Banaras Hindu University B.A Review By Pragya Tiwari

Banaras Hindu University, situated in Varanasi district of Uttar Pradesh, a Central University, is at the top in the state and is Asia's largest residential University. Student from different countries seek admission here and this university provides the best of facilities to them making them feel more welcomed and comfortable. When seen area wise it covers 4000 acres of the land with different faculties and colleges. In addition, the most famous IIT BHU is inside the main BHU campus. It holds rank 14th when comes to national level and 853rd rank all over the world. It has four-affiliated colleges under it and it consists of 2 campuses, one is the main campus in Varanasi and other one is the South Campus named Rajiv Gandhi South Campus, Mirzapur. It also has 16 faculties, 3 institutes including IIT-BHU, 140 departments and 3 schools as well. For admission process, it conducts an offline entrance examination for all the different courses, and after releasing the cut off marks, the admission of students for different course begins. When we talk about college management it is undoubtedly remarkable.

I took my first step in BHU in 2013 after clearing an entrance examination conducted by Banaras Hindu University, after completing my 12th. It has its examination centers flexible according to the ease of the applicant. University releases its cut-off list for every course and when the students meet the cut-off marks, they receive a call letter for counseling, where they select their favorite subject of particular course they are going to pursue. My reason for joining this course was to prepare for civil services as this course includes subjects that can help you with the preparation for civil services and indeed these subjects were exactly up to my expectations. This course consists of several subjects, which are definitely helpful in getting into a job one needs, for instance, this course has Economics, Psychology, Political Science, English, etc. It has several other different subjects and it all depends on the student what he/she desires to go for without any pressure.

There are total of 16 faculties in Banaras Hindu University and 140 departments and if I talk about faculty of arts, it has 23 departments and has several other courses including certificate course, diploma course, etc. Coming to faculty staff members, they are supportive and encouraging, and will always help you if you face any issues regarding anything related to either the course or the subject or the faculty. Professors, teaching in this university have several years of experience. They started their education and completed their further studies i.e. masters and PhD from this same university and still are here providing education to new students every year. Therefore, when it comes to experience, they several years of experience in teaching and are also have wide extent of knowledge. Academic qualification of faculties is wide, from graduation to PhD and now renowned professors in University. My professors guided and mentored me during my complete graduation and I am still in contact with the few of them. The way they teach, the way they guide, that is just what a student needs from their teachers.

BHU has a placement cell namely Placement coordination cell, HRD cell and Employment Information and Guidance Bureau. Big companies visit campus to recruit students to work with them on big projects like Microsoft, Google, JP Morgan, etc. Management students offered with some really high profile jobs like Business Analyst, Risk Analyst, jobs in banking sector and many more by big companies through these placement cells of BHU. Every year near about 90-95%, students placed in such big companies holding the highest record repeatedly. Highest package received by student of IIT-BHU is Rs. 1.75cr. There is just a slight drawback when it comes to placement in arts faculty as there hardly comes any company for students. So here, you have to apply in any company for job all by yourself, although you can get guidance regarding such from the university management. My batch did not receive any placement call neither did any company visited nor any information regarding such, was provided but that does not mean one cannot get into any big company for a good job.

If the student is from other city than Varanasi, the management provides the hostel facility but he/she will have to apply for it first during the counseling time. BHU offers very nominal fees for the course as well for the hostel. Hostel fee in included in every semester’s course fee, only mess fee is what we have to submit every month, which is just 2100 or may be less depending on the faculty hostels. Hostels are completely separate for boys and girls, and they do not get permission to enter each other’s hostel premise. Boys hostels are little free from any kind of restriction though, girls hostel are taken under serious concerns of security and safety. Hostel gate for girls get closed by 8pm sharp and no girl is allowed to leave the hostel for over a night or any number of days without getting hostel warden permission on a leave form. Hostel food is quite good because one cannot get the quality of food just like home. Hostel mess Maharaja maintains proper hygiene while preparing food and there is time-to-time visit of NAC team for thorough survey of hostel cleanliness and food quality and hygiene. Hostel gets cleaned every day on a regular basis too.

BHU covers 4000 acres of land area overall, with numbers of faculties and department. Department building are built in beautiful ancient style, more like temple structures, beautifully designed, but the new department buildings which are built now are more like modern style of building although well-furnished and designed. One department consists of several classrooms; my department had more than 70 rooms. Every department has their own library where all the books are available all related to the course and one can issue these books for the time of one month, and delay in submission of the books can lead to charging fine. BHU has a central library and e-library, where you can access thousands of books you want, either books or novels (the one which is in course), for whole 24 hours. It is open for students all the time, as students can sit in peace and study for as long as they want without any disturbance and distractions. Large amphitheatre ground is there where all sorts of outdoor games students can play. This ground consists of Football ground, Basketball ground, Badminton coach, and many indoor games like pool game, carom, table tennis, etc. Here university conducts its fest every year. BHU has its own hospital Sir Sunderlal Hospital for students as well for public. Students make their health card free of cost, can visit the hospitals, and hospital staff give treatment without any charge with first priority.

Overall my college life was just splendid, with serene beauty of the green campus, beautiful buildings, where one gets up in the morning with all green view everywhere around and peacocks. It is such a big campus that you cannot get to see it entirely in just one day. Fine sooth roads and along with students there is usual visits of public as well as there is hospital first and then world famous second Vishwanath Temple inside the campus of BHU, about first and main Vishwanath temple everyone knows already. This makes this place public place as well and regular crowd make it something different from every other universities/colleges. BHU is full of greenery everywhere and it is like this from so many years and continues to remains like this in coming years as well. BHU also organises fests where different faculties and affiliated college come together to compete with each other and every faculty also organises its own fest where students from different department come together to compete with each other. It goes for not just one day, but for near about 5-7 days continuously. Most popular KASHIYATRA by IIT-BHU is organised every year were students from different universities come together and participate on the competition. Some famous personalities and public figures visit occasionally, our Honorable Prime Minister also visited this university several times, Bollywood actors, famous singers, etc. Overall here I have spent my beautiful 3 years of graduation gaining lots of experience as well.