Christian seminaries and theological colleges in India
There are three kinds of Seminaries in India:
Majority of the seminary degrees awarded in India are not recognised by the University Grants Commission . The Roman Catholic seminaries are often affiliated with Pontifical Universities in Rome or Roman Curia . The degrees and doctorates awarded by Senate of Serampore and Asia Theological Association (ATA) are not legally recognized under Section 22 of the UGC Act . The Senate of Serampore derives its power to grant degree from the Royal Charter granted by King Frederick VI of Denmark . Senate of Serampore is also the first institution to grant degrees in India.[ 1]
The degree titles such as
Bachelor of Theology (B.Th., Th.B., or B.Theol.) ,
Bachelor of Sacred Theology (B.Th. or S.T.B.) ,
Bachelor of Divinity (B.D. or B.Div.) ,
Master of Divinity (M.Div.) ,
Master of Theology (M.Th., Th.M. or M.Theol.) ,
Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M)
Licentiate of Theology (L.Th. or S.T.L.)
Licentiate of Canon Law (J.C.L.)
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) ,
Doctor of Sacred Theology (S.Th.D.) ,
Doctor of Theology (D.Th., Th.D. or D.Theol.)
Doctor of Canon Law (J.C.D.) and
Doctor of Divinity (D.D. or D.Div.)
are not listed under UGC Act for the purpose of the Section 22 of the Act and hence can be awarded by seminaries without the approval of UGC .[ 2] [ 3] [ 4]
The degree titles such as
are listed under the purposes of Section 22 of UGC Act [ 5] and hence only those institutions with university status as approved by parliament within the meaning of Section 2(f) of the UGC Act can confer such titles.[ 6] According to Section 22(2) of the UGC Act it is illegal in India for institutions other than those with university status as approved by parliament within the meaning of Section 2(f) of the UGC Act to confer research, professional or honorary doctorates, academic titles or degree certificate that are listed for the purposes of Section 22 of
the UGC Act .[ 7] [ 8] Therefore, most seminaries do not award these titles unless affiliated with a university.
Seminary students having degrees that are not listed under UGC Act are not eligible to sit for public service examinations, or avail public employment or government research grant, etc. based on their degrees. Since there are no government or UGC approved theological institutions in India that provide degrees in biblical languages and Christian theology, the degrees awarded by these seminaries are accepted and recognised by universities and seminaries outside of India peninsular, especially in Europe and North America for further studies and research.
The following is a list of major Christian seminaries and theological colleges in India :
Major Seminaries and Theological Institutions in India
Some of the prominent Christian seminaries and theological institutions are shown below along with their year of establishment and academic affiliations and accreditation:
Rachol Seminary 1609
St. Joseph's Seminary (Mangalore) 1763, and re-established on 1879 affiliated to the Pontifical Urban University in Rome
St Joseph Pontifical Seminary 1764
St Peters Pontifical Institute 1778, affiliated to the Pontifical Urban University
Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam 1815, member of Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture (FFRRC) and affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Mar Thoma Syrian Theological Seminary, Kottayam 1926, member of Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture (FFRRC) and affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
CMS College Kottayam 1815, affiliated to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala (Theology faculty is currently defunct)
Senate of Serampore College (University) 1818
Serampore College 1818, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) and University of Calcutta
Bishop's College, Calcutta 1820, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Madras Christian College , Institute for Advanced Christian Studies 1837, affiliated to University of Madras
Karnataka Theological College 1847, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Baptist Theological Seminary 1882, formerly affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Jnana Deepa, Institute of Philosophy and Theology 1893, Pontifical Athenaeum
Papal Seminary 1893, affiliated to Jnana Deepa, Institute of Philosophy and Theology
Aizawl Theological College 1907, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
United Theological College, Bangalore 1910, Autonomous (B.D.) and affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram 1918, Pontifical Athenaeum
Dharmaram College , 1957 (The Sacred Heart Seminary founded in Chethipuzha, Kerala, in 1918 was transplanted to Bangalore, Karnataka in 1957) Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram
Mennonite Brethren Centenary Bible College 1920, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Thrikkunnathu Seminary 1930–31, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Bethel Bible College 1927, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
IPC India Bible College & Seminary 1930, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) and accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
Kerala United Theological Seminary 1943, member of Federated Faculty for Research in Religion and Culture (FFRRC) and affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Southern Asia Bible College 1951, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA) and Bengaluru North University
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College 1953, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
St. Thomas Apostolic Seminary, Vadavathoor , 1962, affiliated to Paurastya Vidyapitham, Kottayam.
St. John's Regional Seminary 1965, affiliated to Roman Curia
Presbyterian Theological Seminary 1969, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary 1969, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) and Madurai Kamaraj University
Faith Theological Seminary 1970, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) (G.Th, C.Th, B.A in theology, B.Miss, B.D, M.Th, D.Th)
Clark Theological College 1972, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) (B.D, M.Th, D.Th, Diploma in Church Music - DCMM)
Evangelical Theological Seminary of ACA 1973, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
New India Bible Seminary 1975, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary 1975, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
New Life College, Bangalore 1978, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
North India Institute of Post Graduate Theological Studies 1980, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Filadelfia Bible College 1981, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
Paurastya Vidyapitham, Pontifical Oriental Institute of Oriental Sciences, Kottayam , 1982.
South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies 1982, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA) and University of Mysore
Luther W. New Jr. Theological College 1989, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) and accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA).
South Asia Theological Research Institute 1989, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Faith Baptist Bible College and Seminary 1997, accredited by Association of Baptist Bible Colleges & Seminaries in India
Pontifical Institute of Philosophy and Theology, Alwaye 1997
Mary Matha Major Seminary 1997, affiliated to the Université catholique de Louvain , Belgium
Harvest Mission College 1999, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
IPC Theological Seminary 2001, accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
Caleb Institute 2016, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University) and accredited by Asia Theological Association (ATA)
Advanced Institute for Research on Religion and Culture 2016, affiliated to the Senate of Serampore College (University)
Seminaries and Bible Colleges
Academy of Integrated Christian Studies
Aizawl Theological College
Andhra Christian Theological College
APC Bible College, Bangalore
Asian Board For Christian Theology-ABCT Chennai
Bangalore Bible Institute & College
Baptist Theological Seminary
Bethel Bible College, Punalur
Bethel Bible College, Guntur
Bible Presbyterian Council College[ 9] [ 10] [ 11]
Central India Theological Seminary
Charis Bible College, Mumbai
Charlotte Swenson Memorial Bible Training School
C.O.T.R Theological Seminary
Ebenezer Bible College
Ecumenical Christian Centre
Emmanuel Theological Seminary, Kota, Rajasthan
Eva Rose York Bible Training and Technical School for Women
Evangelical Theological Seminary
Faith Baptist Bible College and Seminary
Faith Theological Seminary, Jotsoma
Gossner Theological College
Grace Bible College (India)
Grace Institute For Theological Studies (GIFTS)
Gurukul Lutheran Theological College
Harvest Mission College (HMC)
India Bible College & Seminary, Kumbanad
Indian Theological Seminary
IPC Theological Seminary
International Institute of Biblical Studies
Japfü Christian College
Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth
Karnataka Theological College
Koinonia College of Theology, Pune
Living Waters Institute of Theology
Luther W. New Jr. Theological College
Malankara Syrian Orthodox Seminary
Maranatha Theological Seminary, Hyderabad
Maranatha Biblical Seminary , Vijayawada
Mary Matha Major Seminary
Master's College of Theology
Mount Zion Bible College, Mulakuzha
Nagpur St. Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary
North India Institute of Post Graduate Theological Studies
Oriental Theological Seminary , Chümoukedima
Rachol Seminary
Real Colégio de Educação de Chorão
Ruhalaya Major Seminary, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
SeekersQuest Academy and Bible College (SABC)
Shalom Bible Seminary, Zubza
St. Aloysius Seminary, Trivandrum
St. John's Regional Seminary
St. John's Regional Seminary (Philosophate)
St. Joseph's Seminary (Mangalore)
St. Mary's Malankara Major Seminary
South Asia Theological Research Institute
South India Faith Baptist College & Seminary, Bangalore
Southern Asia Bible College , Bangalore
Southwestern India Bible College, Junnar
Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary
Trinity Theological College, Dimapur
Union Biblical Seminary
Vidyajyoti College of Theology
Global Ordination Disciples Diocese Theology Seminary [ 12]
References
^ 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. "Archived copy" . Archived from the original on 5 February 2012. Retrieved 2015-11-15 .{{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link )
^ 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
^ "Archived copy" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022 .{{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link )
^ "University Grants commission ::UGC ACT 1956" . www.ugc.ac.in .
^ "Archived copy" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 December 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2022 .{{cite web }}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link )
^ "Welcome to UGC, New Delhi, India" . www.ugc.ac.in .
^ "University Grants commission ::UGC ACT 1956" . www.ugc.ac.in .
^ "University Grants commission ::Fake Universities" .
^ Bible Presbyterian Council College
^ 1
^ 2
^ GODDTS website