GetMyUni's Verdict on Bharathidasan University

Parvathy Krishnakumar

“Despite its extensive range of courses, the constrained research facilities and limited placement opportunities prompt potential students to reconsider their choice of Bharathidasan University.”

Located in Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, Bharathidasan University has provided quality education in various fields since its inception in 1982. According to the past years’ students, the academic programs offered by the university and a supportive learning environment have helped the students to nurture their educational development. However, the university lacks in terms of its research facilities and exposure to urban life. 

Although the university has a diverse and vibrant environment on campus, its location limits the students’ exposure to career opportunities as not many reputed companies and organisations are present. Among the significant courses the university offers are the Engineering programs, as more placement offers are available for graduates from different streams of Engineering.

The university is recognised for its commitment to providing quality education at an affordable cost, which is low compared to the other private universities in the country. The low tuition fees at the university make it more accessible for students from different backgrounds.

Table of Contents

• Wide Range of Courses
• Knowledgeable & Experienced Professors
• Well-Developed Infrastructure
• Satisfactory Hostels
• Limited Spaces But Enriching Campus Life
• Lack of Placement Opportunities
• Overall Impression of Bharathidasan University

Wide Range of Courses

The university offers various undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs across different disciplines, which include Arts, Science, Engineering, Management, and Commerce. The postgraduate programs available at the university are widely recognised as these equip students with the theoretical and practical knowledge necessary to succeed in the evolving industries. 

The Management programs at the university level provide students with a comprehensive understanding of business principles and business strategies, along with training them for managerial positions. The programs are particularly valued for their focus on practical applications and curriculum development.

Some programs highly regarded for their academic rigour, placement potential, and relevance in the industry are as follows.

• Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Computer Science
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Mathematics
• Bachelor of Science (B.Sc) in Chemistry
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Literature
• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Economics 
• Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com)
• Master of Computer Applications (MCA)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Science (M.Sc) in Physics
• Master of Arts (MA) in English.

Apart from the undergraduate and postgraduate programs, the university also offers PhD programs in various specialisations in different fields. However, there have been issues regarding the latency in the administrative process where students were confused regarding submitting documents and other related affairs. Nonetheless, the university has managed to rectify such problems.

The admission process for each course varies, but it is more lenient than the other government universities. Students with minimum marks in the qualifying examinations are offered admission to the university. 

Nominal Tuition Fees & Financial Aid

The tuition fees for the courses the university offers are incredibly affordable, making it accessible to students from different financial situations. The costs for various courses vary based on the category of the students and their specialisations for each course, especially for Engineering and Management programs.

The average annual fee for undergraduate courses, such as BA, B.Sc and B.Com, is around INR 3,850, and for Engineering courses, it is INR 7,700. For postgraduate studies, the tuition fees for Engineering and Management courses are INR 15,400; for the other programs, it is INR 7,700. Even though the course fees for domestic and international students are different, it is still affordable compared to the other private universities in the country. 

In addition, the university provides financial assistance to students through central and state government scholarship programs based on their categories and merit. Students who belong to minority categories and economically weaker sections and are good at studies can avail of scholarships based on their eligibility.

Knowledgeable & Experienced Professors

According to the students, the faculty members at the university have good experience in the field and are dedicated to imparting quality education to the students. In addition to making the learning process enjoyable, they are willing to help students outside of classes. However, the quality of the professors varies from department to department. While some professors are easily approachable, other teachers are not as friendly or qualified to clarify students’ doubts appropriately.

Most professors at the university are highly educated with doctoral degrees from reputed universities and are well-connected with industry professionals. They encourage students to improve their knowledge and get involved in innovative works. The professors ensure the students have an interactive learning experience through presentations and real-life examples. 

On the other hand, some faculty members of specific departments are not as helpful or average in terms of their knowledge of the subject. Such professors are mainly part of the autonomous colleges under the university. Students are advised to research and talk to the past years’ students to know more about the professors and faculty of the course they plan to get admission to.

Well-Developed Infrastructure

The university has a large campus spread over 520 acres of land, which consists of the necessary infrastructure to support its students' academic and research activities. In addition to that, the university also has upgraded digital infrastructure that enables online learning and teaching programs. However, as it is located in a small town, students have limited access to the urban areas that, restrict them from getting internship opportunities. 

The university has spacious and well-equipped classrooms and lecture halls accommodating many students. The classrooms have audio-visual equipment of modern technology to enhance the learning experience. Yet, as the intake of students has increased over the years, the university requires additional classrooms and other facilities to accommodate the student population. 

Multiple laboratories at the university for various science and engineering disciplines have state-of-the-art facilities and instruments to ensure students have a proper practical learning experience. However, specific departments have outdated facilities and technology that restrict students from conducting new experiments, and access to research facilities is limited to graduate students and professors.

The university has a central library with a vast collection of books, journals and other reference materials. The library also has modern amenities such as computers, internet access and photocopying facilities, which students can use to access digital resources and take the required copies of reference books. The library has ample seating areas where students can spend time reading or studying.

The computer centre at the university has a high-speed network and a wide range of software applications that provide students with access to the latest computing resources for their academic and research purposes.

The university has various sports facilities, including a sports complex, swimming pool and a gymnasium. Students can engage in physical activities and maintain a healthy lifestyle alongside their academics. The university has adequate facilities for both indoor and outdoor sports items.

The university also has a well-maintained and hygienic canteen that serves diverse food items with a variety of dishes from different cuisines. The food is affordable, and the canteen is open from morning till night. The canteen food is freshly prepared, and the staff clean the seating areas regularly.

Satisfactory Hostels

Bharathidasan University has adequate housing facilities for both male and female students. Still, these hostels are located quite far from the university, making it less convenient for the students. Nonetheless, the hostels are generally spacious and well-furnished, with amenities like Wi-Fi, laundry facilities, etc. 

Based on the reviews of the students, some of the hostels are not appropriately maintained, especially the shared bathrooms. The hostel staff, however, are friendly and helpful to the students. Like classroom issues, the high intake of students causes a lack of space in the hostels, making them overcrowded, with students having no personal room to sleep or study. 

Timely meals are served at the hostels hygienically in clean spaces, but the food quality is compromised with repetitive items and limited options. In other words, the university hostels are generally considered satisfactory, but certain areas require improvement.

The hostel fees at the university vary depending on the room type and students’ category, i.e., domestic and international. It also depends on the availability of air-conditioned rooms and the course level of the students. The hostel fees per year for single AC rooms range between INR 10,950 and INR 12,150; for non-AC single rooms, it ranges from INR 8,650 to INR 9,850.

For shared rooms, the fees range from INR 7,750 to INR 8,150 for AC rooms and INR 5,450 to INR 5,850 for non-AC rooms. In addition to the university hostels, students can stay at PGs and private hostels available around the campus for nominal charges.

Limited Spaces But Enriching Campus Life

A significant factor that entices the campus experience of Bharathidasan University is its diversity in experiences and perspectives among the students. The university has extracurricular activities, cultural and tech fests, events and sports competitions. There are many clubs and student organisations where the students can pursue their interests, develop their skills and work on their leadership potential. The social service initiatives at the university help students with their personal and professional development as well.

The university hosts a number of fests and events throughout the year, such as the annual university fest, cultural events, academic programs and sports tournaments. Students can showcase their talents, celebrate diversity and enjoy their university life while getting a good education. The student government, volunteer work, and mentorship programs allow students to interact with students from different disciplines and build connections.

The university has a vibrant cultural atmosphere with students from diverse backgrounds sharing their languages, cultures and traditions. This creates an enriching learning environment for the students. However, students from different backgrounds may experience challenges initially in adapting to the environment and breaking the language barrier, as the widely spoken language on campus is Tamil.

Overall, the campus life at the university is vibrant, with several opportunities for personal growth, cultural exposure and broadening perspectives. Once students from outside of the state adapt to the new environment, they are assured of having a wholesome college experience. 

Attendance Policy

The university has a well-defined attendance policy that is imperative for the students to appear for the final examinations. The students must maintain a minimum of 75% attendance in each subject to be eligible for the semester examinations. Those students who fail to meet the minimum attendance will have to pay a prescribed fee as a condonation to increase their attendance percentage.

Diversity on Campus

As mentioned earlier, the university is known for its diverse student body, which comes from different regions, cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds. Students from various parts of the country, especially from Southern states, are part of the university community, and the regional diversity brings a mix of languages and cultures to the campus. The mixture of students from different economic backgrounds also promotes empathy and understanding among the students.

Regarding gender diversity, the university has a significant female student population, actively participating in academic and extracurricular activities. Students from other communities are accepted on campus and treated equally by the students and the teachers. 

Additionally, international students from various countries are also part of the university, which provides the students with opportunities for cross-cultural exchange and global understanding. 

Dress Code

There is no uniform enforced on the students at the university. However, the students are expected to adhere to a general dress code, which refrains from wearing overly revealing/tight clothes and clothing with offensive or inappropriate images. Apart from that, no strict rules regarding the students' clothing exist.

Lack of Placement Opportunities

With an average rate of 60%, the placement opportunities available at the university vary from one department to another. Graduates from particular disciplines, like the Engineering and Computer Science programs, have higher chances of getting good placements than the other programs. The university organises workshops to help the students prepare for the placement drives, and yet the chances of getting reasonable offers are limited to the said departments.

According to the previous years’ records, better placement offers were achieved by postgraduate students than the undergraduate students. Even then, the salary packages are lower than the other universities. The median salary package offered to postgraduate students was INR 2.88 LPA, whereas it was INR 2.40 LPA for undergraduate students. The increasing number of students in different programs also induces competition during the placement drives. 

As mentioned earlier, the university's location also limits the students from getting internships in reputed companies as they have fewer opportunities than the institutions in the metropolitan cities.

Overall Impression of Bharathidasan University

In conclusion, although Bharathidasan University is a well-respected university of higher education in the country, students are advised to check for the premier universities and institutes and only choose the former if they do not get admission. It offers various courses in various disciplines, but the limited facilities and placement offers for the non-popular fields cause concern regarding future prospects.

Students must be well-prepared for the university's diverse culture and rural environment. Those who intend to pursue doctoral programs must consult past students and subject experts before they join the university to confirm it has all the necessary facilities and resources to assist them throughout their research.

Aspirants must also remember that the university is a better place for postgraduate programs than undergraduate ones. The pros and cons of the university are as follows.

*Source: bdu.ac.in