St Stephen’s is a co-educational institution of higher learning located in University Enclave on the University of Delhi’s ‘North’ campus. In spite of its location in North India, the college has always striven to admit students and select teachers from all communities and from all parts of India. It also admits a small number of students from overseas. The college was founded on 1 February 1881 by the members of the Cambridge Mission to Delhi, an Anglican mission organised from the alumni of Cambridge University under the auspices of Westcott House, theological college. It was initially affiliated to the University of Calcutta. In 1882, it was affiliated to University of the Punjab, Lahore. It later became one of three original constituent colleges of the University of Delhi when that institution was founded in 1922. The Rev Samuel Scott Allnutt was mainly responsible for founding the college and served as its first principal. Allnutt is buried by the chapel in the college’s present campus. The anniversary of his death is observed as Founder’s Day on 7 December every year.
