Deshbandhu College B.A Review By Janvi Thakur

Deshbandhu College is the best college for Bachelor's of Arts courses, in all of South Campus. It's especially known for BA Political Science Hons. and BA Sanskrit Hons. Courses. The institution provides excellent opportunities for the holistic growth of students and prepares them for the professional journey ahead. Situated in the heart of Kalkaji, South Delhi, It has NIRF rank 17 and is accredited A++ by NAAC. The college demonstrated a miraculous growth within a span of 2 years as it jumped from rank 60 in 2021 to 28 in 2022 and finally at the 17th position in 2023. Deshbandhu College carries forward the legacy of Lala Deshbandhu Gupta (Chittaranjan Das) by inculcating the values of selfless services, social empowerment, and working for the greater good of the students. It has various societies and units like - NSS, NCC, EBSB, Arts clubs - Dance, drama, music, quiz, debate, entrepreneurship clubs, etc. I had a great overall experience in Deshbandhu college up until now. I've been here for around two years now and it has never failed to impress me. I have learned a number of skills here ranging from leadership skills, communication, and teamwork to even organizational skills through the college societies that I'm a part of. I would strongly recommend students who wish to pursue scientific research, politics or civil services to enroll in this institution for higher studies.

I am pursuing Bachelor's of Honors in English and I'm in my third year currently. Having attended college for the last two years, I can justifiably state that academics form a central part of a student's life here, in Deshbandhu College. We have an amazing faculty which not only teaches us the curriculum but also shares their incredible insights with us about life in general. The science programs in my college are also up to the mark, with latest lab equipment, state of art laboratories, and practical approach towards studies. With that being said, the cutoff for admission is usually high for commerce and arts courses. One must qualify the CUET (Central University Entrance Exam) conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency) every year. NTA releases a booklet on eligibility criteria for various courses every year before CUET on their website. Applicants are advised to check the eligibility for various courses before applying for CUET. Individuals who have cleared their class 12th board exams can apply for CUET and submit their preference list on the CSAS portal. Upon successfully achieving the cutoff score, an individual can enroll here. I've always been an avid reader and had a keen interest in English Literature since childhood therefore; Bachelor's of Honors in English seemed like the perfect course for me. Deshbandhu being an off campus college (though considered south campus by some) was not at the top of preference list, however, I've never in my two years regretted enrolling here.

The faculty at Deshbandhu college for all undergraduate programs is amazing. All professors are proficient in their respective fields and provide excellent guidance to the students for their future endeavors. Majority of teachers are well seasoned professionals with 10-15 years of experience in their field of study. They're very approachable and always happy to help the students. The teachers in English department are especially empathetic and very understanding. Most of our teachers were students of Delhi University themselves at some point, therefore, they understand the functionality of the university and guide us accordingly. They have a practical approach towards teaching and often encourage us to think outside the box and not to limit ourselves to our curriculum, rather they motivate us to focus on research more and understand the context of certain topics. An attendance criterion for students isn’t strict either. A warning is issued by the institution before exams, regarding attendance; however, no particular actions are taken in case of low attendance. If you wish to prepare for some competitive exam and join a coaching during your college years, Deshbandhu is the place for you. Majority of students in my course are preparing for some exam or the other and have not faced any consequences for not attending regular classes in college. Other than the professors, the administrative staff is also very understanding and willing to address student grievances at all times. One doesn’t need to wait in long queues for an extended duration and request multiple times to get the work done, since the administrative procedures are very smooth and student-centered. Additionally, the cleaning staff is also very efficient in their work and ensures the campus is clean at all times.

The Placement in our college is below average. Although, we had some reputed recruiters in past like Amazon, OYO, Genpact, ICICI, Bajaj Capital, IBM, Wipro, etc. I would not advice the students to depend on campus placements. In the year 2023, a median package of 4.17 LPA and an average package of 12 LPA were offered. I'd suggest taking up the job offered by placement cell (if you do not wish to opt for off-campus placement) and keep upgrading for future prospects. We have numerous distinguished alumni like Mr. Raghu Ram (Producer and Actor), Lt. Gulshan Kumar (Founder of T-series ), Dr. Kavya Kumar (Film Director), Mr. Baldeo Purushartha (IAS, Joint secretary of Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance ), and many more .

We do not have a hostel facility in our college, however, there a number of affordable PGs and Flats for rent in proximity.

Our college campus is the largest in the entire south campus. We have in total 4 blocks - New Block, P Block, Science Block, and Old Block. Spacious classes, up to date laboratories, and lecture theatre constitute the science block. We have a huge auditorium and two conference halls. Each block is divided into 2-3 floors with at least 10-12 classes on each floor. We have a Girl's common room and a boy's common room, which is fully air conditioned and the perfect place to find solace, during scorching summer days. A spacious cafeteria with lots of sitting space and a 'Chat and Sip' cafe are also present in the campus. We have several computer labs and science labs. A printing shop is also present in the campus. Archery ground, Volleyball ground, NCC practice ground, Botanical garden, etc. constitute the vast premises of the institution. Overall, the campus is huge with lots of trees, flowers, and other green spaces.

Campus life at Deshbandhu is dreamy. We have two annual fests, usually organised in the month of April, in which popular artists perform, various stalls are put up, and the whole ambience is amazing. We have various other fests and programs like Diwali Mela, Dandiya Nights, Saraswati Puja, Ethnic day, etc. Other than this each society and department has their own annual cultural fest. We have a huge number of societies in our college like Debate society, quiz society, Western dance, classical dance, western music, classical music, photography, Art, entrepreneurship cell, consulting society, department societies, etc. NSS and NCC are also present.