This is a sequel to the posts:

St Berchmans College’s Jesuit connection,

St Berchmans College and CMI Congregation and

St Berchmans College Genesis: When Community, Church and State Converged.

You may click the respective title to read them.

The narrative of St. Berchmans College in its formative decades invites reflection not only on the institution itself but also on the remarkable individuals and communities whose sacrifices, vision, and generosity shaped its destiny. The college’s genesis and early growth reveal how the actions of a few farsighted people produced consequences that extended far beyond their own time.

Among them, Rt. Rev. Dr. Aloysius Maria Benziger, the Bishop of Quilon (Kollam), occupies a special place. His contribution of Rs. 15,000 as seed money for establishing a college in Changanacherry was a decisive intervention at a critical moment. The rationale was simple yet profound: Changanacherry possessed qualified personnel capable of leading a higher educational institution.

The bishop’s generosity demonstrated the truth of the adage that “the good men do lives after them.” The long-term effects of this gesture became evident in an unexpected manner. In 1951, when the Diocese of Kollam established Fatima Mata National College, one of the first batch (1922-23) students of St. Berchmans College, K V Joseph, later Msgr. Joseph Kureethadam, was chosen as its first Principal. Having studied at St. Berchmans and later served as Lecturer in English (1939 onwards) and Bursar (1941–1951), he carried with him the experience and culture nurtured by the institution. Thus, the generosity of Bishop Benziger was returned in the form of competent leadership that helped guide a college founded by his successors. The investment made in Changanacherry ultimately enriched higher education in Kollam itself.

The Jesuit Legacy and Changing Educational Priorities

The Jesuit influence on St. Berchmans College was indirect but significant. Mar Charles Lavigne, the founder of the Diocese of Changanacherry, named the institution after St. John Berchmans and had earlier established the precursor institution, St. Berchmans School. The Jesuit educational tradition thus formed part of the intellectual and spiritual inspiration behind the college.

While the Jesuits once played a pioneering role in educational expansion, their priorities have evolved in recent decades. Unlike several other religious congregations that continued to establish colleges and universities, the Jesuits have generally refrained from large-scale educational expansion especially in Kerala. Their assessment appears to be that society today possesses sufficient educational infrastructure and that their mission is better directed toward other forms of social and pastoral engagement. Their withdrawal from educational expansion itself reflects changing perceptions about the role of religious congregations in modern society.

The Tragic Greatness of Fr. Mathew Purackal

No account of St. Berchmans College can overlook the extraordinary contribution of its founder Principal, Rev. Fr. Mathew Purackal. He was the driving force behind the establishment of the college and devoted himself completely to its survival during its infancy.

Yet his exit from the institution was far from glorious. Despite his dedication, administrative skill, and tireless labour, he could not overcome the severe financial challenges confronting the college. Ultimately, he sacrificed his own position for the future of the institution. In a sense, he became both the father and mother of the college, nurturing it through its most vulnerable years and then stepping aside when circumstances demanded.

After leaving St. Berchmans, he lived a relatively quiet life in Thiruvananthapuram. Significantly, he declined prestigious opportunities that came his way. He reportedly refused the principalship of Mar Ivanios College and did not accept the ecclesiastical honour of Monsignor. Such decisions suggest a man detached from ambition and deeply committed to principle.

His story resembles that of an entrepreneur who builds an enterprise from nothing, only to leave  to ensure its survival. The institution endured and prospered, but its founder remained largely outside the narrative of its later successes. There is a certain nobility in such a sacrifice.

Purackal Conference Room: a memorial

St. Berchmans College sought to perpetuate Rev. Fr. Mathew Purackal, the founding Principal’s memory in a meaningful way. When the new Administrative Block was constructed on the campus in 2018, a conference hall within the building was named the Purackal Conference Room. The initiative received generous financial support from the Purackal family. The Purackal Conference Room thus stands as a fitting memorial to the founder Principal, ensuring that future generations of students, faculty, and administrators remain conscious of the sacrifices and perseverance that marked the College’s beginnings.

The CMI Contribution: From Assistance to Leadership

The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), then known as the TOCD congregation, played a crucial role in sustaining St. Berchmans College during a period of uncertainty. When the founding Principal, Rev. Fr. Mathew Purackal, was compelled to resign in 1936 due to mounting financial pressures, Rev. Fr. Romeo Thomas, M.A., L.T., TOCD, assumed the principalship. His leadership provided stability and continuity during one of the most difficult periods in the institution’s history.

Fr. Romeo Thomas remained Principal until 1944, when he was entrusted with leading the newly established Sacred Heart College, Thevara, the first arts and science college founded by the CMI congregation. The experience he gained at St. Berchmans undoubtedly served as a valuable apprenticeship in educational leadership. Sacred Heart College would later emerge as one of Kerala’s premier institutions and, in many ways, a formidable contemporary of St. Berchmans itself.

CMI’s changed trajectory

[Rev Fr Thomas William, Principal 1944 -53 and Rev. Fr. Joseph Hadriyan, Bursar 1936-41 from CMI congregation served S B College].

The trajectory of the CMI congregation offers an interesting contrast. From a monastic congregation known for its austere brown habit and simple lifestyle, the CMIs evolved into one of the most influential educational networks in India and abroad. One may ask whether the experience in St. Berchmans, where raising funds for survival was a constant struggle, gradually altered their outlook towards education and institutional management. Over time, educational administration became increasingly professionalised, entrepreneurial, and self-sustaining. Today, the CMI congregation stands among the leading educational providers in the country, with a presence extending far beyond Kerala.

Then and Now: The Transformation of Higher Education

The financial struggles of St. Berchmans College in its early decades illustrate the realities of educational administration in the first half of the twentieth century. The institution had to acquire and manage additional assets simply to generate sufficient income for its operations. Resources were scarce, and educational ventures were rarely seen as financially rewarding.

The situation later changed dramatically. Education became one of the most significant sectors of economic activity. Numerous individuals and organisations have accumulated considerable wealth through educational enterprises. In Kerala, money was pumped into this sector as a lucrative means of investment. Looming in the horizon is the entry of private universities, including those from abroad.

This transformation raises important questions. Education, once largely viewed as a public good and a social responsibility, increasingly operates within a market framework. Even long-established colleges are under pressure to generate revenue, attract enrolment, and sustain financial viability.

Yet the sector now faces a different crisis. Student enrolment is steadily declining. Demographic changes, migration, and shifting aspirations have reduced the number of students entering conventional degree programmes. Simultaneously, uncertainty surrounds the future of employment. Students and parents are unsure which courses will remain relevant, what skills employers will demand, and whether educational investments will yield adequate returns.

An Uncertain Future

Higher education today stands at a crossroads. Traditional structures are being questioned. Curricula are constantly revised. New technologies, especially artificial intelligence, are reshaping the nature of learning and employment. Universities and colleges are struggling to redefine their purpose in a rapidly changing world.

The certainty that characterised earlier educational models has disappeared. Institutions, students, policymakers, and educators are all navigating an environment of continuous change. The structure of higher education, the content of curricula, and even the meaning of a college degree remain in a state of flux.

Open question

Against this backdrop, the story of St. Berchmans College offers a valuable perspective. It reminds us that educational institutions are ultimately built not by financial resources alone, but by vision, sacrifice, community support, and a commitment to the common good. Those values enabled the college to survive its early crises. Whether they can guide higher education through its present uncertainties remains an open question.