Holy Cross College (Autonomous), Nagercoil is a Catholic educational institution, established and administered by the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod, France founded by Mother Claudine Echernier. It is the first women's college in Kanyakumari District. The college is under the religious jurisdiction of the Catholic Bishop of Kottar The institution was inaugurated on 2nd August 1965. This temple of learning, at the southernmost tip of the country, against the Sylvan background with beautiful buildings, was wrought with the magic touch, an amazing alchemy by which a wilderness was transformed into a pasture, a barren land into a rich field with manifold yield.
Most Rev. Dr. Roch Agniswamy, the then Bishop of Kottar, identified the urgent need to have an exclusive women’s college in Kanyakumari District and in response to the proposal the then Superior General Rev. Mother Yvonne Lavorel (France) responded positively and Rev. Mother Marie Cecile Vionnet, the then Provincial of Trichy along with her dedicated band of sisters, established this great institution despite severe financial constraints and other heavy odds. Numerous were the obstacles, but nothing was a hindrance in front of their committed, persevering and dedicated toil, the fruits of which we enjoy today. The college started functioning in the year 1965 with 327 students. The College was first affiliated to Madras University and it started with the Pre University Course (PUC) offering subjects like Part I - English, Part II - Tamil, Malayalam and French, Part III - Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry. Physics, Chemistry, Biology, History, Economics and Advanced Languages.
The College was raised to a first grade college in 1966 and was affiliated to the Madurai Kamaraj University, offering undergraduate courses in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, History, Economics, Commerce and English and Post graduate (PG) courses in Mathematics, Physics, Zoology and English. Since 1990, the college is affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli. The College was conferred Autonomous status in 2007 and Extension of Autonomy was granted in November 2016. The college has undergone four cycles of accreditation by National Assessment and Accreditation Council. In 1999, the college was accredited at the 4 Star level and re-accredited at the ‘B++’ level in the year 2005. In the III Cycle of Accreditation in the year 2013, our college was re-accredited with ‘A’ Grade with CGPA 3.34. In the fourth cycle the college is awarded ‘A+’ grade with CGPA 3.35.
Holy Cross College, Nagercoil, has carved a niche in the galaxy of higher education, spreading its glow and serving as a guiding star. Stream of time flows on, years follow one another, empowered women step out into the wide world to take their rightful place in society. Like rays of light they enlighten the world. Like scattered seeds they yield harvest. They carry within them the Crossian ideals and values. Envisioning a just and harmonious society where all people live life in its fullness, our college continues to touch the lives of thousands, making positive changes in their lives.