Jesuits & Education in India
The Society of Jesus, a Christian Religious Order founded by Saint Ignatius of Loyola in 1540, has been active in the field of education throughout the world since its origin. In the world, the Jesuits are responsible for 3,897 Educational Institutions in 96 countries. These Jesuit Educational Institutions engage the efforts of approximately 1,34,303 teachers, educating approximately 29,28,806 students. In India The Society of Jesus has founded 118 Primary & Middle Schools, 149 High Schools, 58 University Colleges, 22 Technical Institutes and 16 Business Administrations Institutes with 11,525 teachers, educating 3,34,538 students, belonging to every social class, community and linguistic group. This Institutions are part of the Catholic Church’s effort to share in the country’s educational undertaking. The Jesuit College aims at the integral, personal formation of youth, to accomplish this, special efforts are made:
- To help the students to become mature, spiritually-oriented men and women of character;
- To encourage them continuously to strive after excellence in every fields;
- To value and judiciously use their freedom;
- To be clear and firm on principles and courageous in action;
- To be unselfish in the service of their fellowmen; and
- To become agents of needed social change in their country.
The Jesuit College thus aims at making its own contribution towards a transformation of the present-day social condition so that principles of social justice, equality of opportunity, genuine freedom, and respect for religious and moral values, enshrined in the constitution of India, may prevail, and the possibility of living a fully human existence may be available to all.
