GetMyUni's Verdict on St Stephen's College

Pratiki Patra

“St Stephen’s College remains one of the premiere educational institutions in India. Its unmatched academics and enriching campus experience make the students take pride in their alma mater.”

Rarely does one need an introduction to the famed St Stephen’s College. It is one of the torch-bearer colleges of Delhi University. Colonial red-coloured campus buildings have almost become synonymous with the college. The college has been standing tall since 1881, eventually becoming the oldest college in Delhi.

St Stephen’s College alumni are spread worldwide and have carried their fame to different corners of the world. Its endless list of eminent alumni includes Indian politicians Shashi Tharoor and Rahul Gandhi, actress Konkona Sen Sharma, journalist Barkha Dutt, and many more.

With a historical background, St Stephen’s College seldom comes upon a stumbling block in its academic facade. Students have always gushed about spending their best years here and how glad they are to be doing so. It is crucial to say that the college is infamous for setting a high cut-off for admission. Among the brightest students in the country get the chance of admission. 

St Stephen’s College has always strived to provide a holistic education and a wholesome environment, from its infrastructure to its famed faculty members and exciting campus life. Probably the only discomfort that the students face is rigorous academic life. Although, such rigour only makes them ready for the future.

Table of Contents

• Stellar Academics
• Scholarly Faculties
• Historic & Modern Blended Infrastructure
• Pleasant Student Residences
• Notable Placement Record
• Vibrant Campus Life
• Is St Stephen’s College Worth it?

Stellar Academics

St Stephen's College is foremost known for its excellent education. Many attributes factor in that enable the college to provide an education at such a level. Starting from its well-structured courses, updated curriculum, superb faculty members, and deploying innovative approaches to teaching. Most importantly, the campus is intellectually charged. Hence, there is a curiosity among the students.

The college offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses. These are mainly provided in the Science and Arts fields. Though the courses offered are limited to only 19 programmes, they are one of the country's best. The syllabus of each course is revised regularly, and new course contents are added or removed as deemed necessary. Thus, students study the latest versions of any subjects or topics.

Unlike many other educational institutions, developing a habit of inquisition is instead encouraged among the student populace. Such encouragement from the professors keeps the pupils hungry for knowledge, and as a result, they also read various additional resources. 

The courses are designed in a versatile manner, which allows the students to take up the subject in higher studies in many directions. Needless to say, academic life is full of rigour. Students must spend considerable time reading the subjects daily to excel in the exam. Moreover, there is always healthy competition among the students, which fuels the class. 

As mentioned earlier, the admission process is quite challenging at St Stephen's College. It is based on the marks scored in the CUET exam and the marks obtained in the last qualifying exam. Combined with both, the management prepares the merit list. Furthermore, there are interviews and other related processes, only after which the final merit list gets declared. The semester exams are equally tricky, with many essay pattern questions and others.

As part of the course curriculum, the students are taken on industrial visits to familiarise themselves with professional or industry life. Moreover, the management puts equal emphasis on practical and theoretical knowledge. The college also collaborates with many national and international organisations to further impart additional knowledge or provide added resources to the students to increase their knowledge.

Moderately Expensive Course Fees

St Stephen’s College, a premier institution in the country, has higher course costs than many other government or private colleges. For instance, to pursue a B.Sc (Hons.), students must spend INR 24,670 in the first year. Similarly, for BA (Hons.), the yearly fee is INR 23,470.

Indeed, it cannot be said that it is accessible in students’ pockets. To relieve the students, the college administrators provide various scholarships based on merit and socio-economic conditions.

Scholarly Faculties

Faculties at St Stephen’s College have achieved fame. They are considered among the best professors at Delhi University and some even in the country. The professors are highly qualified, are involved in research works, and regularly publish their findings in national and international publications. The faculty members are dedicated towards their professions and are polite in their nature. They are also very supportive towards the students in realising their academic goals. 

One of the best aspects of the faculty members at St Stephen’s College is they stimulate the students to ask questions and have a curious mind. Students have heartily expressed enthusiasm about this fact and how it has changed their perspective.

Such things cultivate an engaging and interactive atmosphere where students thrive. It also leads the students to discover their passion and interest in a subject. The professors never expressed any displeasure or annoyance when they were asked a particular question numerous times.

Each faculty has a unique approach to teaching. They use various teaching methods, sometimes combining them to keep the lectures engrossing. Thus, the attention span also increases in this digital age. 

Historic & Modern Blended Infrastructure

St Stephen’s College’s iconic campus is a spectacle to behold. The moment the students walk in through the hallowed gates, they feel a sense of pride calling themselves Stephanians. The campus offers every facility required for the students to have a fulfilling experience. Most of the campus retains the colonial structures while incorporating modern equipment.

The spacious classrooms have modern amenities like projectors, smart boards, etc. Many of the classrooms are designed in an auditorium style. The benches are still mostly wooden, though. The central library is enormous, holding a large number of books. The library is designed efficiently, with ample seating areas and many sections. The library consists of bound volumes, periodicals, journals, research papers, newspapers, magazines, etc. 

The laboratories are present for each of the required departments. It consists of a good number of instruments so that students don’t have to struggle. The equipment is well-maintained and does not cause any regular trouble. The campus also has a computer lab with good internet connectivity.

The sports facilities at the college are elaborate, with cricket grounds, basketball courts, cardio studios, tennis arenas, gymnasiums, and many more. All of them are modern, so the students experience the best.

The campus has a cafe serving delicious food at reasonable prices. It is also the spot where students gather to hang out and have leisure moments. One-of-a-kind Ladies Common Room, abbreviated as LCR, is available exclusively for female students and staff.

It is serene inside the campus and has a resting area, reading and writing room, and many other facilities. It is built so female students and staff can rest between classes. In the evening, it serves as an area for various student clubs to hold multiple activities.

Additionally, the campus has banking and medical facilities. Since the campus is lush green and spacious, students find various sports inside it to sit and relax with their peers to enjoy. The entire campus is safe and secured with security checkpoints and CCTV surveillance.

Pleasant Student Residences

St Stephen’s College provides residence or hostel facilities for men and women. In total, there are six blocks of residence for all the students. Students can apply for the residence facility at the time of admission. The hostel rooms consist of all the basic amenities such as chairs, tables, mattresses, microwaves, TVs, etc. The entire premises are kept clean and hygienic. They also have recreation facilities.

However, students must abide by strict rules and regulations inside the residential facilities. These include strict in and out time and roll call every day. The residence has a dining hall facility where nutritious food is served every day of the week. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian foods are served. The junior and senior students dine at the same place.

The hostel fee is around INR 74,550, which may be expensive for many students. Students can also opt for several paying guest options available near the college. These facilities are good, and they can choose as per their interest.

Notable Placement Record

St Stephen’s College’s placement record has been commendable for the longest time. More than 80% of the students get good salary packages. The grooming of the students starts the moment they enter the college. Hence, they have been transformed significantly by the time they reach the final year. Additionally, they are given recruitment tips, training sessions to upskill themselves, training on interviews, group discussions, etc. 

Top recruiters like McKinsey & Company, Bain and Company, LEK Consulting, and many more visit the campus. The highest CTC offered was INR 25 LPA, while the average offered was INR 8.8 LPA. 

Vibrant Campus Life

St Stephen’s College offers an exciting campus life, with students coming together from various parts of the country. A diverse culture ensures a constant flow of cross-cultural learning. Throughout the year, multiple clubs hold different events and activities. Many festivals and sports events are also celebrated all year round. Thus keeping the environment charged up.

Apart from having a diverse population, there is a healthy male-to-female ratio. Many students have expressed that the campus feels like one close-knit family. Unlike many other colleges of Delhi University, St Stephen’s College does not have a prominent student politics. Hence, the campus does not sometimes become a hotbed of political clashes or activities.

Students here can enrol themselves in various student-led clubs. Each day, these clubs arrange extracurricular activities in which the pupils are encouraged to participate.

Rules and Dress Code

St Stephen’s College has many strict rules and regulations to maintain order and discipline. However strict they are, they do not hamper the students’ lives. There is also a compulsory attendance policy of 75%, which the students must maintain. Failing to do so will attract necessary action against them. The college does not impose any dress code or uniform on them. Hence, the pupils can dress as per their own choice.

Is St Stephen’s College Worth it?

St Stephen's College is probably worth a student's time and investment. Many of the alumni students have various leadership roles. Many go on to become civil servants as well. The Stephanians are seen worldwide in such prestigious positions because of the innovative course curriculum and encouragement to be curious and to push their own boundaries.

Moreover, the personality grooming that they receive and the exposure that they get is unmatched. The present students also get in touch with their alumni for guidance. All of these make the campus experience rich.  Academics, as mentioned earlier, is top-rated. The faculties leave no leaf unturned to teach the students. Although academic life can become rigorous, it only teaches and prepares them for what is coming ahead in their professional life.

Overall, St Stephen's College provides one of the country's best academic and campus life. Getting into college in itself is a matter of prestige. Not many make the cut to college. 

Without further ado, here is a look at the pros and cons of St Stephen's College:

*Source: St. Stephen's College, Delhi Facebook