Admissions Process at Jawaharlal Nehru University

My experience at Jawaharlal Nehru University has been amazing. From campus life to classroom discussion, it offers all sorts of wide experiences to learn new things. As JNU is known all over India for academic excellence, I was prompted to take admission there for my master’s study. Coming to JNU was a dream come true for me. Everyone is thinking of doing a master's course, their first choice should be automatically JNU. You will be amazed by the academic environment here, which is not found anywhere else.

I am currently doing Master of Arts (Political Science) at Centre for Political Studies (CPS), JNU. CPS is known for academic excellence over the years. It was founded by legendary Prof. C. P. Bhambri. For entry into the course, you need to give the CUET exam and clear the cut off for the course. The admission process in the university is very smooth. The administration is very helpful and assists you throughout the process. From day 1 of your course, you will be bombarded with amazing readings. It could be burdensome for some people, but you will be accustomed to it in a short period of time. Exam pattern depends on the professor. Usually, there is one mid sem exam, one term paper / assignment/ book review and one end sem exam. Some teachers take two mid sem and one end sem exam. Readings provided in JNU are up to the date and of international standards. You get original tests of the author.

Fee structure in Jawaharlal Nehru University is very affordable. Admission fee is around Rs. 250 only which is very minimal. From second sem onwards, fee is only Rs.100 – Rs. 130 per semester. Apart from that, there are various scholarships for students who need assistance like Merit cum Means Scholarship (MCM), SC / ST Scholarship, etc. However, if you choose courses involving tech expertise like computer applications course, then fee could be slightly higher.

Faculty at Jawaharlal Nehru University is amazing. You will see those people teaching you about whom you read in newspapers, books, etc. You will be taught by Prof. Anupama Roy, Prof. Himanshu Roy, Prof. Ajay Gudavarthy, Prof. Harish Wankhede, Prof. Shefali Jha, Prof. Vidhu Verma, Prof. Manindra Nath Thakur, Prof. V. Bijukumar, and Prof. Amir Ali. Retired professors like Prof. Sudha Pai, Prof. Gopal Guru, Prof. Zoya Hasan, Prof. Gurpreet Mahajan, etc. also keep visiting the center for seminar and talks. Apart from being expert in their fields, the faculty is very helpful in nature and dedicated to teaching. They do not miss classes as professors in other universities do and even take extra classes. Method of teaching is usually lecture along with class discussion. Evaluation method of all teachers varies. Some focus on presentations, some on term paper, some on viva and some on written paper. For core courses, teacher student ratio is about 1:90 and for optional courses the class strength is fixed at 40 students per optional.

Placement cells are available in Jawaharlal Nehru University. But unfortunately, CPS does not have any placement cell of its own. However, teachers and seniors keep us updated about new opportunities, seminars, papers and even internships. Even the University mail keeps on sending mail to students regularly about new opportunities, placements and internships.

Hostel is Jawaharlal Nehru University is very cheap and affordable. Though the infrastructure is quite old and but the hostel is maintained well. The charges are about Rs. 1500 only with security fee of around Rs. 4,500 which is refundable when you leave the hostel. Mess charge is divided among all students equally which range from 3000-3500 rupees per month per student which is very affordable. There are many hostels in JNU like Tapti, Narmada, Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Shipra, Koyna etc. Some hostels are for boys only and some hostels are for girls only. Some have both boys and girls occupancy but the buildings are separated by a central hall. Quality of food is decent in the hostels. You can have a good time staying in the hostel if you stay away from petty politics.

Infrastructure of Jawaharlal Nehru University is very old, but it is well maintained and even disabled friendly. You won't face any difficulty, even if you do, you can contact the authorities for rectification. Classrooms are well equipped with boards and projectors (in some) and benches. All rooms are airy with proper ventilation. Campus is very huge and lush green. There is central library which is huge (9-floor) where you can study peacefully. Apart from that, all centers have their own libraries and reading rooms. There is health center as well in the university which provides free medical help. DTC buses are a great mode of transport in JNU and even rickshaws charge only Rs. 10-30 for going from one place to another in the campus. All centers have their own canteens as well with affordable food.

Overall, the campus life in Jawaharlal Nehru University is full of life (and of course, politics). College crowd is very diverse with people from all over India and even some foreign countries. Seminars are rampant in JNU. Festivals are celebrated with joy in JNU like Diwali, Holi, Christmas, Eid, etc. You will be thrilled to see the academic debates here. So, come up with an open mind to unlearn old things and learn something new.