St. Thomas College, Pala

st Thomas college

File:Logo of sth.PNG
Motto	“Vita (Life), Lux (Light), Amor (Love)”
Type	Private (Minority Institution)
Established	1950
Location	pala (kottayam) , kerala , India
Website	stcp.ac.in

St. Thomas College, Pala was founded on 7th August 1950 by the Diocese of Palai, one of the leading educational institutions in Kerala. The College was accredited at Four Star level by NAAC in 2000 and is affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam. It is recognized under section 2(f) and 12B of the UGC Act 1956. The Government of Kerala has recognized the College as a Special Grade College. The founders of the college set before themselves the task of providing a Christian formation to the younger generation by fostering in their minds faith in God, love for their fellow-men and devotion to motherland. These aims are to be realised by imparting moral and religious discipline in addition to the instruction aimed at general intellectual and physical advancement. They made it their mission to spread the light of learning all around, irrespective of caste, creed, religion or language.

The College coat of arms symbolically suggests the intellectual and moral task the college assigns to itself. The motto on the crest, “Vita (Life), Lux (Light), Amor (Love)” shows how light and love, which stand for knowledge and fellow-feeling respectively, can enrich a person’s life. The bearings on the shield represent a river in the lower portion, a pepper-vine, a book and a lamp and a setsquare in the upper portion. The river is River Meenachil on whose banks the college is seated. The pepper - vine denotes the trade and agrarian associations of Palai and the charges to its right are symbols of learning and skill. Further, the setsquare evokes memories of St. Thomas, our Heavenly Patron, who is traditionally represented as holding a setsquare.

history

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Main building

• 1948 15 August - Application for the college submitted to Travancore University.
• 1948 21 October- Sanction obtained from the University.MM
• 1949 22 August- Fr. Mani Sebastian Vayalilkalapura (Mar Sebastian Vayalil) elected President of the college committee.
• 1950 10 January- Dr. P.J. Thomas, Economic Advisor to the Govt. of India,
• 1950 07 August- St. Joseph's Block blessed and Intermediate classes begun
• 1950 09 November- The episcopal ordination of Mar Sebastian Vayalil, the FIRST Bishop of Palai.
• 1952 26 October- Foundation stone of Christu Raj Hostel laid by Mar. Sebastian Vayalil.
• 1953 10 June - B.Sc. Mathematics., B.Sc. Botany and B.A. Economics begun.

Department of Statistics

Department of Statistics became an independent one with Prof. K. Ramakrishna Pillai as head in 1970. The pioneers of this Department include Dr. A. M. Mathai, Prof. V. K. Iganatius, Prof.K.G. Panicker, Prof. Thomas Mathew and Prof. V. N. Sukumaran. It became a research center under M.G. University in 1997.This department is proud of its alumni like Dr. N.U. Nair,Dr. Bovas Abraham, Dr. C.P. Kartha, Dr. K.R.M.Nair, Dr. V.K.R. Nair, Dr. N.J. Kurian, Shri T.K. Jose I.A.S, Sri James Mathew I.S.S. etc. This department has produced over 43 UGC-CSIR JRF’s and 22 ISS officers. This department has 4 research guides, produced 18 Ph.D’s, over 100 research papers in International/ national journals and conducted many national seminars. conferemces,symposia. It has 2 major and 3 minor UGC Projects, and DST-FIST support and UGC Innovative programme amounting to Rs. 90 lakhs to its credit.

Department of Mathematics

Started in the year 1953 the department of Mathematics has the credit of crowning 57 Degree and 31 Post Graduate batches in flying colours. The pioneers of this department include Prof. P.C. Joseph, N.S. Parameshwaran, Mathew T. Matheikal, G. Prabhakaran Nair, and P. Oonnikrishan Nair. Alumni like Dr. N. Unnikrishan Nair, Dr. A.M. Mathai, Sri T.K. Jose I.A.S., and Anu Thomas have left the light of this department to shine in the world by excelling in their careers. It became a research department in 1997 and has 4 research guides, 4 Ph.Ds and over 20 research papers. It has one two (UGC/DST) Project amounting to Rs. 2,58000/- to its credit.

Department of Physics

Started along with the college in 1950, the department of Physics claims the credit of crowning 46 Degree and 39 Post Graduate batches with victory. The pioneers of this department include Prof. A.V. Varkey, Prof.. Joseph Ittyavirah and Rev. E.V. Thomas. This department is proud of its alumni like Antony Francis, Scientist, USA, V.P.N Namboothiri I.S.O., CUSAT, Sakir T. Thomas, I.R.S. whose careers are excellent sequels to their study here. It has one major project and 3 minor UGC Projects amounting to Rs. 10 lakhs to its credit. It became a research department in 2000 and has a number of research publications in international and national journals.

Department of Chemistry

The department of Chemistry, since 1952, the year of its starting, has shown 54 Degree and 42 Post Graduate batches the way to victory. The students from the Department have so far won 9 University Ranks for B.Sc. and 27 for M.Sc., apart from 52 selections in CSIR-UGC JRF(NET) Exam. This department had great dignitaries like Professors P.K. Mani, A.M. Mathew, K.J. Scaria, K.I Mathai, and A.V. Antony. This department is known through its alumni like Dr. K.L.Sebastian, Scientist, IISc; Joseph Thomas IPS, James Kurian IFS, Antony George, NTPC Kayamkulam, Capt. George Mathew GMR Group, Rajendran A.G.Scientist ISRO, Dr. Benny K.George, VSSC, Dr. K. Sreekumar, CUSAT and Dr. K. Pius, M.G. University. It has 2 major and 4 minor DST & UGC Projects amounting to Rs. 20,62,000 to its credit. It became a research department in 1986 and has 6 research guides and has produced so far 5 Ph.Ds and over 50 research publications in international and national journals. It is selected for DST-FIST support worth Rs. 40.5 lakhs.

Department of Botany

Started in the year 1953 the department of Botany holds laurels for meritoriously producing 57 Degree and 49 Post Graduate batches. The pioneers of this department include Prof. P.M Chacko, Dr. C.V. Krishna Iyengar, K.V. Varghese, N.J. Abraham, P.J.Joseph, T.M. Thomas Thelly, Mathew M. Sebastian, Sr. V.C. Annakkutty, Fr. James Vellankal, M.C. Mani, K.P. Sebastian, T.U Thomas and Rev. Dr. M.M. Mathew. Great alumni like K.S.Sebastian, K.C. Sebastian, M.N.Gopinath, Noyal Thomas IFS, Dr. Jose C. Periyapuram and Fr. Joseph K.M have brought glory to the department by glittering in their careers. It has 3 major and 3 minor UGC, DST & KSCSTE Projects amounting to Rs. 57 lakhs to its credit. The department became a research department in 2002 and has 5 research guides and has produced more than 56 research publications in international and national journals. The Dept. has been recognised under FIST scheme of DST Govt. of India New Delhi with a project amount of Rs. 40.5 lakhs.

Department of Zoology

In the 51 years since 1955 when the department of Zoology started functioning, annals of success were etched by crowning 52 Degree batches with victory. Prof. A. Chummar, Dr. Joseph Chowattukunnel, Prof. O. Mathai, Prof. Jose Joseph, Prof. K. K. Abraham, Prof. M.V. George are some of the distinguished personnel who steered this department. This department shines in the world through its alumni like Dr.K.R Muraleedharan Nair, Dr. Bennychan Thomas, DFO and Dr. Manoj N.K (USA) whose excellent careers testify to its merit. It has one minor UGC Projectsamounting to Rs. 78,000 to its credit.

FACILITIES

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH SERVICES Faculty Improvement Programmes: Regular courses, both long term and short term are conducted by experts for the faculty to improve their knowledge base as well as soft skills. Counseling Service: The college has a full-time external counselor and from among the faculty, 6 trained counselors. Retreats: Annual retreats are held for the faculty and the students to facilitate spiritual growth and renewal. Personality Development Programmes: Regular programmes in personality and leadership skills conducted by renowned trainers Value Education: Seminars and Conference are conducted in view of their overall development of students. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES The doors are thrown open to the students to develop their innate potential and talents. Regular Arts and Talent Festivals and Competitions are are held giving the campus a look of warmth, growth and celebration. CAREER SERVICES The College has an extremely proactive Career Guidance Wing led by 4 faculty members who are Career Counselling Certificate holders. Regular career orientation and awareness programmes are conducted by experts. CAREER INFORMATION CENTRE It is a unique center with books, periodicals, directories etc. which are all career oriented. Over 120 up-to date career files are available to the students. These files contain materials collected from several courses, giving detailed information regarding course, career options etc. CAREER COACHING CENTRE Regular coaching is given for UGC, NET and SET Exams, P.O. and various PSC and UPSC tests, How to Face and Interview, How to Participate in a Group Discussion etc.

References

• http://www.stcp.ac.in