Samaw.com

The officials from Martin Luther Christian University in Shillong said they will focus on employment and healthcare, an area that needed most attention in Northeast India.

Initiated by the National Lutheran Health and Medical Board of the Lutheran churches in India, the Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Assembly based at Shillong is the local sponsor of the university according to the federal government’s registration norms for a university.

The first batch of admissions started in June 2006 with more than 500 students enrolling for vocationally-oriented courses such as master’s degrees in social work, counselling and psychology, and degrees in nursing, surgical and laboratory technology, hospital administration, as well as diplomas in laboratory management and paramedical care.

“Most of those who are undergoing courses in our university have been already assured of jobs,” said the Rev Edwin H. Kharkongor, the university registrar.

Source: Ekklesia.com

Ekklesia also affirms that Martin Luther Christian University is the first Christian University in Union of India, they wrote like this:

The initial version of this report stated that the Martin Luther Christian University was “India’s first Christian university” John R. Hudson writes to correct this: “India’s first Christian university, Serampore College, was founded in 1818 and gained its charter in 1827. It is the only university authorised to grant degrees in theology in India and also offers courses in the social and natural sciences among other subjects. It was recently assessed at the highest level among Indian universities.There are numerous other Christian colleges all affiliated to Serampore University in respect of degrees in theology.”

However, it has also been pointed out to us that while the Serampore theological college did have ‘university status’ under the British, the secular university status was withdrawn by the Indian government decades back, and that the Martin Luther Christian University is the first Christian university approved by the federal government’s University Grants Commission.

It is possible to argue that Serampore was the first Christian university in India, but that Martin Luther one is the Union of India’s first Christian university.

Official website of Martin Luther Christian University : www.mlcuniv.in