Our College
Founded in 1912, Loreto College is a women’s college affiliated to Calcutta University. It is the first college in West Bengal to have been assessed by the prestigious National Assessment and Accreditation Council of the U.G.C. and awarded the highest rating of five stars in 2000. The B.Ed. Department, founded in 1913, is recognized by the N.C.T.E. and was awarded a B+ grade by N.A.A.C. in 2003. Currently, there are approximately 800 students in the College.
The courses offered at this college include B.A. (Honours & General) in Education, English, History & Political Science; B.Sc. (Honours & General) in Geography; B.A. (General) in Bengali, Hindi, Economics, Journalism, Film Studies & Psychology; the B.A. (Major) course in Communicative English as well as the post-graduate B.Ed. course.
The College also has a self-financing Computer Centre, which aims to inculcate computer literacy and proficiency in all students. The College Library, with an excellent collection of academic books, is in the process of being computerized. Free internet access is available for staff and students alike, to encourage the spirit of research.
Recently, the College has added an international dimension to the educational experience of its students. Since August 2004, the College has been working in close cooperation with the International Partnership for Service-Learning and Leadership (IPSL) based in New York, U.S.A. Twice a year, students from the U.S.A. attend a course on “Ethics, Morality and Leadership” in the College. The same course is offered to College students, who, as part of the course, are required to perform community service. The College students receive certificates of recognition from IPSL (New York, U.S.A.).
The College encourages staff and students to organize and participate in academic seminars and discussions. In 2004, the English, Hindi & Bengali Departments of the College hosted a U.G.C. sponsored National Seminar on “Cross-currents in the Short Story”, while on January 28th and 29th 2005, the History Department of the College held a U.G.C.-sponsored National Seminar in collaboration with the Victoria Memorial, on “Partition & Swadeshi: Centenary Reflections”. H.E. the Governor of West Bengal, Shri Gopal Krishna Gandhi kindly consented to be the Chief Guest at the seminar.
Extra-curricular activities are encouraged by the College, through the extremely active and popular student societies, such as the Arts and Crafts Society, the Cultural Society, the Debating Society, the Dramatics Society, the Games Society, the Literary Society and Spicmacay. Two societies established in 2004 represent the varied nature of student interests: the History Club and the Computer Society; from 2005-6, the Political Science Society will be inaugurated. The College also holds an annual inter-collegiate ’fest’ known as "SAMAGAM". Environmental concerns are highlighted by the ’We-Nature’ Club.
Loreto College aims to develop not only high academic standards but also to inculcate values of leadership, commitment and selfless service, through sustained efforts by the students under the aegis of the Social Service Society, the Leadership Training Service and the All India Catholic University Federation. In addition, a Women’s Cell was opened in 1996 by committed staff members (retired and current) as well as students and friends of the College. The Women’s Cell provides adult literacy classes for disadvantaged young women.
The institution is managed by the Loreto House Educational Society of Calcutta and conducted by the Religious Order of the Institute of the Blessed Virgin Mary, usually known as the Loreto order. The College finds inspiration in the words of the founder of the Loreto order, Mary Ward: "Do good and do it well".
Loreto College, Kolkata has been reaccredited with an A grade by NAAC in 2007.
