Darjeeling, Oct. 13: The Loreto Sisters will no longer manage Loreto College, Darjeeling.

The college, owned by the government but run by the Loreto Sisters through the Darjeeling Loreto Educational Society, has announced that the decision was taken “after much serious thought”.

The society will hand over the college to the state in June.

The Loreto Sisters refused to speak but Amar Rai, a senior lecturer, said “manpower” shortage forced the decision. “The nuns are now concentrating on running schools and are facing a severe shortfall in manpower,” Rai said.

The society runs Loreto Convent and St Teresa School in Darjeeling. Recently, it opened the Loreto Sanjeevan Siksha Sadan near Siliguri and Loreto Convent School in Kalimpong. It also runs a school in Sikkim.

The “special category” college was set up in 1961 on the request of then Bengal chief minister B.C. Roy. From a mere eight students, it now has over 400 and offers bachelor’s degrees in humanities.

The society was entrusted with appointing a Loreto sister as honorary principal along with two teachers. The government, apart from providing grants, was involved in the appointment of the rest of the lecturers.

The college has 25 state-appointed teachers.

“The government has asked us to propose a name for principal from among the staff. But it’s now up to the government to decide on the appointment,” Rai said. “We have suggested the name be changed to Southfield College.”