St. Xavier's Higher Secondary School, Thoothukudi

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St. Francis Xavier's Higher Secondary School is a private Catholic secondary school in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India. It is run by the Madurai Province of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). Founded in 1884, it is the oldest school in Thoothukudi and is named after Saint Francis Xavier, a Jesuit missionary. One notable alumnus is V. O. Chidambaram Pillai.

The school offers classes from 6th to 12th standard and serves as a public exam center for the district. Its roots go back to a parochial school from the 1600s during Portuguese rule. In 1920, the school had 563 students. It was registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act in 1960 and declared a minority institution in 1976. Instruction is available in Tamil and English, following the Samacheer Kalvi education system.

There are evening coaching classes for 10th and 12th grades to prepare for government exams, and night study for weaker students. The school has well-trained teachers and a library. It offers many extracurricular activities, including Naval NCC cadets, sports such as basketball, volleyball, and ball badminton, and chess coaching. Physical education is emphasized for students’ health.

Programs include SUPAM, a fundraising initiative to help poor students with medical treatment, and an Alumni Association that holds annual reunions.