Loyola College: An Appraisal

SANDHYA RAI, an Assistant Professor at the Loyola College of Education, Namchi, presents an introduction to the institution as it prepares for a peer-team visit by the National Assesment and Accreditation Council…

Loyola College of Education, a Catholic Minority Private Institution situated at Namchi, South Sikkim, awaits a momentous occasion as the Peer Team Visit by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has been scheduled for 14 and 15 April. The staff and students have worked hard on preparations for the visit. Loyola College of Education is the first institution to be assessed and accredited by NAAC in the state of Sikkim.
The College was started in response to the request of the Government of Sikkim and is named after St. Ignatius of Loyola, the Founder of the Society of Jesus. The Society of Jesus was founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius of Loyola and its members are popularly known as the Jesuits. It is an international Catholic Religious Order with its members engaged in activities such as education, social action, legal aid, communication, pastoral works, adult and rural literacy programmes, environmental studies etc.
In India, in the field of education, Jesuits are currently managing and are engaged in over 130 High Schools, 25 Degree Colleges and Teacher Training Institutes and 10 Technical Institutes. Besides these, the Jesuits have five social institutes, five labour and management institutes, six centres of scientific research in disciplines like Botany and History, and five centres for inter-religious and cultural dialogue.
The concept of an educational institution like Loyola College Education in Sikkim was originally conceived by Fr Cherian Padiyara, the then Regional Superior of the Darjeeling Jesuits. This vision was subsequently concretized and professionally and aesthetically designed by Mr Kiran Rasaily. Its foundation stone was blessed by Fr Peter Hans Kolvenbach, the then Superior General of the Society of Jesus on 03 March, 1993. The construction of the college building was supervised and completed in June 1994 by Fr Giles Goluckmu. The first batch of trainees was admitted in July 1994.
The aim of Loyola College of Education is to impart an all-round formation to the would-be educators - spiritual, moral, emotional, social and intellectual as only such men and women, the Jesuits believe, can be trusted with the task of educating the youth. The emblem and the motto of the college are an ideal and a challenge to all Loyolites to go into the world and bring light where there is darkness, knowledge where there is ignorance, wisdom where there is confusion.
The college was affiliated to North Bengal University till 2007 and subsequently to the Sikkim University. It enjoys the permanent recognition by the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), the statuary body for training teachers for Secondary Education. Admission to Loyola College of Education is open to all irrespective of caste ,religion, social status, sex or place of birth. It follows the prescriptions laid down by regulatory bodies like NCTE, State Govt and the University. Preference is for the underprivileged. The total in-take capacity of the college as approved by the NCTE is 100. The medium of instruction is English. It is also a study centre for a two year IGNOU B.Ed. programme with an intake of 100 students every year from Sikkim. It is a co-education and self-financed institution recognized by the UGC under 2 (f) of the UGC ACT of 1956.
The college has a well-defined de-centralized organizational structure to coordinate the academic and administrative functions of the institution. The college is managed by the Governing Body. To assist it in the day to day running of the institution there is a Managing Committee with the Principal as its Secretary. The college has a Student Council and Committees for the effective functioning of the library, games and sports, various co-curricular activities, magazine publications, etc.
Faculty Development Programmes
The college has well qualified and competent teaching staff and committed non-teaching staff. The faculty members are encouraged to attend national and international seminars, workshops etc as resource persons and participants. The use of modern educational technology is a regular feature of this institution. Innovative transactional strategies are employed for curriculum transactions by the teachers to prepare quality teachers who can meet the professional challenges of the 21st century. Infrastructural and facility development have kept pace with other developments. Every year new titles are added to the library. The computer lab has Hi-speed Broadband connectivity. These infrastructural facilities are also made available to conduct IGNOU B.Ed counseling on Saturdays and Sundays and workshops during holidays.
For the last couple of years, the institution has given importance to annual appraisal of the performance of the faculty by outgoing students. To maintain the quality of the academic programmes, the college set up Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) in 2008, which periodically meets to review the academic programmes and quality of teaching. The IQAC co-ordinates and monitors various quality initiatives.  The college has been performing consistently well in university examinations.

University Results
Loyola College of Education has completed sixteen years of existence. Within this short span, 990 candidates have successfully completed the B.Ed. training. Most of the Loyolites are serving the nation with their different capacities. A majority of them are administrators, Headmasters/ Principals of schools and colleges, lecturers in DIET & SIE, Colleges and Universities. Loyola College of Education has shown outstanding performance in University Exams under both University of North Bengal and Sikkim University. The details are as follows:
 2003-04:
Jolly K. Thomas- 1st University Rank
Jim George- 3rd University Rank
2005-06: Rita Pradhan- 3rd University Rank
2007-08:
Peter Lepcha- 1st University Rank
George P.M.- 2nd University Rank
2008-09:
Kuriakose Anthony- 1st University Rank
2009-10:
Binu Jacob- 1st University Rank
Zeden Bhutia- 2nd University Rank
Bhumishree Giri- 3rd University Rank

Student Achievements and Awards
In non-scholastic areas, the Loyolites have brought laurels in the inter-college Debate and Cultural Competition organized by Sikkim University. Binita Sharma was adjudged the Best Speaker by the Jury and she bagged the first place in the inter-college debate competition. Prava Gurung bagged the 2nd position in the extempore competition organized by the Rhenock Educational Society. LCE, Namchi emphasizes the importance of linking school life with the life of community; the Loyolites have organized a number of activities such as blood donation, plantation, awareness programmes, cleanliness drives and biodiversity conservation efforts.
Achievement and Award by the Staff
The quality contributions, commitment and creative concern shown by the teaching staff of LCE towards the quality growth of the institution have been duly recognized at national level with awards. Three of them have been awarded in the following areas-
Fr Dr Daniel Bara S.J. “Life Time Achievement” in the area of interest.
Fr Dr Donatus Kujur S.J., “Jewels of India Award”.
Ms. Sandhya Rai, “Innovative College Educator of India, 2010-11.

NAAC Peer Team Visit
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an autonomous institution which was established by UGC, under section 12 CCC of the UGC Act (Act 3 of 1956) to assess & accredit institution of Higher Education in the country. It lays a special emphasis on upholding the quality of Higher Education in India.
To know how far Loyola College of Education, Namchi, has succeeded in achieving its vision, mission and objectives, the institution has initiated external assessment and accreditation by NAAC. The college eagerly awaits the NAAC Peer Team Visit scheduled on 14th and 15th April 2011. It will indeed be a red letter day in the history of Loyola College of Education, Namchi as well as the entire state of Sikkim. The staff and the students of the college seek blessings of the Almighty and best wishes from the well-wishers. The visit will help LCE, Namchi to march ahead providing quality in the field of Teacher Education.
Future perspective
This Peer Team visit will definitely open the avenue of future expansion in resonance with the global challenges in the field of Education. The College intends to launch M.Ed. Programme and to enhance the quality of education through her research works.
[The writer is an Asst. Professor, Loyola College of Education]