More than a campus: The Presidency University experience

The course-curriculum is in compliance with the NEP and includes all the historical periods of India and the world. Other than the major course, there are various minor courses which help in shaping the understanding of different other aspects of study. The curriculum does prepare the students for the real world experience. The timimg of the exams are made as such to suit the completion of the syllabus and to give the students time to prepare for it.

The internship opportunities provided by the university are beneficial for the students and give the students a chance to step outside the textbooks, engaging with real-world experience where the students get to sharpen their communication skills, time management, teamwork and problem-solving ability.

The students become eligible for placements from the third year itself, the Final year. The details about the placements are not known to other students as such but the packages available are per the market needs. I plan to complete my M.A. after getting my Bachelors' degree.

The fees for the BA courses in a semester are 1100/- and for the BSc courses the fees per semester is 1200/-. The tuition fees is 900/- to 1000/- (depending on the course type) and the examination fees is 200/-. There are number of scholarships available for the students, for example: Kanyashri, Swami Vivekananda scholarship and so on.

The fests are the best part of Presidency University. They are two fests which typically happen in the month of March and September. Various artists are invited to perform and to deliver a mesmerizing performances. The books available in the libraries are huge in number. There are also Reference Books avaiblable for help the interested students prepare for UPSC, SET, NET, or GATE exams. The university has access to a wide number of journals which are used for study materials and references. The university is engages the students in sports, cultural activities, debates and quizzes.

I had applied to other colleges under CU, got selected and did get admitted to Lady Brabourne College but I chose Presidency Univeristy over other colleges because of its rich legacy in the history of SouthAsia. Presidency University which was formerly known as the Hindu College has a decorated list of alumni, with the names of Satyajit Ray, Abhijit Banerjee, Amartya Sen, Swami Vivekananda, Jyoti Basu, Jadunath Sarkar, R.C. Majumdar and so on. There is an entrance exam held, PUBDET for admission in the UG courses while for the PG courses PUMDET exam is available. The eligibility for UG courses are 12th pass with an aggregate of 75% minimum required for the board exams. The admission process takes place smoothly, without any hassle as the seniors help the students in case of a query and are really helpful in making the students understand the nuances of the admission process.

The faculty-to-student ratio for the UG courses is 7:1 and for the PG courses is 4:1 (the values given here are approximate). I am currently enrolled in the History course and the Faculty is quite good. The professors use various tools like PowerPoint presentations, videos, and so on to simplify the concepts. All the Faculties are good and make it easier for the students in their learning objective. A lot of study materials are also shared so as to exapnd the depth of the understanding of topics. In a semester, a mid-term exam takes place which can either be written or an assignment (depends on the likes of the Profs.) and an end-semster exam is held. The exams are not something hard to comprehend but are made in accordance with the syllabus that has been taught. Naturally, students do not fail to clear exams bu there is a distinction in eaxh students' excellence.

The university has a gym area where the students can be kind of a bit conscious about their health and take up on exercising. The canteen and the cafeteria food is comparatively cheap, making it affordable for the students. As mentioned earlier, the campus is very aesthetic and every spot is a hangout spot for the students. The location of the university is in the midst of College Street, so an advantageous point for all the bibliophiles. Outside the campus, there are famous eateries where one can indulge in the taste of Kolkata.