Elite Christian educational institutions in the Indian state of West Bengal are the latest targets of religious extremism in what seems to be a systematic dismantling of intellectual strongholds. 

While government officials have begun to conduct surprise visits to Christian colleges, Hindu extremists have started to use social media to stoke rhetoric about illegal conversions, creating false and baseless narratives against the minority colleges in the state. 

Last week, state officials visited two educational institutions: St. Xavier’s College, run by the Roman Catholic Church, and the prestigious Serampore College, one of India’s oldest colleges. 

With the tacit backing of the Hindu-nationalist government of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal, the focus of intimidation has expanded from rural prayer meetings to prestigious urban landmarks. 

Providing a Pretext 

The formation of the BJP government under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari in May 2026 marks the end of West Bengal’s historical communal harmony — the latest targets after Christian worship centers and educational institutes. 

Targeting these educational centers is a calculated move to erode minority influence at its source.  

Digital propaganda is amplifying the pressure. The “Vedanta” YouTube channel has disseminated unverified and inflammatory claims that Serampore College serves as a base for religious conversion. 

Such narratives fuel extremist pressure and provide a pretext for state intervention. 

Mechanisms of Pressure 

The three-year termination of Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) accounts has crippled the financial health of historic institutions, halting scholarships and vital development projects. 

The recent uninformed visits by government officials to Roman Catholic and Protestant colleges have created a climate of administrative intimidation. 

The weaponization of “forced conversion” allegations serves as the primary justification for heightened state oversight and public hostility. 

Concerns Rise in Serampore 

In a WhatsApp message, a prominent member of Serampore College’s theological faculty, whose name we are withholding for security reasons, requested prayers for the college, saying things have changed drastically in Kolkata.  

“Threats to Christian religious freedom have arisen, and missionaries and church workers were the first to face difficulties; now it has come around to affecting Christian educational institutions,” the faculty member said in the message. 

The faculty member highlighted the extreme pressure Serampore College faced due to the YouTube channel “Vedanta.” 

History of Serampore College 

Serampore College, located in Serampore, West Bengal, is one of India’s oldest continuously operating educational institutions, founded on July 15, 1818, by the iconic “Serampore Trio”: British Baptist missionaries William Carey, Joshua Marshman, and William Ward.  

It is celebrated as the first institution in Asia to be granted modern university status and a unique Royal Charter.  

Crucially, the founders opened enrollment to students of every “caste, color, creed or country,” integrating secular disciplines with Christian theology.  

In 1827, King Frederick VI of Denmark issued a Royal Charter incorporating the college with independent, degree-conferring university powers. This elevated Serampore College to the rank of the third Danish university, after Copenhagen and Kiel, and the first modern university in Asia. 

Theological Studies Could Be in Trouble 

Since Serampore is the foremost institution in India granting degrees in theological studies, the college faculty said that if the college is forced to shut down, theological education across India will suffer. 

He also said foreign funding for Serampore College has been terminated during the past three years, and the college now faces serious financial difficulties. 

The crisis at Serampore College is not merely a local dispute but an international legal standoff. As the primary authority for theological degrees in India, its disruption would create a theological vacuum across South Asia. 

Closing Serampore College’s theological studies would collapse the affiliation system for more than 40 theological colleges and seminaries across India, leaving thousands of students without valid accreditation. 

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