Senate of Serampore College (University)

Summary

The Senate of Serampore College (University) is an ecumenical regulatory and affiliating body for Christian theological education, which works in partnership with Bible colleges, seminaries and theological research institutes in the Indian subcontinent that comply with its regulations and standards. It is located in Serampore in West Bengal, India. Serampore was granted the status of university by King Frederick VI of Denmark in 1829.[1]

Senate of Serampore College (University)
Serampore Vishwavidyalaya
Latin: SERAMPORE SENATUM COLLEGIUM (ACADEMIA)
Motto
GLORIAM SAPIENTES POSSIDEBUNT
Motto in English
The wise will possess glory
TypeDivinity school
Established1818; 206 years ago (1818)
FounderBaptist missionaries: Joshua Marshman William Carey and William Ward
Religious affiliation
Baptist
ChancellorAnilkumar John Servand, MCI (Master),
PresidentZacharias Mar Aprem, MOSC
RegistrarThe Rev. Limatula Longkumer, D. Th. (Serampore)
Location
Mac House Complex, 8 no., William Carey Road
Serampore – 712201
, ,
India
CampusSemi-Urban
LanguageEnglish
Websitesenateofseramporecollege.edu.in

The college was founded by the Baptist missionaries Joshua Marshman, William Carey and William Ward (the Serampore trio), to give an education in arts and sciences to students of every "caste, colour, creed or country" and to train a ministry for the growing Church in India.

History edit

Since Serampore was then a Danish colony, King Frederick VI, the King of Denmark, issued Serampore College its Royal Charter of Incorporation on 23 February 1827, in Copenhagen, Denmark (Charter, 1, Charter, 2, Charter, 3). The charter came in response to Baptist missionary Joshua Marshman's visit to King Frederick in August 1826; the charter gave Serampore College the privilege of awarding degrees in Arts and Theology. Baptist missionaries William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and John Clark Marshman (Joshua's son) were designated as members of the first Council. At its opening, the Trio released a prospectus which proposed "A College for the instruction of Asiatic Christian and other Youth in Eastern Literature and European Science." The college was open to all persons of any caste or creed, and the founders ensured that no denominational test would apply to faculty members.

After 22 February 1845 when Denmark sold all of its Indian assets to Britain, the management and operation of the college continued without interruption under the direction of a master and council. In 1856 the Baptist Missionary Society in England took over the management of the college and, in 1857, the college became affiliated with the newly established University of Calcutta and became a constituent college of that university. In 1883 the college closed as an arts college and began functioning as a Christian Training Institution and a theological institute for the Baptist churches in Bengal.

The Royal charter has also been confirmed by the Bengal Govt Act. IV of 1918.

Accreditation and Charter edit

The Senate of Serampore College is not accredited by any theological academic body or council. Also, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council has given its accreditation only for the secular degree programs of Serampore College, a sister institution, which are awarded through University of Calcutta.

The degrees that are awarded by Senate of Serampore are not recognised under the UGC Act for the purpose of the Section 22 of the Act and are awarded by Senate without the need for approval of the University Grants Commission (India).[2][3][4] Seminary students having degrees that are not listed under UGC Act of Section 22 are not eligible to sit for public service examinations, or avail public employment or government research grant, etc. based on their degrees.[5][6][7] However, "Students of Serampore College in the Faculty of Theology are, entitled to all the privileges of students in any of the other universities and colleges in India."[5]

The Senate of Serampore College draws its power to award degree from the Royal Charter awarded by King Frederick VI of Denmark, giving the Senate of Serampore College the status of a degree granting university.[8] Through the Danish Charter, Serampore became the first institution[9] in India to be given the status of a university.

Senate of Serampore College practices autonomy in the preparation of its curriculum in partnership with the affiliated colleges.

Degrees awarded edit

Presently, the Senate of Serampore College (University) restricts itself to award of degrees pertaining to theology. The theology curriculum includes various courses offered in the fields of religion and culture including the study of Old Testament, New Testament, Christian Theology, Study of Classical Biblical Languages: Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, other classical languages: Sanskrit, Arabic, Syriac, Pali, German, Latin etc., Study of other Major Religions: Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism; Ministry related courses such as: Homiletics, Christian Worship and Music, Pastoral Care and Counselling, Clinical Counseling, Christian Education, Communication, Social Analysis, History of Christianity, Missiology, Contextual Theologies and Christian Ministry.

The following are the degrees awarded to students through its affiliated colleges throughout India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka:

Diploma programmes edit

  • Diploma in Worship and Music (Dip.W.M)
  • Diploma in Christian Studies (Dip. C.S) (External)
  • Diploma in Clinical Pastoral Counselling (Dip.C.P.C)
  • Diploma in Bible Translation (Dip B.T)

Graduate programmes edit

  • Bachelor of Theology (B.Th)
  • Bachelor of Missiology (B.Miss)
  • Bachelor of Christian Studies (B.C.S.) (External)

Postgraduate programmes edit

Doctoral programmes edit

Officers of the Senate[10]
Registrarships of the university[11]

(Period, Name of the registrar )

Constituent colleges edit

Affiliated colleges edit

The affiliated colleges of the university up to 2016[18] are,
No. State Institution Founded Town
PIN
Courses
Residential Non-residential
I Andhra Pradesh Bethel Bible College 2000 Guntur
522 006
B.D. B.C.S.
II Andhra Pradesh Master's College of Theology 1996 Visakhapatnam
530 041
B.D. Dip.C.S.
B.C.S.
III Assam Eastern Theological College Jorhat
785 014
B.D.
M.Th.
Dip.C.S.
B.C.S.
IV Gujarat Gujarat United School of Theology Ahmedabad
380 006
B.Th. -
V Gujarat Methodist Bible Seminary Vasad
388 306
B.Th. Dip.C.S.
VI Haryana Dharma Jyoti Vidyapeeth Faridabad
121 101
B.D. -
VII Haryana Nav Jyoti Post graduate and Research Centre Faridabad
121 006
M.Th. -
VIII Jharkhand Gossner Theological College 1866 Ranchi
834 001
B.Th. -
IX Jharkhand Santal Theological College Benagaria
814 101
B.Th. -
X Karnataka Karnataka Theological College 1965 Mangalore B.D. Dip.C.S.
XI Karnataka United Theological College, Bangalore 1910 Bangalore B.D.
M.Th.
D.Th.
-
XII Kerala Faith Theological Seminary 1970 Adoor
691 551
B.D.
B.Miss.
M.Th.
D.Th.
B.C.S.
XIV Kerala Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture,[18][19] Kottayam
686 001
M.Th.
D.Th.
-
XV Kerala India Bible College and Seminary 1930 Thiruvalla
689 541
B.D. -
XVI Kerala Kerala Theological Seminary 2000 Kottarakara
691 531
B.D. -
XVII Kerala Kerala United Theological Seminary 1943 Thiruvananthapuram
695 011
B.D. -
XVIII Kerala Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary Mulanthuruthy
682 314
B.D. -
XIX Kerala Mar Thoma Episcopal Jubilee Institute of Evangelism Tiruvalla
689 105
B.Th. -
XX Kerala Mar Thoma Theological Seminary Kottayam
686 001
B.D. -
XXI Kerala Orthodox Theological Seminary 1815 Kottayam
686 001
B.D. Dip.W.M.
XXII Madhya Pradesh Leonard Theological College Jabalpur
482 001
B.D. -
XXIII Maharashtra St. Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary 1995 Nagpur
441 501
B.D. -
XXIV Maharashtra Union Biblical Seminary 1953 Pune
411 037
B.D.
M.Th.
D.Th.
-
XXV Maharashtra United Theological Seminary of Maharashtra Pune
411 001
B.Th. Dip.C.S.
XXVI Manipur Manipur Theological College Kangpokpi
795 129
B.D. -
XXVII Manipur Trulock Theological Seminary Imphal
795 001
B.D. -
XXVIII Meghalaya Harding Theological College Tura
794 002
B.D. -
XXIX Meghalaya John Roberts Theological Seminary Shillong
798 009
B.D. -
XXX Mizoram Academy of Integrated Christian Studies 2000 Aizawl
796 001
B.D.
M.Th.
-
XXXI Mizoram Aizawl Theological College 1907 Aizawl
796 001
B.D.
M.Th.
D.Th.
B.C.S.
M.C.S.
XXXII Mizoram Missionary Training College Aizawl
796 005
B.Miss. -
XXXIII Nagaland Baptist Theological College Pfütsero
797 107
B.D. -
XXXIV Nagaland Clark Theological College Mokokchung
798 601
B.D.
M.Th.
-
XXXV Nagaland Trinity Theological College Dimapur
797 112
B.D. -
XXXVI Nagaland Witter Theological College Wokha
797 111
B.D. -
XXXVII Odisha Orissa Christian Theological College Gopalpur
761 002
B.Th. -
XXXVIII Tamil Nadu Bethel Bible Institute,[18] Danishpet
636 354
B.D.
B.Miss.
-
XXXIX Tamil Nadu Concordia Theological Seminary Nagercoil
629 001
B.D. -
XL Tamil Nadu Gurukul Lutheran Theological College 1953 Chennai
600 010
B.D.
M.Th.
-
XLI Tamil Nadu Indian Theological Seminary 1990 Chennai
600 062
B.D. -
XLII Tamil Nadu Madras Theological Seminary and College Chennai
600 010
B.D. B.C.S.
XLIII Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary 1969 Madurai
625 010
B.D.
M.Th.
Dip.C.S.
B.C.S.
XLIV Telangana Advanced Institute for Research on Religion and Culture 2016 Hyderabad
500 052
M.Th. -
XLV Telangana Andhra Christian Theological College 1964 Hyderabad
500 080
B.D. Dip.C.S.
B.C.S.
M.C.S.
XLVI Telangana Calvin Institute of Theology Yacharam
501 509
B.D. -
XLVII Telangana Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College 1920 Shamshabad
501 218
B.D. Dip.C.S.
XLVIII Uttarakhand Luther W. New Jr. Theological College,[18] Dehra Dun
248 001
B.D.
Dip.W.M.
-
XLIX Uttar Pradesh Allahabad Bible Seminary Allahabad
211 002
B.D. Dip.C.S.,
B.C.S.
L West Bengal Bishop's College Kolkata
700 017
B.D. -
LI West Bengal Calcutta Bible Seminary North 24 Parganas
700 132
B.D. -
LII West Bengal North India Institute of Post Graduate Theological Studies 1980 Serampore
712 201
M.Th.
D.Th.
-

Other affiliated centres edit

Affiliated centres as of 2014 for the purpose of Diploma in Clinical Pastoral Counselling.

References edit

  1. ^ Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education "Department of Secondary&Higher Education". Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2013.
  2. ^ The UGC Commission noted that the Theological degrees granted by Serampore College had not been included among the degrees to be notified by the Commission under Section 22 (3) of the U.G.C. Act and that therefore there would be no bar to the College continuing to award these degrees. https://www.senateofseramporecollege.edu.in/pages/index/ugc-and-serampore-college
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "University Grants commission ::UGC ACT 1956". www.ugc.ac.in.
  5. ^ a b "UGC & Serampore College". Senate of Semapore College (University).
  6. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ "University Grants commission ::UGC ACT 1956". www.ugc.ac.in.
  8. ^ Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education, "Other Universities", Chapter XVI, Calcutta University, Three Missionaries, Carey, Marshman and Ward started the first Mission college at Serampore in 1818, and 9 years later it received a charter from the King of Denmark empowering it to grant degree."Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ Murli Manohar Joshi, Higher Education in India Vision and Action, A paper presented at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in the Twenty First Century, Paris, 5–9 October 1998. Internet, accessed 22 August 2008."Department of Secondary&Higher Education". Archived from the original on 23 February 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2015.
  10. ^ Senate of Serampore College (University), Officers of the Senate
  11. ^ Senate, Registrars of the Senate Archived 19 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ The Baptist Missionary Society, 138th Annual Report, 1930, p.51
  13. ^ University of Leeds Calendar 1953, p. 140. [1]
  14. ^ The Serampore College Magazine, Volumes 1-16, July-April 1922
  15. ^ 140th Annual Report of the Baptist Missionary Society, 1932, p. 83.[imageserver.library.yale.edu/digcoll:355364/500.pdf]
  16. ^ University of Edinburgh Journal, Volumes 33-34, 1987, p. 145
  17. ^ Linked In[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Senate, List of Colleges as on 31.7.2016.
  19. ^ a b Monica J. Melanchton, Graduate Biblical Studies in India in Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, Kent Harold Richards (Edited), Transforming Graduate Biblical Education: Ethos and Discipline, SBL, Atlanta, 2010, p. 120. [2]

External links edit

  • Official website