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.

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.

Imbibing the Spirit of the Holy Cross, the institutions envisions a harmonious society by empowering young women for global competency and ecological sustainability through a holistic approach with innovative skills.

To provide quality education and to promote scholarly activities categoring to global competencies .
To nurture particpatory leadership to enhance social consciousness and social responsibility .
To uphold ethical values of love,truth and justice,personal accondability and transparency through professional commitment .

To create global professionals and entrepreneurs with innovative spirit and zeal .
To create empowered women of competence,commitment and compassion .
To instill in students the awareness of interconnectedness between human and nature .
Goal
The college stands for total liberation and holistic development of the students in order to prepare them to take their rightful place and responsibility in society.

Objectives
To give all-round formation to the students in the light of christian principles inculcating spiritual, social and ethical values.

To strive for academic excellence across various disciplines.
To promote quality and innovative research output.
To develop social awareness and commitment among the staff and students for the benefit of the society.
To expose the students to the realities of the society through the outreach programme RUN.
To instill in the students, appreciation and respect for Mother Earth and our motherland.
To involve all the stakeholders in the collaborative consultation and decision making process.
To equip women with dignity, self-respect and courage to face the challenges of life.
To stimulate the students to become people centered agents of the social change.
To instill in the students the values of truth, love, justice and peace.

      
Programmes Eligibility
1. B.A. English
(Aided & Self
Financed) A pass in 10 + 2 English
2. B.A. History A pass in 10 + 2 English
3. B.A. Economics A pass in 10 + 2 English
4. B.Com.
(Aided & Self
Financed) A pass in 10 + 2 with Commerce as one
of the core subjects English
5. B.A. Tamil
(Self Financed) A pass in 10 + 2 with Tamil as a
Language Paper English
B) SCIENCE
1. B. Sc. Mathematics
(Aided & Self
Financed) A pass in 10 + 2 with Mathematics as
one of the core subjects English
2. B. Sc. Physics A pass in 10 + 2 with Physics and
Mathematics as Core Subjects English
3. B. Sc. Chemistry A pass in 10 + 2 with Chemistry as one
of the core subjects English
4. B. Sc. Botany A pass in 10 + 2 with Botany or Biology
as one of the core subjects English
5. B. Sc. Zoology A pass in 10 + 2 with Zoology or
Biology as one of the core subjects English
6. B. Sc. Computer

Holy Cross College,  Placements
HCC Nagercoil Placements 2024: The institute offers employability and career opportunities to the graduating students of the HCC Nagercoil college. The students have to be eligible for the Holy Cross College Nagercoil placements drives that will be organised on the college campus. The institute also provides multiple skill development and training programmes prior to the HCC placements drives. The placements drives are organised on the HCC campus to provide students with a long term employment relationship with the recruiting companies. The institute also forms and maintains a good relationship with its recruiters and invites in the placement drives on HCC Nagercoil campus.

SCHOLARSHIPS

INSTITUTIONAL AND NON GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Holy Cross College (Autonomous) has instituted Management Scholarships for students with the help of Management, Retired faculty members, Alumnae Association and from various Non Governmental Organizations. Endowment scholarships provide financial support for education of the poor students. Institutional scholarship was provided for sports students. Meritorious students were benefitted by Platinum jubilee scholarship. Various trusts and club also support meritorious students with their scholarships.


GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS

Holy Cross College (Autonomous) streamlines the scholarships offered by the Government of Tamil Nadu to the eligible students and help students belonging to SC/ST/SCC, BC/MBC/DNC, HESS (Higher Educational Special Scholarship), Farmer welfare scheme, Central sector scheme and Post Matric Minority scheme.


SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE BY THE GOVERNMENT

Name of Scholarship
Sanctioning Authority
Eligibility Particulars, etc.
SC / ST / SCC Scholarship

District Adidravidar Welfare Officer

The students of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST),SCA and Converted Christians.

BC, MBC & DNC Scholarship

District Backward Classes Welfare Officer

To all the BC, MBC & DNC students
Parents Annual Income Limit is Rs. 2,00,000/-
Aided courses only
Merit cum Means Award

Adidravidar Welfare Officer, Chennai

The students of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST),SCA and Converted Christians.

Higher Educational Special Scholarship (HESS) Scholarship

District Adidravidar Welfare Officer

Hostellers
Parents Annual Income Limit is Rs. 2,00,000/-
Aided courses only
EVR Nagammai Tuition Fee Concession Scheme to PG Students (Aided courses only)

Joint Director of Collegiate Education, Tiruchirappalli

Parental Annual Income Limit is Rs. 50,000/-
Farmer’s Children Welfare Scholarship

Tamil Nadu Government

For those students, whose parents have the Farmer’s Social Welfare Security Scheme Card issued by Tamilnadu Government
Minority Welfare Scholarship

Tamil Nadu Government

For the meritorious minority community students can apply.
Students should have not less than 50% marks at higher secondary/graduation level.
Parental Annual income Limit is Rs. 2,50,000.
Prize Money Award

Tamil Nadu Government

SC, ST, SCA and Converted Christian students who completed the course in UG / PG
First attempt with more than 60% of Marks
Central Sector Scheme Scholarship

Tamil Nadu Government

The children who scored above 955 marks in +2.
The renewal for remaining years during the course is must.

Holy Cross College, Nagercoil (HCC, Nagercoil) has a well-equipped library with a rich collection of 54462 textbooks, reference books, 28 journals with 7730 back volumes, periodicals, and other academic resources to cater to the educational and informational requirements of students, staff, and research scholars. Apart from the vast amount of printed resources, the library also consists of a digital section that gives access to 199500 e-books, 6000 e-journals, and online databases along with access to various e-resources across the various disciplines.
The students at HCC Nagercoil are provided with accommodation facilities. The hostel has a capacity of 250 students and provides several amenities such as internet facilities, audio-visual aids, daily newspapers, etc.
The classrooms at HCC Nagercoil are spacious, well-ventilated, and equipped with the latest A/V teaching equipment to create a conducive educational environment. The campus consists of course-specific labs equipped with modernized machinery, equipment, and apparatus intended for the students' better understanding of the subject matter.
HCC Nagercoil maintains a fleet of buses to provide ease of transportation to students and staff.