St Joseph’s Convent Sen Sec School, Bathinda, established in 1961, is administered by the Bethany Educational Society, Mangalore, a Christian Religious Minority Institution. The Bethany Educational Society is registered under the Society’s Registration Act XXI of 1890 No 17 of 1948-1949. The head office is at Bethany Convent, Mangalore. The School is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi. All the members of the Bethany Educational Society are Catholic nuns belonging to the Congregation of the Sisters of the Little Flower of Bethany. The Society runs formal and non-formal educational institutions all over the country.

Bathinda of 1960’s longed for a good educational institution. It was at this time that Rt Rev Dr John Burke, Bishop of Shimla, keenly desired to establish a Catholic institution in Bathinda, to cater to the spiritual and educational needs of a few Catholic families along with others. He contacted Mother Macrina, the then Superior General, who willingly and generously accepted the offer to spread the light of knowledge.

On 12th January 1961, three pioneers- Mother Gemma, Sr Florence, and Sr Benilda reached Bathinda in the freezing winter. The Deputy Commissioner Bhai Sher Jang Singh had made all necessary arrangements for their stay in the Rest House for four days. The sisters then shifted to a small rented house of Mr Hardit Singh Basin, Bathinda. The generosity, warm hospitality and the innately adventurous Punjabi spirit, combined with their deep reverence for religion of civil authorities and the people as well, encouraged the sisters to launch into the field of education.

One admires at the splendid progress made by St Joseph’s Convent Sen Sec School, Bathinda. The magnificent campus of the school that we see today speaks volumes of the dedicated and selfless service of the sisters, staff, students, parents and well-wishers. Mother Gemma, a charismatic and dynamic pioneer principal, fondly addressed as ‘Gem’ continues to occupy an important place in the hearts and minds of many people in Bathinda and elsewhere.