New Delhi: St. Stephens College affiliated to Delhi University (DU) is striving to acquire the status of status of Deemed University in the future. On Tuesday i.e. on January, 2010 a document titled Vision 2050 was put up on the institution's official website , in which the major goals that the college would strive to achieve include the institution acquiring deemed university status by 2050.
As per sources, the document was created by a group of old Stephanians and adopted by the management of the college. It admits openly that the college had remained stagnant for some time while the other institutes progressed ahead, the status of deemed university would allow the college greater freedom and would also help to remove the stagnation.
In addition, St. Stephens alumni have accepted the decline in the college's development and assert that it may have been due to the fact that in the 1970s, both St. Stephen's and Miranda House college offered eight courses. However, now more than 30 years down the line, Miranda House now offers 26 courses whereas St. Stephen's still has eight courses, out of which the BA programme and Philosophy has a total intake of 10 students.
B.G. Varghese, an alumnus of the college, led the team who prepared the document, who also stated that the college was also in need of finance for its growth. In the document, it has been stated that the college has only two laboratories for physics and chemistry. They are in a pathetic condition and need to be urgently upgraded to make them India-class, not to say something about world class.
The main purpose behind the formation of the document was to drive the alumni of the college to give their ideas and suggestions regarding the expansion and progress of the college. Also, the document provides several points and questions for discussion such as what science and technology courses the college should spotlight on, whether the college should set up chairs in the name of illustrious teachers with corporate endowments, whether the college should offer futuristic disciplines such as microbiology and biomedical science etc.
Moreover, the setting up of a trust to implement the proposed Master Plan for the college and engaging the college in research are also discussed in the document. Rev. Valson Thampu, St Stephens College Principle had said that they have written to DU to allow an increase in the intake of students at the college. He further added that a Master Plan for the college would be unveiled on January 10, 2010 during a meeting of the organizing committee for the 130 years' celebration.
