Principal Fr P C Mathew spoke on the expansion plans of the autonomous college at a press conference on Thursday. “The most important area of higher education is the availability of quality research. After the post-graduate departments, we will come up with a quality research centre,” said Fr Mathew.

The college authorities said that the research centre will come up at the second campus. The college, with 5,422 students, has already started new post-graduate departments in computer science, physics, MCom and a 5-year integrated Biotech.

At this juncture, the institution is keen on having more outreach programmes for other sections of the society. “All these years, the college has been associated with education alone. Now, we want to explore other avenues to serve the society,” said Rector S.J George Ponodath.

As the institution enters its 150th year of existence with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inaugurating the celebrations on January 21, 2009, it plans a number of social initiatives, including spread of inclusive education for the lesser-privileged section.

“We are taking up a project with KMC and we will work for various KMC schools,” said Firdousal Hasan, general secretary of St Xavier’s College Alumni Association.

The representatives of the college alumni said they would help the schools both with funds and academic inputs. The secretary of St Xavier’s Collegiate School, Numi Mehta, spoke about a number of outreach programmes which the alumni association is set to take up in the future.