Pearl Academy B.A Review By Aakansha Raj

Pearl Academy is one of the top-ranking private design schools in India and is also well known internationally. It is part of the Laureate group of design institutes and gives bachelors and masters degrees in affiliation with well-known foreign universities. The college also has tie-ups with IGNOU and the Rajasthan ILD Skills University (RISU). The admission process is very smooth and happens at test centers around the country. This includes a general ability test and a creative test, followed by an interview and portfolio review, where you can present all creative work done in the past. For Jaipur, the fee for a graduation course is around 20 to 25 lakhs, with international accreditation. International exposure includes foreign internships and exchange programs. The college also helps in pursuing higher studies abroad.

I studied B.A. (Hons.) in Product Design and specialized in Lifestyle Accessories. Other options in this department are Industrial Design and Jewellery Design. Admission is open to all applicants. Lifestyle accessories include wearable accessories and interior products, and the crafts sector in Jaipur has a lot of opportunities for this - Right from materials to studios and startups, as it is a crafts hub. This also helps in landing jobs and internships.

I was in the product design department, which had 4 to 5 professors who are all industry experts in the country and internationally. Unlike other campuses, Pearl Jaipur has mostly full-time faculty who are available on campus during all college hours. All professors are hired after they have many years of experience in their respective fields. The teaching method is very thorough - There is a theory, research, documentation, design process, and manufacturing. Every semester is divided into modules, and each module deals with a particular topic - This covers deep research and field study, followed by a design project which ends in finished products. The professors also have a strong industry network which makes it really convenient to get internships in good companies. This network is helpful even after you graduate. Apart from this, there are several workshops and master classes with international design experts, along with foreign exchange programs with major design institutes around the world.

The training and placement cell is active and brings in major companies, brands, studios, and start-ups. This has severely been affected during the pandemic as the industry took a hit, but a lot of students still managed to get placed well. Notable names that came for placements in product design are Caratlane, TCIS, Charles & Keith, BYJU's, Lightcube, Ellementry, John Jacobs & FabIndia. The average package is 6 to 7 lakhs per annum, with TCIS being the top recruiter. In 2020, around 60% of students were placed. Several alumni set up their own businesses after graduating.

All hostels are located off-campus. The college has leased a few residential complexes in different parts of the city that are used as hostels. These are separate for boys and girls. These are well maintained and according to the standard of the students at Pearl. There are daily cleaning services and good quality vegetarian food is served for 4 meals a day. The monthly menu is decided by the students in the hostel. The hostels have a deadline of 8 or 9 pm and are completely secure and safe. The hostel fee is around 2 lakhs per year, although most students shift into PGs after the first or second year.

The campus is located on the outskirts of Jaipur, in an industrial area with several other colleges nearby. The campus is the most beautiful of all Pearl campuses and stretches over 3 acres, with ample open space. The classrooms are very spacious. The library houses a very good collection of books on design and related fields and is one of the best features of the campus. There are three labs for fashion, two labs for jewelry, one lab for industrial design, two workshops for wood and heavy machinery, and two labs for CAD, out of which one lab has MAC computers. The auditorium stretches over two floors, and a cafeteria serves meals and snacks throughout the day, with indoor and outdoor seating. There is also a pool with a ramp, a badminton/volleyball court, and staircases for seating. There are two medical rooms accessible at all times. The campus also has a recreation room and a gym.

The Jaipur campus has a smaller population as compared to other campuses. The campus has a higher ratio of female students. There are clubs for different activities and interests, and a student body that hosts regular events and parties on all major occasions. The college also celebrates large fests such as Pearl Utsav and Jaipur Design Carnival, which invite people from all over the city. The college is also associated with TedX Jaipur and Rajasthan Heritage Week and actively participates in other college fests, such as Zest by St. Xavier's College and MoodIndigo at IIT Bombay.