GetMyUni's Verdict on North Eastern Hill University (NEHU)

Pratiki Patra

“North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) is genuinely one of the best universities in the North-East region. It has successfully and consistently met the academic and extracurricular needs of the students over the years.”

Established in 1973 by the government, the North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has been fueling one of the best education systems in the northeastern region of the country since then. Students have praised its quality of education. Its infrastructural facilities are also enormous, so much so that a few students also feel that the classes are too big in accordance with the number of students per class. One of the distinct features of NEHU is its vast campus, bequeathed in lush greenery. 

While North Eastern Hill University has mostly received positive feedback from the students on various online forums, it also has a few pitfalls. There is still room for improvement in education, placements, and other areas. In the past, and still as well, the administration is open to improving itself by listening to the challenges faced by them. It has indeed improved on various fronts as well. Yet, there are still many challenges that need to be resolved. 

Table of Contents

• Good Quality Education
• Cordial Faculties
• Notable Infrastructure
• Pleasant Hostel Facilities
• Average Placements
• Thrilling Campus Life
• Is North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Worth it?

Good Quality Education

As mentioned earlier, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) has structured a good course curriculum that is updated and relevant to the current industry demands and trends. The syllabus is also regularly revised to include newer topics and remove any outdated content. However, such efforts could be more consistent throughout all the departments present in the university. Students have often said on online platforms that their curriculum structure, though good, needs to be improved or updated. 

NEHU provides undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs. The degrees are offered in various fields such as engineering, Technology, Arts, Science, Commerce, and many more. The semester examinations are conducted in a timely manner, and they are not too difficult to pass. Hence, students do not have to put in extreme rigour.

The environment on campus also adds to the ideal setting for education. It makes the students and teacher comfortable and calm to engage and interact with their peers and lean more towards academics. NEHU is a central government-funded university. Hence, it receives a steady flow of research funding to push forward the findings.

Nominal Course Fees

North Eastern Hill University has inexpensive course fees due to being a public university. This facilitates students from various socioeconomic backgrounds to gain admission to the university.

For instance, for B.Tech, students need to pay INR 6,700, while for M.Tech, they need to pay INR 3,360. Similarly, an MCA costs INR 90,000, and an MBA will cost around INR 1,20,000. For such nominal prices and good education, students often prefer to study at NEHU. Moreover, scholarships are also available to students. 

Cordial Faculties

One of the key features that make studying at North Eastern Hill University worthwhile is because of its polite and friendly professors. The faculty members are of utmost support in helping the students clear any academic doubts that may arise. Moreover, they always direct the students to additional informative resources that broaden the students’ perspective towards the subject.

The faculty members possess high-quality and relevant experience. For this, they also implement new and innovative teaching approaches to make the class lectures captivating. Students have hugely benefited from the faculty members and have praised them. While this stands true, they have also pointed out certain fallbacks.

Few of the professors, even though good, are not able to complete the course syllabus on time. Thereby, either there is a gap left behind in gaining the complete subject knowledge, or the topics are taught in a rush. Either way does not help the students. Furthermore, a few of the professors also need to provide additional knowledge pertaining to their subjects. This will only generate curiosity for the subject amongst the students.

Notable Infrastructure

North Eastern Hill University is instantly recognisable due to its vast campus cradled amongst the scenic hills of Meghalaya. As much as the university is picturesque, its infrastructure capabilities are also noteworthy. Over the years, the university has built various facilities to aid the students. Like its campus, the classrooms are very spacious, seating a large number of students comfortably.

Each department has its own laboratory facilities. While the lab equipment cannot be said to be hi-tech, it is good enough and satisfies the current needs of the students. More equipment can indeed be installed, though. The existing lab facilities are looked after well. Thus, laboratory facilities rarely have any faults or malfunctions. 

The central library consists of a vast collection of books, journals, periodicals, newspapers, magazines, etc, of different genres. Currently, it hosts more than 2.9 lakh books. The library catalogue is available online and is equipped with audio-visual aids. 

NEHU has a vast sports complex as well. Sports facilities like Cricket, Basketball, Hockey, Boxing, etc. are all part of the complex. Students are also actively encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities. Furthermore, the university has included other services like an incubation centre to promote entrepreneurship, a counselling centre, shuttle services, a gymnasium, and guest houses.

Additionally, the campus has a medical centre for students and staff to cater to any emergency or first aid. There are cafeterias located inside the campus that serve good food. However, students have expressed that the food costs in these cafeterias are higher than the average rates outside. CCTV cameras are installed inside the campus to make sure that everyone is safe and secure and to avoid any unwarranted activities.

Pleasant Hostel Facilities

North Eastern Hill University has accommodation facilities for both men and women studying at the college. It has a total of 23 hostels for domestic students and separate accommodation for international students. The hostel comprises all the necessary amenities required daily. These include amenities such as beds, mattresses, tables, chairs, wardrobes, etc. The capacity of each hostel varies.

While most hostels are in good condition infrastructurally, some of them need upgrading, such as painting, mending works, etc. Each hostel is under the supervision of a warden who takes care of the entire facility. The hostel charges are approximately INR 4680 yearly, which is very affordable. However, the cost of food is not included in the hostel's charges.

Students can also make arrangements for their stay outside the hostel with various paying guests available in the city. These come at different rates and are of varying capacity and level of comfort.

Average Placements

Placements at North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) vary department-wise. While some departments see an excellent placement rate with good compensation being offered, others do not. Various top companies visit the campus for recruitment purposes. Proper training is provided to the students by the placement cell to make them industry-ready and brush up on their professional skills.

These trainings include programs like interviews and group discussion development skills, aptitude tests, and many more. While the training is appreciable, the management should also focus on increasing the placement rate and the salary offered. The average salary offered to the students ranges from INR 3-4 LPA. 

Thrilling Campus Life

Life at North Eastern Hill University is vibrant. The Northeastern region is entirely diverse and has many cultures. Students coming from various parts of the North-East region make the campus crowd as diverse as possible. Moreover, the university admits international students, which adds to the diversity quotient. The course fees being substantially low aids the students coming from financially marginalised backgrounds in taking admission.

Various cultural festivals, sports events, tech fests, etc., are celebrated on the campus. These events also see participation from other colleges as well. A few industrial visits are also planned so that the students can learn more about the respective industries and their workings. Since the campus is humongous, students get ample places to sit around and have conversations with their fellow students.

The pupils have noted that everyone in the university, be it the faculty, the staff, or the senior and junior students, is very humble and polite. Thus, the overall campus environment is very cheerful and peaceful at the same time. Various cells, such as anti-ragging cells, equality cells, etc., ensure a healthy environment and address any issue related to it. 

Rules, Regulations, and Dress Code

NEHU has a mix of strict and lenient rules and regulations. There are many rules that the students must follow for a disciplined and safe environment, while some are lenient. The university does not impose any kind of dress code or uniform on its students. Everyone is given the freedom to dress as they wish. The administration is strict about maintaining the 75% attendance policy. Failing to do so might attract disciplinary action.

Is North Eastern Hill University (NEHU) Worth it?

NEHU has emerged as one of the most prominent universities in the North-East region, and it is rightly so. With various opportunities in education, sports, etc., to provide top-notch quality academics, NEHU mostly delivers it all. Students also get to enjoy an exciting campus life filled with events and an amiable atmosphere and people.

One of the best features of the university is its very inexpensive course fees. Hence, a more extensive set of students from various backgrounds can take advantage of the university without being too worried about the costs. 

Its infrastructural capabilities are also praiseworthy, though some features do surely need improvements. Overall, NEHU is an excellent university for students who are academically, sports, or holistically inclined. 

Without much delay, here is a look at the pros and cons of North Eastern Hill University:

*Source: nehu.ac.in