St. Xavier's, Gandhinagar - History

History

St. Xavier's School, Gandhinagar belongs to the International Xavier's family having institutions of learning, worldwide. It is run by the Society of Jesus, an order of religious Priests and Brothers whose main house is based in Rome. The Jesuits, as these Fathers and Brothers are known were the School Masters of Europe because of their educational institutions which stressed Excellence. They stressed Science and the liberal Arts. St. Francis Xavier whose uncorrupted body lies in Goa was the first Jesuit to come to India 450 years ago and he began the first Jesuit institutions in our country. Since then the number of Jesuit schools, colleges, management institutions have grown and are spread all over India.

The Jesuits used the Ratio Studiorium as their methodology to run educational institutions and it is still being followed in many institutions even today.

Since the government of Gujarat had planned to shift the new capital to Gandhinagar in the late 60s, they had to shift the bureaucrats to the new capital too. Most of the bureaucrats had their children in St. Xavier's Loyola Hall, Ahmedabad or in Mt. Carmel, Ahmedabad, Hence the Government invited the Fathers and the Sisters to start their respective institutions in the new capital and that is how St. Xavier's Gandhinagar came into existence. From a government building in Sector 20, it has shifted to a sprawling campus with football fields, a cricket ground, two basketball courts, a full sized skating rink, a canteen having all delicious foods liked by kids and a campus that is green and environment friendly, all in Sector 8.

The students come from all strata of society and the school is affiliated to the Gujarat Secondary Board of education running both Gujarati and English medium streams. The High school and the higher secondary receive a salary grant from the government and hence the fees are nominal making it possible to admit students from all possible economic backgrounds. The school also provides free-ships and scholarships to the students.

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