Saint Mary's College, Laitumkharh (Dist. Shillong) an international Catholic Church Institution was established on 25th October 1937 and managed by Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions or Religieux Notre Dame des Missions (RNDM).

It is one of the premier oldest Catholic colleges established to impart & provide in the field of higher education for the deserving candidates and prove to be a milestone on the part of progress.

The college is affiliated with the North Eastern Hill University, Shillong and it is recognized by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on under section 2(f) & 12(B) on 1st October 2004 under Act, 1956.
 
It is re-accredited by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) with "A" Grade (CGPA Score 3.01 on a 4 Point Scale in 3rd Cycle) on 15th September 2016.

The aim of the college is excellence with integrity is the driving force behind each endeavor of every single member past and present of this College, to impact the life of every young woman who wisely chooses to be matured and educated by it.

Historically, the life of Saint Mary’s College has its umbilical cord connected to the parent Institute of Saint Mary’s Convent which in turn had its headquarter in Chittagong, Bangladesh.

Later the college was adopted by subsequent councils of the re-delineated Indian Province were documented and registered as the Memorandum of Association of the Congregation under Act XXI of 1860 in July 1973.

It is a women's institute, providing a regular course which is located in an urban part of a northeast region of Shillong played a pioneering role in the field of higher education.

The college conferred the status of grant-in-aid college that the fees and all the facilities for the students are fixed by the government. The student's admission is done as per the Admission Criteria prescribed by the affiliating university.

The college has awarded as the best college by the affiliating university and also a number of awards in publication, offering scholarship & also awarded by the different society.

The college was also recognized & conferred the status as “College with Potential for Excellence (CPE)" by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi.

At present, the college offers two years intermediate courses in Arts & Science stream with various optional specializations under Meghalaya Board of School Education, West Garo Hills.

The college also offers three years undergraduate courses in Arts, Science, and Commerce streams with various specializations under North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. It also offers Self-financed, Diploma, and Certification courses.

The college also has a Contact Centre of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU), New Delhi to offer Add-On Certificate & Degree courses through distance mode.

Vision:

• Virtue and Knowledge
• Commitment to impart to its young women students quality education, competence and skills in various spheres of life, discipline  and  most importantly to inculcate  good  humane values to ensure their  worthy contributions as builders and  promoters of peace, love, justice, and unity in the multicultural society of our nation as well as in the international community

Mission:

• Providing affordable yet quality education to young women who solicit admission, irrespective of ethnic and religious backgrounds
• Providing a holistic learning environment and ensuring that everyone is inspired and prepared to be an ardent lifelong learner
• Nurturing and developing the talents of the students and imparting quality applicable knowledge to empower them to contribute richly and positively towards social and economic advancement of the nation
• Lay emphasis on personality development and proper ethical behavior which will help the students to become good inspiring citizens of India
• Be ever devoted to offering to the students the maximum degree of choice in academic Programmes
• Safeguarding high standards of teaching and research opportunities
• Developing more linkages with other institutions to widen intellectual knowledge and gear up students to face new challenges
• Improving upon the existing infrastructure like Library and Science laboratories
• Identifying and helping the students who are not at par with other students in their academic pursuits.

  Remedial/tutorial classes are being conducted for them

• Establishing and upgrading the existing health clinic and the counseling center to enable the students and the staff to avail of their services and support whenever required
• Actively engaging the students in co-curricular and extracurricular activities so as to defuse classroom stress
• Providing admission to the students from economically backward families as well as those from remote areas to harness the enormous talents of the tribal students of the region
• Encouraging a good relationship between students regardless of the fact that they come from different social backgrounds
• Motivating the students to participate in environmental conservation programs held in and outside the College
• Providing all the necessary and up to date facilities for the growth of the students