What began as a simple encounter between urban students and forgotten hamlets has evolved into a profound Jesuit mission of accompaniment. For eight years, St. Xavier’s University Kolkata has answered the Society of Jesus’ call to “walk with the excluded” through its transformative “Village-to-University” (UV-VU) program.

Today, six rural communities in West Bengal journey alongside Xavier’s students – not as passive beneficiaries of charity, but as companions in a shared evolution.

A Curriculum of Encounter

At St. Xavier’s, social outreach isn’t an “extracurricular add-on”. Every undergraduate commits 60 hours over four years to life within their adopted villages. This is Ignatian Pedagogy in its purest form: experience first, then reflection, leading to meaningful action.

Fr Felix Raj SJ, Vice-Chancellor, believes this immersion is essential to true education. “Education within four walls teaches theories”, he says. “Walking with rural families reveals the face of India – and the face of Christ in the excluded.”

For the students, the impact is often life-changing. Triparna Sanyal, Secretary for the 2022-2025 term, describes the Centre for Social Outreach (CSOP) as a “second home” that shaped her identity. “CSOP taught me what it truly means to serve with empathy and create an impact, no matter how big or small”, she reflects.

Living the Mission on the Ground

The Society’s Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAPs) are not just slogans here; they are daily practices:

• Accompanying the Poor: Students bridge gaps in government schools where teachers are scarce, building libraries that serve as community lifelines.

• Walking with the Young: Laptops travel to dusty village lanes for hands-on computer training. In return, village children visit the university campus for sports and cultural exchanges, catching “glimpses of possibility”.

• Discerning Together: Regular immersion breaks down the invisible walls between urban and rural India.

For Sohini Sikdar, the current Secretary (2024-2026), the program is about “Forming Men and Women for Others”. “Small initiatives can bring in meaningful changes not just to the communities we work with, but also to the minds of students who engage with social work”, she notes.

From Literacy to Liberation

True accompaniment demands more than temporary visits; it requires sustainable livelihoods. The university’s Centre for Social Outreach recently launched a tailoring program that equipped village women with both skills and sewing machines – the tools for true economic independence.

Looking ahead, the university is expanding into practical trade certificate courses, including:
• Electronics and Mobile Repair
• Air-Conditioner Maintenance
• Beautician Training

These programs are paired with English communication training to ensure participants can navigate the professional world with confidence. Shaleen Shekhar, a Working Committee Member, notes that coordinating these initiatives helps students “understand the real value of service, leadership, and teamwork”.

The Fire Spreads

The program’s growth – from two villages in 2018 to six today – is a testament to the power of presence. Neighbouring communities, seeing children reading fluently and women earning incomes, now approach the university asking to “walk this road together”.

This journey is as much about the student’s growth as it is the villager’s. Pakhee Pranjala, who rose from making posters to serving as the UV-VU Head, describes the experience as transformative. “These experiences shaped my view of social work, showing me that it is not just a one-time duty but a lifelong commitment”, she shares.

A Promise Kept

When St. Xavier’s University established its New Town campus, local leaders asked for a partner committed to the people’s flourishing. The university has keptitscovenant. This isn’t about a wealthy institution “helping” the poor; it is mutual accompaniment where urban students learn humility from resilient rural families, and village youth discover their dignity through educated companions.