Darjeeling North Point assesses itself

Darjeeling, Oct. 8: St Joseph’s College (North Point) has set up an independent committee to assess the institution and suggest measures to improve the overall standard of education.

The three-member committee from Xavier’s Institute (Management and Development Studies), Jabalpur, started the assessment today and present and former teachers, students and the alumni will be involved in the initiative.

“We want to look into various aspects of teaching and explore future initiatives that can be launched in the college. The assessment is the first-of-its-kind in the college,” said the principal, Father K.L. George.

The panel is being headed by Father Sebasti L. Raj, director, Xavier’s Institute, and his colleagues, Father Sanjay Kujur and Mehul Chauhan.

“The committee will speak to the students, faculty, retired teachers and members of the college alumni association. The team will be in Darjeeling till October 13,” said George.

North Point — a co-educational college — is considered one of the best in the Darjeeling hills and offers self-financing courses like BCA, BBA, mass communication, microbiology and computer sciences, apart from courses in the regular arts and science streams

The University Grants Commission carries out assessments of colleges across India every five year through the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC). “We have the NAAC accreditation but we want an independent assessment to be better equipped for the future,” said the principal.

During the last NAAC assessment, the college had been graded B++. The UGC determines the volume of funds to be released to colleges based on the grades the institutions are given. The college which is being run by the Darjeeling Jesuits of North Bengal was initially affiliated to Calcutta University. Now it is under North Bengal University.

The Telegraph