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ALL INDIA CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY FEDERATION (WEST BENGAL)

Prof. S. M. Gomes (Animator)

All India Catholic University Federation (AICUF) is an All-India Student Movement with a membership of 35,000 students in 300 units in 12 States. It is affiliated to the International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS), Pax Romana, and has its National office in Chennai - AICUF House, 52, Sterling Road, Nungambakam.

The AICUF works through University students who as a team want to do something for their growth and the society in which they live. The AICUF members draw their inspiration from the life and person of Jesus Christ. Their motto is “We are born in an unjust society and we are determined not to leave it as we have found it”.

The AICUF has been at work in West Bengal since 1948 organizing social service activities, study sessions and seminars, leadership and exposure camps, surveys, retreats, etc. The major activities are the annual state-level leadership camps held during the summer, puja vacations and the annual AICUF DAY celebration.

The West Bengal State Secretariat Office is situated at St. Xavier's College. Associate membership is given to students of other faiths who share the ideologies of the AICUF as enshrined in its Constitution and the West Bengal State Policy Document. There are 22 units in West Bengal. In Kolkata itself there are 12 units - five at St. Xavier’s (Bengali, English, Hindi, Santhali and XIA). Within the WB AICUF there are Adivasi Yuva Chetna Manch (AYCM) and Womens’ Commission, which have been formed for specific purposes.

The activities of WB AICUF during 2010 were –

• Orientations to Units, Office-bearers and State Team – The freshers in the existing units were given orientation in July. The office bearers and the State team orientation was based on leadership, personality development and detailed information about the Movement. There were eight such programmes held this year.
• Unit meetings – Each unit organized unit-level meetings at their convenience and requirements. This year almost all the units held their meetings regularly.
• State Team Meetings - The State Team meets at the State Office. Reflection, planning, evaluation, discussion and decision-making are the highlights of the meetings. There were about ten meetings this year. However, during examinations and vacations meetings were not held.
• Camps-
  A) Summer Camps - Work camps or Exposure camps were organized in rural Bengal. There were two summer camps. B) Puja Camps - Leadership camps or Workshops were organized during October in West Bengal – Midnapore, Asansol and Gangarampur. About 40 AICUFers attended each camp. This year there were three camps during the puja vacation.
• PRAYAS – WB AICUF has adopted Gostomath, a village under PARYAS: “College to Village, Village to College” initiative of the college. Regular tutorials and classes are held on Sundays in the village. Camps are held at the village as well as in the college.
• AICUF Scholarship Day - AICUF, with the help of AICUFers and benefactors has instituted a Scholarship Fund for the education of poor and the needy students since 1998. This year 20 students were awarded with scholarships.
• Feast Day Celebrations - Feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus (July 31) and Feast of St. Francis Xavier, the Patron of St. Xavier’s College (December 3) was celebrated. The Holy Eucharist and cultural programmes were organized.
• Santhal Hool – It was organized by the Santhali Unit, which is an occasion where all AICUFers join to celebrate.
• Indigenous Day Celebration - this year, as usual, the AICUFers celebrated the indigenous day and an exhibition on Indigeneous people was also oraganized.
• Womens’ Day Celebration – The womens’ commission in association with the womens’ cell in St. Xavier’s College celebrated the Womens’ Day. It was a grand success.
• Christmas and Easter Gatherings – There are gatherings before Easter and Christmas organised by the units. This year two Christmas gatherings were organized – one at Ghotomath and the other at St. Xavier’s College.
• Corpus Christi Procession and prayer: About 150 AICUFers attended the Corpus Christi procession and prayer.
• Outside-campus visits: There were regular visits by AICUFers to various old-age homes, community centres, health centres, etc.
• State involvement in National-level activities - There are regular national team and national council meetings held in the national secretariat at Chennai as well as other places in India. One national team member and one national council member represent the state. The Womens’ Commission members attend National Womens’ Commission meetings and camps. The AYCM convenor attends AYCM convention meetings at national level.
• The WB AICUF organized its 60-years of WB AICUF in March. There were seminars, cultural programmes, felicitation to the State Adviser, Rev. Dr. Fr.J. Felix Raj s.j.; The occasion was celebrated in a grand way.
• There were two cells opened in St. Xavier’s College namely, SC/ST Cell and Minority Cell. They are within WB AICUF and have organized – Employability Skills training in association with Tata Consultancy Services Limited and Remedial classes for Semesters 1. 3 and 5.

The forthcoming programmes include AICUF Day celebrations in February 2011, releasing of Yuva Pragati (annual magazine), release of re-edited book “Memories of the Movement” by Fr. Felix Raj s.j., continuation of TCS Employability Skills Training, Remedial classes. There is also an initiative to open new AICUF units in Midnapore, Bankura, etc.

For more information, contact the AICUF office or the State Adviser,
Rev. Dr. J. Felix Raj, SJ or visit www.goethals.in, Phone No. 2255-1277.