The Senate of Serampore College (University) is a private ecumenical affiliating body for Christian theological education, which works in partnership with Bible colleges, seminaries and theological research institutes in the Indian subcontinent that comply with its regulations and standards. The college was founded by the Baptist missionaries Joshua Marshman, William Carey and William Ward (the Serampore trio), to give an education in arts and sciences to students of every "caste, colour, creed or country" and to train a ministry for the growing Church in India. It is located in Serampore in West Bengal, India. Serampore was granted the status of university by King Frederick VI of Denmark in 1829.Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education
History
Since Serampore was then a Danish colony, King Frederick VI, the King of Denmark, issued Serampore College its Royal Charter of Incorporation on 23 February 1827, in Copenhagen, Denmark (Charter, 1, Charter, 2, Charter, 3). The charter came in response to Baptist missionary Joshua Marshman's visit to King Frederick in August 1826; the charter gave Serampore College the privilege of awarding degrees in Arts and Theology. Baptist missionaries William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and John Clark Marshman (Joshua's son) were designated as members of the first Council. At its opening, the Trio released a prospectus which proposed "A College for the instruction of Asiatic Christian and other Youth in Eastern Literature and European Science." The college was open to all persons of any caste or creed, and the founders ensured that no denominational test would apply to faculty members.
After 22 February 1845 when Denmark sold all of its Indian assets to Britain, the management and operation of the college continued without interruption under the direction of a master and council. In 1856 the Baptist Missionary Society in England took over the management of the college and, in 1857, the college became affiliated with the newly established University of Calcutta and became a constituent college of that university. In 1883 the college closed as an arts college and began functioning as a Christian Training Institution and a theological institute for the Baptist churches in Bengal.
The Royal charter has also been confirmed by the Bengal Govt Act. IV of 1918.
Accreditation and Charter The Senate of Serampore College draws its power to award degree from the Royal Charter awarded by King Frederick VI of Denmark, giving the Senate of Serampore College the status of a degree granting university.Government of India, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Higher Education, "Other Universities", Chapter XVI, Calcutta University, Three Missionaries, Carey, Marshman and Ward started the first Mission college at Serampore in 1818, and 9 years later it received a charter from the King of Denmark empowering it to grant degree. Through the Danish Charter, Serampore became the first institutionMurli Manohar Joshi, Higher Education in India Vision and Action, A paper presented at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher Education in the Twenty First Century, Paris, 5–9 October 1998. Internet, accessed 22 August 2008. in India to be given the status of a university.
The Senate of Serampore College is not accredited by any other theological association, academic body or council. Also, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) has given its accreditation only for the secular degree programs of Serampore College, a sister institution, for the degrees that are awarded through University of Calcutta.
The degrees that are awarded by Senate of Serampore are not recognised under the UGC Act for the purpose of the Section 22 of the Act and are awarded by Senate without the need for approval of the University Grants Commission (India).The UGC Commission noted that the Theological degrees granted by Serampore College had not been included among the degrees to be notified by the Commission under Section 22 (3) of the U.G.C. Act and that therefore there would be no bar to the College continuing to award these degrees. https://www.senateofseramporecollege.edu.in/pages/index/ugc-and-serampore-college Seminary students having degrees that are not listed under UGC Act of Section 22 are not eligible to sit for public service examinations, or avail public employment or government research grant, etc. based on their degrees.
However, "[Only the] Students of Serampore College in the Faculty of Theology are, entitled to all the privileges of students in any of the other universities and colleges in India." This entitlement does not extend to other affiliated colleges.
Senate of Serampore College practices autonomy in the preparation of its curriculum in partnership with the affiliated colleges.
Degrees awarded Presently, the Senate of Serampore College (University) restricts itself to award of degrees pertaining to theology.
The degrees conferred by the Senate of Serampore are not recognised under the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956 for the purposes of Section 22 of the Act. These degrees are awarded autonomously by the Senate.The UGC Commission observed that the theological degrees awarded by Serampore College had not been included among those notified by the Commission under Section 22(3) of the UGC Act.Senate of Serampore College (University).
Most Universities in India neither recognise nor accept the Senate of Serampore degree for higher studies program and as eligibility criteria for doctoral studies. As such the doctorate received from the Senate can only be used within the ecclesiastical context of the recipient.
Students of Senate of Serampore are not eligible to appear for public service examinations, nor to seek public employment or government-funded research grants on the basis of such qualifications as their degrees are not listed under Section 22 of the UGC Act.
However, “Students of Serampore College in the Faculty of Theology are entitled to all the privileges of students in any of the other universities and colleges in India.” This provision is limited to Serampore College which is different from other theological colleges that are affiliated to the Senate.
The theology curriculum of Senate includes various courses offered in the fields of religion and culture including the study of Old Testament, New Testament, Christian Theology, Study of Classical Biblical Languages: Biblical Hebrew, Biblical Greek, other classical languages: Sanskrit, Arabic, Syriac, Pali, German, Latin etc., Study of other Major Religions: Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism; Ministry related courses such as: Homiletics, Christian Worship and Music, Pastoral Care and Counselling, Clinical Counseling, Christian Education, Communication, Social Analysis, History of Christianity, Missiology, Contextual Theologies and Christian Ministry.
The following are the degrees awarded to students through its affiliated colleges throughout India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka:
Diploma programmes Diploma in Worship and Music (Dip.W.M) Diploma in Christian Studies (Dip. C.S) (External) Diploma in Clinical Pastoral Counselling (Dip.C.P.C) Diploma in Bible Translation (Dip B.T)
Graduate programmes Bachelor of Theology (B.Th) Bachelor of Missiology (B.Miss) Bachelor of Christian Studies (B.C.S.) (External)
Postgraduate programmes Bachelor of Divinity (B.D) Master of Theology (M.Th) Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy (MCP) Master of Ministry (M.Min.) (External) Master of Christian Studies (MCS) (External)
Doctoral programmes Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) Doctor of Theology (D.Th)
Constituent colleges Serampore College (Theology Department), Serampore South Asia Theological Research Institute, Serampore
Affiliated colleges +The affiliated colleges of the university up to 2016Senate, List of Colleges as on 31.7.2016. are, No. State Institution Founded TownPIN Courses Residential Non-residentialIAndhra PradeshBethel Bible College2000Guntur522 006B.D.B.C.S.IIAndhra PradeshMaster's College of Theology1996 Visakhapatnam530 041 B.D.Dip.C.S.B.C.S.IIIAssamEastern Theological CollegeJorhat785 014B.D.M.Th.Dip.C.S.B.C.S.IVGujaratGujarat United School of TheologyAhmedabad380 006B.Th.-VGujaratMethodist Bible SeminaryVasad388 306B.Th.Dip.C.S.VIHaryanaDharma Jyoti VidyapeethFaridabad121 101B.D.-VIIHaryanaNav Jyoti Post graduate and Research CentreFaridabad121 006M.Th.-VIIIJharkhandGossner Theological College1866Ranchi834 001B.Th.-IXJharkhandSantal Theological CollegeBenagaria814 101B.Th.-XKarnatakaKarnataka Theological College1965MangaloreB.D.Dip.C.S.XIKarnatakaUnited Theological College, Bangalore1910BangaloreB.D.M.Th.D.Th.-XIIKeralaFaith Theological Seminary, Manakala1970Adoor691 551B.D.B.Miss.M.Th.D.Th.B.C.S.XIVKeralaFederated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture,Monica J. Melanchton, Graduate Biblical Studies in India in Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, Kent Harold Richards (Edited), Transforming Graduate Biblical Education: Ethos and Discipline, SBL, Atlanta, 2010, p. 120. Kottayam686 001M.Th.D.Th.-XVKeralaIndia Bible College and Seminary1930Thiruvalla689 541B.D.-XVIKeralaKerala Theological Seminary2000Kottarakara691 531B.D.-XVIIKeralaKerala United Theological Seminary1943Thiruvananthapuram695 011B.D.-XVIIIKeralaMalankara Syrian Orthodox Theological SeminaryMulanthuruthy682 314B.D.-XIXKeralaMar Thoma Episcopal Jubilee Institute of EvangelismTiruvalla689 105B.Th.-XXKeralaMar Thoma Syrian Theological Seminary, KottayamKottayam686 001B.D.-XXIKeralaOrthodox Theological Seminary1815Kottayam686 001B.D.Dip.W.M.XXIIMadhya PradeshLeonard Theological CollegeJabalpur482 001B.D.-XXIIIMaharashtraSt. Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary1995Nagpur441 501B.D.-XXIVMaharashtraUnion Biblical Seminary1953Pune411 037B.D.M.Th.D.Th.-XXVMaharashtraUnited Theological Seminary of MaharashtraPune411 001B.Th.Dip.C.S.XXVIManipurManipur Theological CollegeKangpokpi795 129B.D.-XXVIIManipurTrulock Theological SeminaryImphal795 001B.D.-XXVIIIMeghalayaHarding Theological CollegeTura794 002B.D.-XXIXMeghalayaJohn Roberts Theological SeminaryShillong798 009B.D.-XXXMizoramAcademy of Integrated Christian Studies2000Aizawl796 001B.D.M.Th.-XXXIMizoramAizawl Theological College1907Aizawl796 001B.D.M.Th.D.Th.B.C.S.M.C.S.XXXIIMizoramMissionary Training CollegeAizawl796 005B.Miss.-XXXIIINagalandBaptist Theological CollegePfütsero797 107B.D.-XXXIVNagalandClark Theological CollegeMokokchung798 601B.D.M.Th.-XXXVNagalandTrinity Theological CollegeDimapur797 112B.D.-XXXVINagalandWitter Theological CollegeWokha797 111B.D.-XXXVIIOdishaOrissa Christian Theological CollegeGopalpur761 002B.Th.-XXXVIIITamil NaduBethel Bible Institute,Danishpet636 354B.D.B.Miss.-XXXIXTamil NaduConcordia Theological SeminaryNagercoil629 001B.D.-XLTamil NaduGurukul Lutheran Theological College1953Chennai600 010B.D.M.Th.-XLITamil NaduIndian Theological Seminary1990Chennai600 062B.D.-XLIITamil NaduMadras Theological Seminary and CollegeChennai600 010B.D.B.C.S.XLIIITamil NaduTamil Nadu Theological Seminary1969Madurai625 010B.D.M.Th.Dip.C.S.B.C.S.XLIVTelanganaAdvanced Institute for Research on Religion and Culture2016Hyderabad500 052M.Th.-XLVTelanganaAndhra Christian Theological College1964Hyderabad500 080B.D.Dip.C.S.B.C.S.M.C.S.XLVITelanganaCalvin Institute of TheologyYacharam501 509B.D.-XLVIITelanganaMennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College1920Shamshabad501 218B.D.Dip.C.S.XLVIIIUttarakhandLuther W. New Jr. Theological College,Dehra Dun248 001B.D.Dip.W.M.-XLIXUttar PradeshAllahabad Bible SeminaryAllahabad211 002B.D.Dip.C.S., B.C.S.LWest BengalBishop's CollegeKolkata700 017B.D.-LIWest BengalCalcutta Bible SeminaryNorth 24 Parganas700 132B.D.-LIIWest BengalNorth India Institute of Post Graduate Theological Studies1980Serampore712 201M.Th.D.Th.-
Other affiliated centres