As early as 1907 six candidates for the priesthood, hailing from Chotanagpur, were studying philosophy at Kandy Seminary, Sri Lanka. To assure a better training, more adapted to local conditions and requirements, a philosophy course was started at Ranchi Apostolic School in 1911 with six students on its rolls.

Under the name of St. Albert's a Major Seminary was inaugurated at Bankuli, some sixteen miles south-west of Ranchi, in January 1914. In 1916 it was transferred to its present location.

September 1975, raised St. Albert's to the status of a Regional Seminary, entrusted to the The Sacred Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, by a decree of 15th Society of Jesus.

By a decree of the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education of November 15, 1975, the Department of Theology of St. Albert's College was affiliated to the Urbanian University, Rome, which enabled the students to obtain a B.Th. Degree.

By a decree dated August 15, 1982 the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education erected the Faculty of Theology, Ranchi, which enables students to obtain the Licenciate, and eventually the Doctorate in Sacred Theology.

The Faculty also conducts a Post-Graduate Diploma course in Education (Moral and Religious science).

By a decree dated March 17, 1985, the Sacred Congregation for Catholic Education authorized the Faculty to award the academic degree "B. A. (Honours) in Philosophy.” By a decree dated December 20, 1994, the Congregation for Catholic Education granted the approval to start the doctoral cycle in Sacred Theology.

On December 1, 2002, the Society of Jesus (Ranchi Province) handed St. Albert’s College (Seminary) and the Faculty of Theology, Ranchi, over to the BIJHAN Bishops' Council. Now the Board of Bishops is responsible for the running of both institutions. The Society of Jesus promises co-operation with this work they looked after diligently since its inception.

St. Albert's College caters for students belonging to some forty five dioceses and some twenty five religious congregations of North India but it specially intends forming priests who will be working among the responsive groups of the tribal belt. From 1991 onwards religious sisters have been admitted for the courses in theology.

The training imparted is strongly community-centred and apostolate-oriented. All students are required to do two months' fieldwork every year during the holidays. Once in a week seminarians take part in parish apostolate or slum ministry. Seminars and essays are directed towards a deeper comprehension of the problems connected with Indian and tribal culture and the rapid industrialization in North India.

The minor holidays marked towards the beginning of October are to be spent profitably in community-building programmes, preparing seminar papers, writing of essays, working on bibliography, etc. Let each one apply oneself in personal and in-depth study of the subjects they are following.