The contributions made by the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), the first indigenous Catholic Congregation of India, in the educational field of Kerala were pioneering and revolutionary. Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara, the founder of the CMI Congregation, founded the first Catholic School of Kerala at Mannanam in1846. All the other CMI Monasteries also followed that movement. In the year 1864, Blessed Chavara, in his capacity as the Vicar General of the Syro-Malabar Church, ordered all the parishes to start schools adjacent to them. This historic order triggered the emergence of a galaxy of educational institutions all over the State. It also became the basis of the socio-economic development of the whole State. The main aim of the entire educational endeavour of the Congregation is to bring about a social transformation with emphasis on an option for the poor coupled with a target of a moral reconstruction of society. Today, the CMIs run about 449 educational institutions which include Schools, Arts and Science Colleges, Autonomous Colleges, M.Ed and B.Ed Colleges , Engineering Colleges, Polytechnic Colleges, ITC Centres, Nursing Schools, Research Centres and a Medical College. Christ Nagar Group of Educational Institutions consists of four unaided, recognized schools, a Teachers Training College and a Kindergarten under different Boards of Education, namely, Christ Nagar Higher Secondary School situated at Kowdiar near Vellayambalam junction in Thiruvananthapuram, affiliated to the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, New Delhi, Christ Nagar English Higher Secondary School, situated adjacent to Christ Nagar Higher Secondary School, under the Kerala State Board of Education, Christ Nagar International School, affiliated to the University of Cambridge International Examinations, UK, Christ Nagar Kindergarten situated at Christ Nagar campus, Vellayambalam, Christ Nagar College of Education, Thiruvallam, affiliated to the Kerala University, Thiruvananthapuram and Christ Nagar Senior Secondary School, situated at Thiruvallom, in Thiruvananthapuram, affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, Delhi. All these institutions are owned and managed by the Fathers of the Catholic minority community and of the Catholic religious congregation, Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI). The Prior of Christ Hall is the Manager of Christ Nagar English Higher Secondary School, Christ Nagar Higher Secondary School, Christ Nagar International School and Christ Nagar Kindergarten. All these institutions are co-educational.