Don Bosco College, Itanagar

History: 

Don Bosco College, Itanagar is an educational institution of the Catholic Church belonging to and managed by the Salesians of Don Bosco Educational Society (registered under the societies Registration Act of 1890: No. 50 SR/ITA/4034). It is the first private Degree College in the State of Arunachal Pradesh.  It was established in 2002. The college has been permanently affiliated to Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh.

Chronology

Arunachal Pradesh was one of the rare states without Catholic Institutions of higher learning. The need of a private college was proposed by Fr. Jose Chemparathy (C.C.). This proposal was favourably viewed by the then government. The then education minister in the government of Arunachal Pradesh Late Mr. Dera Natung wholeheartedly supported the proposal on beginning Don Bosco College, first private college in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. The proposal was put to the Provincial Council and approved. Accordingly in June 2002 Fr. Sebastian Karottupuram was appointed principal of Don Bosco College.

            The constructions for a two storey building began in November 2001. Fr. C.C. supervised the constructions. The ground floor was completed by July 2002. The vacant villa of the staff residence was turned in the hostel. There were 11 boys in the hostel. In the girls’ hostel there were six girls looked after by FMA sisters of Auxilium Convent. They stayed in the old temporary building.

            The new session was inaugurated on 4^th August 2002 by Mr. Joram Begi, Director of Higher and Technical Education, Arunachal Pradesh. There were 36 students and three lecturers – Mr. C.K. Sing, Mr. Tara Singh Gibo and Mr. Dangen Dameng.

In 2003 a temporary shed was put up at the present Commerce block, which could accommodate 80 students. The college was granted permission to begin honours courses in four subjects namely, English, Economics, Political Science and History. 

In 2004 Fr. Joseph Thuruthel was appointed Vice-Principal. In September of the same year, foundation was laid for the new college building. The first floor of the new College building was completed in 2005 and classes were begun in the new building. The number of students increased to 224.

In 2005 the first batch of 11 students appeared for the final year examinations. The college had offered Honours only in Economics and History.

The new college building was inaugurated on 29^th September 2006 by Mr. Lutke. It was blessed by Fr. Joseph Pampackal, the Provincial Economer of Dimapur, Nagaland.  In 2006, Fr. Sebastian Karottupuram, the principal was appointed as the first Rector of the college.

The foundation for the commerce building were laid in 2007. In 2007 was the first year when the students appeared in four Honours subjects namely, Economics, English, History and Political Science. In the same year the college introduced Commerce stream, Honours in Sociology, and Computer classes along with V- Sat internet facilities. In 2009, the college started the course on Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA).

Pioneers

Fr. C.C. Jose – The inspirer.

Fr. (Dr.) Sebastian Karottopuram (2002-      ) – the first principal

Important Dates

2001 – Construction of a two storey college building begun.

2002 – Establishment of the college with Fr. Sebastian Karottupuram as the first principal

2002 - New session inaugurated.

2003 - Permission obtained to begin honours courses in English, Economics, Political

 Science and History.

2004 – Foundation laid for the new college building.

2005 – Foundation laid for the new building for girls’ hostel.

2005 – The first batch of 11 students appears for the final examinations.

2006 – The new college building inaugurated by Mr. Lutke and blessed by Fr. Joseph

 Pampackal, the then Provincial Economer of Dimapur.

2007 – Foundation laid for the Commerce building and Staff residence.

2007 – Third batch of students appear in four honours subjects – Economics, English,

 History and Political Science.

2007 – Introduction of Commerce Stream, Honours in Sociology and computer classes

 along with V-Sat internet facilities.

2009 – Introduction of course on Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA)

Location:

The college is situated in a 20 acres spacious campus at Jully, four kilometers away from Itanagar. It is approachable from both Itanagar and Naharlagun.