Jnana Deepa Vidyapeeth (Pontifical Athenaeum) (JDV)

JNANA-DEEPA VIDYAPEETH (JDV) is the name given to the Pontifical Athenaeum in Pune in its Revised Statutes of 1972. The Pontifical Athenaeum has a history going back to 1893 when Pope Leo XIII founded the Papal Seminary in Kandy, Sri Lanka, and entrusted its direction and administration to the Society of Jesus.

The charter of 27 July 1926, issued by the Holy See, elevated the Papal Seminary to the status of a Pontifical College with the rights and privilege of conferring the Baccalaureate, Licentiate and Doctorate in both Philosophy and Theology.

In the Statutes of 1940, approved by the Congregation for Catholic Education, the Pontifical Athenaeum, comprising the Faculties of Philosophy and Theology, was given an autonomous status with its own academic and administrative setup.

In 1955 the Papal Seminary—and, with it, the Papal Athenaeum—was transferred from Sri Lanka to Pune, in close proximity to De Nobili College, the Jesuit “formation house”, which was already in existence in Ramwadi. The then Jesuit Superior of Pune supervised the transfer and relocation to Pune. Thereafter, the Pontifical Athenaeum, which until then catered almost exclusively to the seminarians of the Papal Seminary, became more broadly open to the students of the Society of Jesus as well as of other Religious Congregations. In 1972 the Pontifical Athenaeum adopted the Indian name of “Jnana-Deepa Vidyapeeth” (JDV). It is now open to all students, irrespective of creed or gender, who fulfill its admission requirements. The Faculties of Philosophy and Theology grant the Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees.

Due to the gradual development of JDV, the relationship between JDV and the Papal Seminary was clarified by the then Jesuit Provincial of India, through a Document dated 7 February 1994. Besides stressing that the two Institutions were related yet distinct, the Document also emphasized that JDV enjoys the character of a “University”, whereas the Papal Seminary functions as a “Formation House” for the training of Diocesan priests.

Source: JDV Website