fighter, and union minister. He was born to Sri Abubecker in Kollam. The government run District Hospital of Kollam district was renamed after him in co ...

- Indian Politician, Freedom Fighter and Union Minister * Justice

C. T. Ravikumar Chudalayil Thevan Ravikumar (born 6 January 1960) (Malayalam: ചുടലയിൽ തേവൻ രവികുമാർ) is a judge of the Supreme Court of India. He is former judge of the Kerala High Court. Career Ravikumar enrolled as an adv ...

Judge Supreme Court of India *

John Sankaramangalam John Sankaramangalam ( ml, ജോൺ ശങ്കരമംഗലം,, link=yes ; 16 July 1934 – 30 July 2018) was an Indian filmmaker and former director of the FTII, Pune. He has also served the positions of vice-chairman of Kerala State Chal ...

- filmmaker and former director of the FTII, Pune *

M. G. Soman M. G. Soman (28 September 1941 – 12 December 1997) was an Indian actor and former Indian Air Force officer who appeared in Malayalam films. He was one among the leading star actors doing hero roles in Malayalam Cinema during the late 1970s an ...

- film actor *

Raju Narayana Swamy Raju Narayanaswamy (born 24 May 1968) is an Indian Administrative Service officer and whistleblower. A district collector for five Kerala districts during his career, Narayanaswamy was one of several IAS officers chosen by former chief ministe ...

IAS - Addl. Secretary, Govt. of Kerala * P. C. Thomas - former Central Minister *

Santosh Thundiyil Santosh Thundiyil is an Cinema of India, Indian Cinematography, cinematographer. He is best known for films like ''Kuch Kuch Hota Hai'' (1998), ''Devadoothan'' (2000), ''Krrish'' (2006), ''Pinjar (film), Pinjar'' (2003), ''Rowdy Rathore'' (2012) ...

- cinematographer

Gallery

SB College.jpg, SB College Changanassery, old building.jpg, SB College Changanassery building.jpg, SB College buildings.jpg, Chanaganassery SB College.JPG, File:SB College tower changanassery.jpg, File:SB College Changanassery main buildings.jpg, File:SB College Changanassery, Kavukkatt hall.jpg, File:Sbcollegechry.jpg, SB College changanassery main building, wide view.jpg, SB College Changanassery, another view.jpg,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint Berchmans College Catholic universities and colleges in India Arts and Science colleges in Kerala Colleges affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala Universities and colleges in Kottayam district Educational institutions established in 1922 1922 establishments in India Changanassery Vazhappally Academic institutions formerly affiliated with the University of Madras