ST.STEPHEN'S COLLEGE, PATHANAPURAM

Elegantly placed on the southern part of Western Ghats, St. Stephen’s College stands tall as the crown among higher education institutions in the rural landscape of Pathanapuram and is managed by Mount Tabor Diara under the Malankara Orthodox Syria unt Tabor Diara under the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. Established in 1964 after the name of Saint Stephen, the college is the fulfilment of a long-cherished desire of its founder, His Grace Mar Thoma Dionysius, Metropolitan of Niranam Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church. Saint Stephen, the patron saint of deacons and the first Christian martyr who was stoned to death by Jewish authorities on account of blasphemy, was an embodiment of knowledge, wisdom, perseverance and courage. The college also imbibes his messages of sacrifice and commitment to uplift the rustic population of Pathanapuram through education. St Stephen’s College is the footprint of the farsighted and visionary monk, His Grace Mar Thoma Dionysius who established The Society of the Order of Sacred Transfiguration, Mount Tabor, Pathanapuram in 1929 to promote monastic life and start educational institutions in rural areas to elevate its primitive population. An alumnus of Oxford University and companion of Dr S. Radhakrishnan, His Grace was inspired by the academic culture of the West and decided to implement education as a powerful instrument to transfigure and enlighten his native land. St Stephen’s College, affiliated to the University of Kerala, was formally declared open by His Holiness Mar Baselios Augen I, the Fourth Catholicos of the East in Malankara on 8 June 1964 and the Junior College started functioning at Mount Tabor Monastery premises at Pathanapuram. Prof. T.C. Joseph, Professor of Botany, Union Christian College, Alwaye, was appointed as the first Principal of the college. In 1968, the college was shifted to its present site, in the serene village of Maloor, 6 kilometres away from Pathanapuram. The college was upgraded in 1978 with undergraduate course and now offers undergraduate programmes in Botany, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Zoology, Economics, English and Commerce and postgraduate programmes in Botany, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics and Zoology. The departments of Zoology and Chemistry are recognized Research Centres under the University of Kerala. The college was re-accredited by the NAAC Peer team at B++ Grade with CGPA 2.91 in 2022. St. Stephen’s College is blessed with a calm and quiet atmosphere amidst lush greenery of Sahya ranges, far-off from the hustle and bustle of the city, which facilitates a peaceful learning ambience. Upholding academic excellence in terms of faculty and facilities, the college has ten departments and a well-equipped library with separate facility for journals and digital library. The premier infrastructure of the college offers a pleasant and dynamic environment to nurture future generations. The college is well equipped with ICT enabled classrooms, AC seminar halls, auditorium, laboratories, Zoology Museum, Botanical garden, language lab, volleyball court, playground, gymnasium, canteen, hostel facilities and a college chapel to maintain the perfect balancing of scholastic and non-scholastic activities and to excel in academia, arts and sports. The college also offers extension programmes and add-on courses open for students and the public seeking a holistic development of the society. The Men’s Volleyball Team of the college is sponsored by Kerala Sports Council which has produced several state and national level players over the years. The various academic and cultural societies and clubs functioning in the college including NCC and NSS aim for an enriched college experience, shaping the skills and channelize the passion of the students. The college aims at imparting value-based education for the all-round development of the personality to produce an intellectually, morally, spiritually, physically and ecologically sound generation of citizens for the betterment of our society and the globe at large. The college strives to achieve academic and non-academic excellence by inculcating competencies, skills and values among students for their personal and professional development. The college takes its part in the upliftment of the benighted rural population to mark their voices and representation in the annuls of history. ...view more