GetMyUni's Verdict on Bangabasi College

Pratiki Patra

“Once spearheading education in the Bengal region, Bangabasi College has lost its charm and competency. Yet, it still holds sentimental value for many, especially its decent academic life.”

Finding its stepping stone in 1887, Bangabasi College was set up under the visionary leadership of the Late Acharya Girish Chandra Bose and Pandit Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar. The college has seen many milestones along its way. Its pioneering achievements can be seen chiefly in its education.

However, in recent days, the college presents a mixed picture. Many departments still hold the same level of quality education that has been provided for ages, while some still need to gain their potential. Over time, the college has significantly lost its charm to few. Many new colleges have also been built, and they have slowly gained recognition. As a result of such factors, Bangabasi College might not be the first choice for many students. 

Despite such factors, it still holds a special place in the fabric of academic life for the people of Bengal, partly because of its sentimental value and potential. One of its few good aspects is that it still maintains a spirited campus life with various cultural and sports events being celebrated throughout the year. Students who are currently studying here are indeed not disappointed. Yet they may still feel the gaping need for many aspects.

Table of Contents

• Mixed Quality of Academics
• Knowledgeable But Strict Faculties
• Decent Infrastructure
• Inconsistent Placement Record
• Joyous Campus Life
• Is Bangabasi College Worth it?

Mixed Quality of Academics

Bangabasi College has limited course offerings compared to other private colleges in the state. It offers only undergraduate and postgraduate courses. That too only for 5 departments or schools. Language and Literature, Social Science, Commerce, Pure Science, and Biological Science. The courses offered are in the format prescribed by the state and central guiding organizations like UGC, etc. While such efforts are reasonable, 

they can indeed include additional topics to pique the curiosity of the students and provide auxiliary knowledge. An inconsistency in quality can be seen among the departments or courses. While some departments, like Psychology, provide one of the best education in the state, many others are either average or not keeping up with the current industry trends and standards.

Such inconsistencies must be addressed if the college wants to emerge as one of the best colleges in the state again. However, one thing must be noted: no courses offered by the college are below average. So, even if the students do not get the best education, they will still get substantially better educations than many other private colleges.

The semester exams are conducted timely. On various online forums, students have expressed that the semester exams are pretty tricky. Students need to put in much effort and time to pass the exam. Additionally, the management arranges many educational tours and visits per the curriculum to provide the students with real-life experience and information.

Admission to college is based on the marks received in the last qualifying exam. No marks based on any entrance test are required to get admission. However, students must have the required cut-off set by management to finally appear on the merit list for college admission.

Affordable Course Fees

The course fees at Bangabasi College are not highly priced. It is relatively inexpensive, if not very low. Although the postgraduate courses might be heavy on the students' pockets. Pursuing B.Sc students need to pay approximately INR 7270 yearly, while B.Com students need to pay around INR 5020 annually for B.A and B. A  (Hons), the annual course fees will cost approximately INR 4810 and INR 4960, respectively.

Meanwhile, postgraduate courses like M.Sc will cost the students around INR 89,960 for the entire course duration. Bangabasi College's management offers various scholarships to students based on merit and socioeconomic status of the students. Thus, it considerably eases the students' burden for the fee payments.

Knowledgeable But Strict Faculties

The faculty members at Bangabasi College are knowledgeable about their fields. They also possess high qualifications. However, a minuscule percentage of the professors might have high qualifications but are good at their job. Every faculty is dedicated to their job. However, few students have expressed concerns on online forums about a handful of faculties showing disinterest in teaching or rushing through the topics.

Most of the faculties are strict in their approach. While a certain degree of strictness favours the classes and the students, overt strictness might also make the students withdraw from participating in class discussions or generate curiosity about the subject. 

Yet many of the professors are friendly in their nature as well. But most importantly, all of them help clear any doubts the students might have. The professors are involved in various academic works and research; thereby, they actively introduce newer topics within the subjects or direct them towards supplementary resources. Overall, students are primarily satisfied with the faculties and their teaching methods.

Decent Infrastructure

Bangabasi College needs to be more hi-tech in infrastructure. It is decent enough that the students only face a few troubles. Although, indeed, there is room for improvement. Parts of the college still hold the old traditional infrastructure, which has charm. Many new facilities have been incorporated over time. The classrooms are spacious enough and hold a large number of students comfortably.

The classrooms need the touch of modernity and new equipment such as smart boards, projectors, etc. It still has wooden desks or chairs in most of the classrooms. For longer classes, just seating arrangements might be painful for the students. 

The laboratories are present as per the requirements of the concerned departments. Many of the equipment needs to be updated and replaced, while newer advanced equipment must also be installed. The lab instruments are taken care of and give little trouble.

One of the most critical parts of the infrastructure is its library. It is a treasure trove of rare books of every genre. Apart from a significant number of rare books, the library also hosts several periodicals, journals, research papers, newspapers, magazines, and more.

Moreover, the college has its own magazine, periodical, and journal published regularly. Every student enjoys sitting in the library and reading. The campus also enjoys a steady internet connection and a good computer lab. 

The college’s sports ground is located outside the campus, far from the main campus, since the main campus does not have space to accommodate it. Naturally, students feel exhausted commuting such a distance daily to engage in physical or sports activities. Inside the campus, students can enjoy the gymnasium and common room.

There is a stationary store present on campus that sells the items at a lower price. There is a cafeteria where students can enjoy various reasonably priced food. The campus has a robust security system, and the library has CCTV surveillance, making it a safe and secure campus for everyone. Furthermore, there is an auditorium and medical facility available for the students. Overall, whatever facilities are available on campus are well-maintained and clean.

No Hostel Facilities

One of the significant drawbacks of Bangabasi College is its absence of accommodation facilities from the college’s side. It becomes pretty strenuous for students staying far away from the city or coming to the city from other towns. Students can find many paying guests and private hostel facilities near the college. These are of various kinds at various price points. Students can choose the hostel facilities as per their choice and budget. 

Inconsistent Placement Record

Like its course quality, the placement record at Bangabasi College could also be more consistent. Few top recruiters visit the campus for recruitment, only for a couple of departments. Quite a few departments need to see significant placement activities. Furthermore, no established placement cell is solely dedicated to looking after the placement process.

Hence, no proper training is provided to polish soft, interpersonal, etc. skills. Only a handful of such training are conducted, which do not necessarily yield any notable results. 

The placement rate varies from year to year. In some years, many students get placed, while in others, hardly any do. The placement rate can vary from 40% to 70%. The salary packages offered can range from INR 3-5 LPA. The college needs help securing internships. The students have to scour for internship opportunities and gain experience necessary for the advancement of their careers.

Joyous Campus Life

One good thing about Bangabasi College is its cheerful campus life. Various cultural and sports events are held throughout the year, keeping the students engaged and entertained. Unlike many other colleges, Bangabasi College does not involve or encourage its students to participate in college politics. Hence, no physical or otherwise clashes can be seen on the campus. 

There is less cultural diversity among the students, as most of them are from the state of West Bengal. The only diversity seen is of students from various socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Rules, Regulations, and Dress Code

Bangabasi College has yet to implement strict rules or regulations except for a few. However, students must maintain a 75% attendance record for all courses. Moreover, students are not required to adhere to any strict dress code or uniform system. Although they are expected to dress modestly.

Is Bangabasi College Worth it?

If one focuses solely on getting a good education with a decent campus experience, Bangabasi College fits nicely into that idea. It has a decent course structure with knowledgeable faculties who are also helpful. Moreover, its inexpensive course fees also help students from various marginalised backgrounds.

However, if one is looking for exceptional education coupled with excellent faculties and extra-curricular activities, one must think well before choosing Bangabasi College. They should also consult their present and past students to get a clearer picture of the college. 

Overall, Bangabasi College is a decent college with a cheerful campus. The students who join would not be utterly disappointed in it. However, they might be left wanting more from the college.

Here is a look at the pros and cons of Bangabasi College:

*Source: bangabasi.ac.in/index.php