BA vs BA Hons: Which is Better Choice After 12th?

Are you confused between choosing either BA or BA (Hons)? Get insights about the course prospects, scope, requirements and a comparative study of BA vs BA (Hons).

After completing 12th in non-science groups, students often face a tough time choosing their respective stream of study. There is a tug-of-war going between BA vs BA (Hons), and students face a real difficulty to differentiate between the courses. Well, here's something that can be your catalyst.

BA is a 3 years undergraduate arts course that focuses on acquiring generalized knowledge about the field of study, while BA (Hons) is a 3 years advanced level degree that focuses on providing specialized knowledge and research on one particular subject throughout the course. But, which is better? Let's look into it.

BA vs BA (Hons)- Key Highlights

Pursuing a bachelor's degree in arts is challenging and yet recognized across the board. BA and BA (Hons) are among the lucrative courses that allow the students to understand the subjects opted by them and in-take knowledge about curriculum and give them the scope of earning a specialization in subject of their choice. Given below is a brief comparison of BA vs BA (Hons):

Criteria	BA	BA Hons
Eligibility	Min. 50% in 10+2 from a recognized board	Min. 50% in 10+2 from a recognized board
Duration	3 Years	3 Years
Specialization	No	Specialization in varied subjects
Average Fee	INR 10,000 - 60,000	INR 20,000 - 80,000
Job Profiles	Bank Jobs, BPO Services, Social Service, Flight Attendants, Event Management, etc.	Political Analyst, Graphic Designer, Teacher/Professor, Journalist, Content Writer

BA vs BA (Hons) - Overview

Bachelors of Arts and Bachelors of Arts (Honours) are closely associated with two of the most popular graduation programs. Both the courses are 3-years undergraduate programs in the disciplines of Arts and Science. In addition, BA (Hons) caters to specialized knowledge in subjects like Hindi, English, Economics, LLB, History, Geography, and many more, along with teaching various papers related to the student's specialized field during the duration of the course.

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On the other hand, BA (pass) or simply, BA provides a mixture of disciplines a person opts for with no specialization subjects. This course provides fundamental knowledge about the principles of the subjects and allows students to understand all subjects falling under the domain opted by the student. BA (Pass) students are most likely to be involved in more classroom activities than practical studies. The students do not have to gain deeper insight into any subjects and do experiments and research.

Read More on BA Hons

BA vs BA (Hons) - Eligibility and Admission Process

The admission process for a bachelor's degree program is usually based on merit. Still, for BA or Bachelors of Arts, most admissions are conducted on an entrance plus merit basis. As this course caters to providing a deep-rooted insight into a particular course or a specific field, of course, the colleges want to know the candidate's understanding of the subject.

BA Eligibility Criteria

A student 17 years or above is eligible to apply for BA (Hons).
A minimum of 55% in high school (10+2) or equivalent examination held by any recognized central or state board. Also, some universities offer a 5% relief for SC/ST and minority students.
Some of the universities offering BA (Hons) take entrance examinations based on the specialized subjects opted by the student and general knowledge of class 12th.

BA Hons Eligibility Criteria

The candidate should be not less than 17 years of age to take part in the admission process.
55% of minimum aggregate marks is required in secondary board examinations from a recognized examination board.
For admissions, some universities, after short-listing students based on the 10+2 examination, take time-based entrance exams on objective and open-ended questions catering to the subject opted by the student and the college syllabus.
Post this; students have to sit for an interview round before getting selected. Students are advised to revise the class 12 syllabus thoroughly and understand general knowledge and current affairs.

BA vs BA (Hons) - Benefits of Pursuing

Two of the most popular courses in India provide a wide range of subject options to students from Arts and Science backgrounds. Both the disciplines are dynamic, and students have distinct inclinations. On the one hand, some choose to specialize in one particular subject; on the other hand, some students decide to gain a mixture of all the subjects offered within their domain. This wide range of subjects and choices to choose from makes it difficult to decide which is good and suits one's career plans and aspirations. We bring you the benefits of BA as well as BA (Hons) to help you choose the right:

Benefits of BA (Hons)

The students are trained to develop versatility, independence, and critical thinking through research in specialized subjects.
Provides a wide scope for career development in government and private-sector jobs in psychology, career counseling, public administration, Human resources, Analyst, and market and policy research.
A fine amalgamation of practical and theoretical knowledge on one subject provides extensive understanding and research in one discipline.
BA(Hons) provides the finest base for a postgraduate degree as the students can choose to study further and do masters.

Benefits of Pursuing BA

A student gets to learn and understand more than just one subject. They have the choice of having a generalized knowledge of various subjects that fall under their domain.
Provides a base for all the subjects, if one is aspiring for UPSC and other govt. Service examinations.
Students opting for BA (pass) or BA choose to do the course full-time, correspondence, or even in the distance mode.

BA vs BA (Hons)- Specializations

All across India, BA and BA (Hons) are given high regard due to the variety of subjects and the wide range of theoretical and practical knowledge imparted. Earning a bachelor's degree in arts is esteemed as it allows a student to get a deep-dive knowledge into one subject that is imparted through classroom learning and real-life case studies and research projects. Some of the common specializations under BA are :

Some of the top specializations offered under BA (Hons.) are listed below:

BA vs BA (Hons) - Career Scope

Upon completing the BA (Hons) course, graduates are entitled to various job opportunities in the public and private sectors. Depending on the subject of specialization, the most common job opportunities are Civil Services, Journalist, Scientist, Public Relation, Investment Analyst, Economic Consulting, and Criminal Justice Field. Students may also opt for further studies in MBA, MA, B.Ed, and LLB and the best of all UPSC examinations, which will help them enhance their skills further, providing them with better opportunities in India and abroad.

Graduates passing in Bachelors of Arts with a generalized knowledge of various subjects get opportunities in public and private sectors with salaries ranging between INR 2 LPA and 5 LPA depending upon one's experience. Some of the best job opportunities one can get are Advertising, Public Planning, Community Service, Civil Services, Religious Studies, Professional Writing, Printing and Graphics Industry, Broadcast, and Mass Communication. A graduate can also opt for further education in the field of Arts or Science. A Post-graduation degree in animation, Journalism, and Mass Communication and a degree in MBA can help one build the career graph upwards.

BA vs BA (Hons) - Salary

A BA or BA (Hons) course can take you places from high-paying government and private jobs to a wide variety of higher education choices; a BA or BA (Hons) course can take you places. This course has something for every aspiring student in the discipline of Liberal arts and science. A BA (Hons) graduate may earn approximately INR 3 LPA. However, this may vary with the skillset and knowledge acquired by the aspirants. Refer to the following table for more details:

Designation	Average Salary
Content Writer	INR 2.6 LPA
Historian/Archeologist	INR 5 LPA
Counselor	INR 3.5 LPA
Authors	INR 4.5 LPA
News Anchor	INR 3.29 LPA

A BA graduate may earn approximately INR 4.43 LPA, according to PayScale. Regardless, this varies according to the skillset and knowledge possessed by the aspirants. The following table may provide you with better clarity:

Designation	Average Salary
Content Writer	INR 2.69 LPA
Operations Manager	INR 6.63 LPA
Computer Operator	INR 1.77 LPA
Executive Assistant	INR 3.68 LPA
Graphic Designer	INR 3.02 LPA

BA vs BA Hons - Top Colleges in India

To get a world-class education and learning experience for a bachelor's degree program in BA and BA (Hons), students should always look up to the topmost institutes and universities in the country to earn their degree. A best-in-class institute offers an efficient curriculum and brings in effective faculty and mentors to guide students towards success. Some of the top colleges for BA and BA (Hons) in India are:

Colleges mostly provide bachelor in Arts courses under the University of Delhi and other private colleges.

Top colleges that offer BA {Hons} courses in India are listed below:

BA vs BA Hons - Which One to Choose?

Coming down, we can be sure that both the courses are appropriate to provide apt learning and opportunities. Both the courses have been structured to build the students with theory and classroom knowledge and practical and experiential learning based on real-life situations.

Diverse Domain of Study: These two courses offer students a pool of myriad domains to choose from. From English to psychology and Hindi to Economics, these two-degree courses have covered every aspect of the education field.

A pool of opportunities: SAftercompleting their BA and BA Hons degree, students are not just limited to pursuing a master's degree in that subjects or pursuing the desired job. But they can choose to work in different environments, from being a professor to being a specialist in a firm. The students can decide their education field, and one can study further and deeper into the subject or even switch to learn and pursue a new domain in studies.

All in all, both BA and BA (Hons) are subjects offering a plethora of learning opportunities and knowledge development to the students. It all comes down to the student's interest and aspirations regarding choosing a specialization or a generalized option.