Rajagiri in Kalamassery: From 1955 to a Multi-Campus Group

Ashraf Gents Hostel

Key facts

Rajagiri College of Social Sciences began in 1955 with a Diploma in Social Service, first under the University of Madras.
Wikipedia says the college was accredited to offer degrees in Social Work under the University of Kerala in 1960; it later moved to Mahatma Gandhi University.
The University Grants Commission granted the college academic autonomy on 13 June 2014, according to RCBS; Rajagiri’s annual reports give the effective date as 1 June 2014.
The college says it was re-accredited by NAAC with an A++ grade (CGPA 3.83/4) in 2021.
Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology at Kakkanad was founded in 2001 and Rajagiri Hospital near Aluva in 2014, according to Wikipedia.

Front of the Ashraf Gents Hostel building with its upstairs balcony and green shade net, Kalamassery. See all hostel photos

Rajagiri’s story in Kalamassery starts with social work, not management or engineering. According to the college, Rajagiri College of Social Sciences (RCSS) started in 1955 with a Diploma in Social Service and later launched what it describes as Kerala’s first Master of Social Work (MSW). The Personnel Management and Industrial Relations stream of that MSW later became a programme of its own, now the MA in Human Resource Management.

The college is run by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), the religious congregation that traces its inspiration to the 19th-century reformer St. Kuriakose Elias Chavara. Its first affiliation was to the University of Madras. Wikipedia records that in 1960 it was accredited to offer Social Work degrees under the University of Kerala. The college says it moved to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, after 1986.

That emphasis fitted its surroundings. In the 1950s and 1960s Kalamassery and Eloor were filling with factories (see Kalamassery’s industrial history and Udyogamandal’s history). Labour welfare officers, personnel managers and social workers were in demand, and Rajagiri trained many of them.

Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, Kalamassery. Open in Google Maps · Directions from Ashraf Gents Hostel

Timeline

Date	What happened	Source
1955	College begins with a Diploma in Social Service, under the University of Madras	Rajagiri: About the institution; Wikipedia
1960	Accredited to offer Social Work degrees under the University of Kerala	Wikipedia
After 1986	Affiliation moves to Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam	Rajagiri: About the institution
2001	Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology founded at Kakkanad	Wikipedia (RSET)
1 or 13 Jun 2014	UGC grants academic autonomy (sources give both dates)	RCBS autonomy page; Rajagiri annual reports
2014	Rajagiri Hospital established near Aluva	Wikipedia (Rajagiri Hospital)
2015	New autonomous programmes (BCA, B.Com, integrated MSLIS, M.Phil Social Work) start	RCBS autonomy page
2020	RSET granted autonomous status by UGC	Wikipedia (RSET)
2021	RCSS re-accredited by NAAC with A++ (CGPA 3.83)	Rajagiri home page
2024	NIRF ranks RCSS 20th among colleges	Wikipedia
2025	College reports an NIRF 2025 rank of 12th	Rajagiri home page

Autonomy and the two campuses

RCSS became autonomous in 2014, which allowed it to write its own syllabi and run its own examinations while staying affiliated to MG University. Two Rajagiri sources give slightly different dates. The Rajagiri Centre for Business Studies (RCBS) says the UGC granted autonomy on 13 June 2014, while the college’s annual reports say autonomy took effect from 1 June 2014. Both agree on the year.

After autonomy, the college says it added BCA, B.Com, an integrated MSLIS and an M.Phil in Social Work in 2015, taught across its two campuses. The Hill campus is at Rajagiri P.O., Kalamassery; OpenStreetMap places it about 4.8 km south-west of the NAD Road signal. The Valley campus, home to the business programmes, is at Kakkanad, about 10 km away according to the college. We found no published date for when the Valley campus opened.

The wider Rajagiri group

The name “Rajagiri” now covers several CMI institutions that people often mix up. Wikipedia says Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology (RSET) was founded in 2001, is affiliated to APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University and became autonomous in 2020. It is a separate college at Kakkanad, not part of the Kalamassery campus. Rajagiri Hospital, also CMI-run, was established in 2014 at Chunangamvely near Aluva, in the Edathala area (Wikipedia; some directories give other years). Rajagiri’s home page also lists schools, but we could not verify their founding dates from primary sources, so they are not in the timeline.

The hospital’s bed count varies between sources (Wikipedia gives 570). We have not used any figure as a current fact.

Rankings and accreditation

As of October 2026 the college’s home page shows an A++ NAAC grade from 2021 with a CGPA of 3.83 out of 4. On NIRF, Wikipedia records a 20th place among colleges in 2024, and the college reports 12th in 2025. Rankings change every year, so treat them as snapshots rather than fixed facts.

For daily life near the Hill campus, see Men’s Stay near Rajagiri College of Social Sciences. Neighbouring histories include St. Paul’s College, CUSAT and Model Engineering College.

Why it matters near the NAD signal

Rajagiri shows how Kalamassery’s colleges grew alongside its factories, starting with labour welfare and moving into management, engineering and healthcare. Students, interns and hospital staff from the group sometimes look for rooms north of the campus. Ashraf Gents Hostel at the NAD Road signal is a men-only option for monthly or per-night stays. Rates are indicative and confirmed on WhatsApp (+91 90746 23855). Browse the full Kalamassery history archive for related pages.

Frequently asked questions

When was Rajagiri College of Social Sciences founded?

In 1955, when it began a Diploma in Social Service. It later introduced what it describes as Kerala’s first MSW programme.

Who runs Rajagiri?

The Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), a Catholic religious congregation.

When did Rajagiri become autonomous?

In June 2014. The college’s RCBS page gives 13 June 2014 as the date of the UGC grant, and its annual reports give 1 June 2014 as the effective date.

Is RSET on the Kalamassery campus?

No. Rajagiri School of Engineering & Technology, founded in 2001, is a separate college at Kakkanad.

What is Rajagiri’s NAAC grade?

The college says it was re-accredited with A++ (CGPA 3.83/4) in 2021.

Sources

Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile and photos; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Last reviewed 8 October 2026. How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.

Cite this guide: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “Rajagiri in Kalamassery: From 1955 to a Multi-Campus Group.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/rajagiri-kalamassery-history/ Plain-text (Markdown) version · quoting with a link back is welcome.