GetMyUni's Verdict on Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Manipal University)

Preyoti Dey

“Manipal University is an enthusiast’s paradise. Ranked under the top 20 colleges in India, MAHE delivers world-class academics and a platform for students to innovate, and broaden their mental horizon.“ 

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Manipal University) has etched a place in their student’s hearts, which few Universities in India are able to achieve. MAHE is a quaint University town, built in 1953. Alumni’s say, the University has been the wind beneath their wings. Manipal is praised for its progressive and liberal outlook, and produced prominent contributors for the Indian society.

Students at Manipal enjoy the perfect balance between academics and extracurricular activities, with its provisions for hobby development. MAHE also holds many prestigious accolades granted by MoE, QS BRICS, NIRF and others for its remarkable work in research, academics and environmental codes. 

The faculty is knowledgeable and highly qualified, which builds confidence among parents and students alike. Education is on the forefront at Manipal, and aims to deliver first class education to students. Satya Nadella, Rajiv Suri and Anant J are some of the renowned scholars of Manipal Academy of Higher Education. 

MAHE has painted an idyllic picture of what a college education should look like and has conquered young minds by providing exceptional, well-rounded learning experience. Keep reading, cause we are here to disclose what attracts students to pursue their higher education at Manipal University. 

Table of Contents

• A Blissful Campus 
• Sterling Academics
• Diversity, Inclusiveness and Acceptance at MAHE
• Dress to Impress at MAHE 
• Mandatory Code of Conduct
• Advanced Safety & Security 
• Enthralling Extracurriculars & Events
• Lagging Placements
• Why Should You Choose MAHE?

A Blissful Campus 

Manipal University houses a 313 acre green campus with clean and well maintained classrooms, laboratories and washrooms. MAHE follows eco-friendly practices on-campus with thorough use of rain-water harvesting systems, solid waste and water waste management systems, and always keeping an eye on the pollution level to maintain the ‘Green Manipal’ way of life. 

With all basic infrastructure in place, Manipal houses some premier facilities which underline the Manipal experience for over 30,000 students and staff. MAHE is enabled with end-to-end Wi-Fi. Namely, the Campus serves students with the following amenities.

• Teaching Hospital: To give students hand-on training.
• Innovation Centre: Facilitates research and development.
• High-end Laboratories: Helps students implement theoretical knowledge in practical settings.
• Sports & Fitness Arena: To indulge in outdoor games and recreation.
• Special Libraries: Houses a huge collection of study material and e-resources. 
• Clean Accommodation: MAHE housing is a homely space for Boarders with excellent mess food.

Full-service AC & Non-AC Accommodation

Manipal Academy of Higher Education charges high accommodation fees for their hostel amenities, which range from a whopping INR 1.04 LPA to INR 2.24 LPA inclusive of mess services. Charges for AC and Non-AC rooms vary according to the occupancy capacity.

Although students have praised the standard of living provided by the University, with its clean rooms, furniture, and mess accessibility. It has also been rated good on overall hygiene and maintenance. Some of the primary features well appreciated by students are:

• 24x7 Wi-Fi
• Hot water supply
• Water coolers
• Common TV rooms open till 11.30 PM (Extensions on special permission).
• Indoor Games such as Table Tennis, Carrom and Chess are available in each hostel annex.
• House-keeping on alternate days.
• First-aid and 24x7 ambulance.
• Pay-per-use Washing Machine available in the Girls Hostels.
• Night Canteen till 1 AM.
• Local laundry agencies available on a membership basis.

Hostel students truly celebrate their college life with late night study sessions, birthday celebrations, and sharing their love for video gaming. However, there are strict prohibitions and penalties for consumption of alcohol or drugs on campus. 

Mind Blowing On-Campus Eateries

There is very little doubt that any other University in India hosts these many restaurants on campus. Students can select from a range of delectable world cuisine starting from Chinese, Mexican, Italian, Malaysian to Arabian and India, in every few steps right at the campus hub. Some popular joints serving world-class cuisines are mentioned below.

Note-worthy Facilities

Manipal University has 3 well-furnished conference halls which serves as an ideal venue for campus events. Their auditorium is also remarkable with Asia’s largest sheet and plush push-back seats and unmatched ambience.

Additionally, the campus has an exhibition hall with a maximum capacity of 750 persons with high-end safety features. Parking facilities for 400 four wheelers and 200 two wheelers make it convenient for day-boarders and during social events. 

Other facilities such as Business Incubation Center provides campus-goers with good opportunity to interact and discuss start-up ideas, meet with angel investors and venture capitalists and more.

Sterling Academics

MAHE is one of the top private Universities in India who does not cut-down its focus from academics, which is the foundation of the Institute. High importance is placed on curating the right faculty for students to achieve the optimum level of education at Manipal Academy. 

MAHE consists of a high-functioning faculty who not only assist students in day to day academia but also engage with them outside the classroom to provide the most enriching and holistic educational experience. 

The curriculum is designed to provide students to lead a successful life after graduation and carving their journeys mindfully, so that they can implement the knowledge and skills they have gained during their time at Manipal. Teachers encourage healthy competition among students while giving them the freedom to select their own study methodology. Moreover, students have found the professors to be humble and accommodating.

However, students from the Engineering departments have addressed their disappointment over the course curriculum being back-dated and less focused on learning and more on merit. 

Diversity, Inclusiveness and Acceptance at MAHE

Manipal Academy of Higher Education claims to be multidisciplinary and multi-cultural, but how much does it stand true to its stance? Around 15% seats are allocated to Foreign and NRI category candidates, although no mention of category-wise seat intake is mentioned on their official website. 

Importantly, preference is given to Konkani students, with a 100% tuition fee waiver. Scholarships are available for various courses and are offered based on merit of the applicant. MAHE has students from foreign lands and all over India, making it a college representative of a diverse crowd. 

However, little light is shed upon its overall inclusiveness and diversity quotient. Making score a 3.5 out 5 on the Diversity and Inclusivity scale on most websites.

Dress to Impress at MAHE 

Manipal encourages students to work on their presentation skills by wearing clean, neat and pressed clothing and footwear. This applies for students visiting the campus too. In the occasion of formal functions here is the prescribed dress code for students. 

However, no strict uniforms are imposed on the students for any of the departments.

Mandatory Code of Conduct

Although Manipal stems from a liberal mindset, there are a few general code of conduct rules students must abide by to lead a fruitful tenure at Manipal Academy of Higher Education.

• Students need to take the internal assessments and attendance policies seriously and fulfil the 75% attendance mandate.
• Hostel wardens nust be kept in loop in case of visitations or if students are away from campus for more than a day. 
• Students with an excellent record in sports and extracurriculars must join the relevant clubs and committees. 
• Strict action will be taken against indiscipline.
• Counsellors are available to assist students deal with stressful situations.
• The campus is a designated ‘NO-Smoking Zone”. Any student caught indulging will be held against disciplinary actions.
• Drug, alcohol, ragging and eve-teasing is not tolerated by MAHE’s. 
• Anti Ragging Committee, anti-ragging squad, mentoring cell, and surprise check squad regulate all issues concerning bullying and ragging. Students guilty are 
• dealt with severity.
• Swimming in the Arabian sea is discouraged due to previous mishaps.
• Students are also discouraged from possessing two or four wheelers at Manipal.

At a first glance, these rules might seem a bit overwhelming to the students. However, these are implemented to ensure the safety of the students and maintain order in the campus.

Advanced Safety & Security 

Manipal University has incorporated solid on-campus security measures by installing two CCTV cameras at all intersections and turns. Security guards are responsible for noting down each and every vehicle number entering and exiting the campus.

Moreover, the college assures a double security system at night for observing all activities. Thereby, all of these combined naked MAHE a safe and secure campus. However, the campus requires students to be aware and maintain personal safety by observing traffic rules, carrying their identification cards at all times etc. 

24-Hour Medical Assistance

Students need not worry about seeking help in case of medical emergencies, as MAHE has its own Kasturba Hospital on ground which assures world-class medical facilities. The institute assists students with an ESI benefit which can be availed if a student requires medical care. 

Additionally, MAHE has an ambulance on-campus for students and staff, which will take them straight to the medical facility if need arises. Hostels too are equipped with first-aid boxes.

Enthralling Extracurriculars & Events

MAHE’s soul resides in its fraternity clubs, which has become the means for students to express themselves and explore their talents. Manipal carries a rooted tradition of clubs and student bodies which is a hub for students from different backgrounds, courses, and nationalities to meet.  

The culture for extracurriculars at MAHE is one-of-a-kind with multiple opportunities in the field of fine arts, theatre, dance and music. Students have had the advantage of learning and developing skills outside of the classroom through club workshops and other exchanges. 

Manipal also arranges a multitude of events in a scholastic year, where students from all over India and over 57 countries meet. Some of these events include, 

• UTSAV: It is the flagship cultural event held at the University. The inter-college festival is open to students from all over India and abroad to showcase their talents through competitions like Classical Instrumental, Poetry, Installation and more.
• MEGA Event: The Mega event is an on-campus programme, where popular celebrities and prominent personalities perform. 
• SPIC MACAY: The Society for Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Among Youth organises an Indian classical and folk music event where students display talents and interact with various industry professionals. The aim of the event is to generate cultural awareness.
• GUNJAN: An event for music enthusiasts, where the college students promote various musical art forms like carnatic music, devotional music, ghazal, sufi etc. Local artists, faculty and students can perform at the chamber concerts. 

Lagging Placements

The assistance provided by the Placement Cell at Manipal University needs to be worked on. The varsity recorded an average placement package of INR 5 LPA for the scholastic year. With the lowest package of INR 3 LPA.

Some of the companies which hunt for students through MAHE placements are Byju's, TCS, Infosys, EY, Deloitte, Amazon etc. Students expect the authorities to scale up placements in the coming years, as the current placement percentage is only at 80%.

Why Should You Choose MAHE?

When it comes to Manipal Academy, the authorities strive to give students a wholesome college experience with equal weightage on academics and extracurricular opportunities. Situated next to the Arabian Sea, Manipal is a sanctuary for students who want to discover themselves and unleash their potential.

Here are some of the key takeaways. 

*Source: mahe_manipal Instagram