Education Content Specialist | Updated 3+ months ago
MA Admissions take place through Entrance Exams and Merit Basis. Most universities in India consider CUET-PG for MA admissions, such as DU and JNU. CUET-PG admission process begins from December, till exam dates in March.
Many universities conduct their own entrance exams, like Aligarh Muslim University and CUSAT. While different universities have different schedules, all applications tentatively open during January-March, for the September admissions.
Universities like IGNOU provide MA admission on merit-basis. Other than open universities, certain states like Bihar and Rajasthan also provide merit-based MA admission. Such institutions admit students based on Graduation marks.
MA is a 2-year long course in humanities subjects like English, Hindi, Political Science, and Psychology. Students are required to have a Bachelor’s degree to pursue an MA. Top universities for MA studies are IGNOU, DU, BHU, and Jadavpur University.
- Top Government Colleges in India for MA Admission
- Top Private Colleges in India for MA Admission
- What is the Eligibility Criteria for MA Admission in India?
3.1 Eligibility Criteria for MA Economics 2025
- MA Admission Process 2025
- State MA Admissions 2025
5.2 West Bengal MA Admission 2025
5.4 Rajasthan MA Admission 2025
5.6 Uttar Pradesh MA Admission 2025
- Placements in Top Colleges for MA
- MA Admission in IGNOU Open University
- MA National Entrance Exams 2025
8.1 CUET-PG 2025 for MA Admission
8.2 TISSNET 2025 for MA Admission
- Integrated MA Courses in India
- MA Admission in IIT 2025
- MA Entrance Exam Syllabus
- Specialisations for MA Degree
- MA Admission 2025 FAQs
Top Government Colleges in India for MA Admission
Given below are some top government colleges that provide MA admission in India.
| IndiaToday Rank 2024 | Institution | Fees per Annum (INR) | Tentative Last Dates for 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hindu College, New Delhi | 25,800 | Feb 10 |
| 2 | St. Stephen’s College, Delhi | 49,806 | Feb 10 |
| 3 | Miranda House, New Delhi | 14,500-19,000* | Feb 10 |
| 4 | LSR New Delhi | 17,916 | Feb 10 |
| 5 | Kirori Mal College, Delhi | 14,364 | Feb 10 |
| 6 | Hansraj College, Delhi | 25,074 | Feb 10 |
| 9 | Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, New Delhi | 14,596 | Feb 10 |
| 10 | Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi | 16,163 | Feb 10 |
| 10 | Gargi College, New Delhi | 16,651 | Feb 10 |
*Note: The range shows the different fee structures of different MA specialisations.
Top Private Colleges in India for MA Admission
Given below are some top private colleges which provide MA admission in India.
| IndiaToday Rank 2024 | College Name | Fees per annum (INR) | Tentative Last Dates for 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Madras Christian College, Chennai | 28,455 | May 15 |
| 8 | Loyola College, Chennai | 22,160 - 94,960* | Jun 29 |
| 13 | St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai | 38,500 - 1,70,000* | June 5 |
| 14 | SVKM’s Mithibai College of Arts | 63,720 - 77,720* | June 19 |
| 15 | Christ University, Bangalore | 60,500 | July 15 |
| 17 | Mount Carmel College, Bangalore | 37,500 | July 15 |
| 18 | St. Joseph’s College, Tamil Nadu | 19,220 - 25,300* | May-June |
| 19 | Stella Maris College, Chennai | 25,820 - 34,320* | April-May |
*Note: The range shows the different fee structures of different MA specialisations.
What is the Eligibility Criteria for MA Admission in India?
The eligibility criteria for MA admissions for universities across India is similar.
- A Bachelor’s degree from a recognised university.
- Minimum 50-55% marks. It can vary for different colleges.
- Candidates belonging to reserved categories are given a 5% relaxation.
- While students from any background can take admission in MA degree, students with Arts background are preferred.
Eligibility Criteria for MA Economics 2025
- Students must have a Bachelor’s degree in Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, or Commerce.
- Students from other subjects are also eligible if they have completed any Economics-related course during their studies.
MA Admission Process 2025
In order to get admission in MA course, students must follow these steps:
- Go to the official website of the desired exam/university.
- Click on Apply for the MA programme.
- Fill in the Application Form with personal details like educational qualifications, domicile and category.
- Upload the required documents, which include photograph, signature, educational documents, and identity/address proof.
- Pay the application fee online, as mentioned on the application portal.
In case of an entrance examination, the counselling process is conducted once the result is out. Through various rounds of counselling, universities release their cut-offs, and candidates are given admission to MA degree.
State MA Admissions 2025
Many states in India provide quality MA education to students. Given below are the details for the top colleges and admission process in these states.
Delhi MA Admission 2025
MA Admissions in Delhi are done based on Entrance Exams:
| Entrance Exam | Top Universities | NIRF Rank 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| CUET-PG | JNU | 2 |
| DU | 6 | |
| BR Ambedkar University Delhi | - | |
| JMI Entrance Exam | Jamia Millia Islamia | 3 |
| IPU-CET | GGSIPU | 80 |
The NCT of Delhi has central universities like DU and JNU, which do not have any state reservation. Some other important universities in Delhi with state reservation are:
| Universities | Percentage of State Reservation |
|---|---|
| GGSIPU | 85% |
| BR Ambedkar University Delhi | 85% |
West Bengal MA Admission 2025
MA admission process in West Bengal is different for each university. While most universities give merit-based admissions, based on the qualifying examination, there are some institutions that conduct entrance tests. Some of the popular universities and exams are:
| Top Universities | MA Admission Process | NIRF Rank 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Jadavpur University | University Admission Test | 9 |
| Calcutta University | Merit Basis | 18 |
| Presidency University | PUMDET exam | 101-150 |
| West Bengal State University (WBSU) | Merit Basis | - |
The universities of West Bengal generally offer domicile reservations to candidates belonging to SC/ST/OBC/EWS/PwD Categories. Students must submit a domicile certificate from the state of West Bengal.
Bihar MA Admission 2025
MA admission in Bihar takes place on Merit Basis, i.e. ranks are prepared based on the qualifying examination. The prominent universities for Arts are:
| University | Fees per annum (INR) |
|---|---|
| Lalit Narayan Mithila University, Darbhanga | 4,820 |
| Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur | 4,300 |
| Patna University | 5,120 |
| Magadh University, Bodh Gaya | - |
| Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University, Bhagalpur | - |
The public universities in Bihar provide up to 50% state reservation for different categories.
Rajasthan MA Admission 2025
Most institutes in Rajasthan provide MA admissions on Merit Basis. The marks obtained during Bachelor’s degree are used for admission. Some popular universities which provide merit-based admissions are:
| Top Universities | Fees per annum (INR) |
|---|---|
| Mohanlal Sukhadia University (MLSU), Udaipur | 5,160 |
| Maharaja Ganga Singh University (MGSU), Bikaner | 1,010 - 2,010* |
| Jai Narain Vyas University (JNVU), Jodhpur | - |
*Note: The range shows the different fee structures of different MA specialisations.
Rajasthan MA Entrance Exams
A few universities use entrance exam scores for MA admission in Rajasthan:
| University | Entrance Test |
|---|---|
| UNIRAJ (University of Rajasthan) | URATPG |
| Central University of Rajasthan | CUET-PG |
Most universities in Rajasthan provide a 64% domicile quota that is distributed among different categories. For exact distribution details, it is important to refer to the university websites.
Kerala MA Admission 2025
MA admissions in Kerala take place through university-specific entrance examinations. Some popular universities with their entrance tests are as follows:
| University Name | Entrance Test | NIRF Rank 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| University of Kerala | University Entrance Exam | 21 |
| Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) | CAT | 34 |
| Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) | MGU-CAT | 37 |
| Calicut University | CUCAT | 89 |
In Kerala universities, there is an approximate 80% domicile reservation for Kerala students. The rest of the students can apply for the remaining 20% seats.
Uttar Pradesh MA Admission 2025
MA admission in Uttar Pradesh universities takes place on the basis of individual admission tests. Some prominent ones are:
| University | Entrance Exam |
|---|---|
| Banaras Hindu University | CUET-PG |
| University of Lucknow | PGET |
| Aligarh Muslim University | University Entrance Test |
| University of Allahabad | PGAT |
| Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University | CUET-PG |
While BHU and AMU are central universities, they cannot provide reservation to students from any one state.
University of Lucknow provides state quota only to categories belonging to Uttar Pradesh. Candidates belonging to other categories from outside Uttar Pradesh are treated as General.
Placements in Top Colleges for MA
The following table shows the placement data for top MA colleges in India. The figures are inclusive of all courses offered by the college.
| Top Colleges | Highest Placement 2024 |
|---|---|
| Hindu College, Delhi | 36.5 LPA |
| St. Stephen’s College, Delhi | 25 LPA |
| Miranda House, Delhi | 21.5 LPA |
| Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi | 44.8 LPA |
| Kirori Mal College, Delhi | 23.05 LPA |
MA Admission in IGNOU Open University
There are several top ranking open universities in India which provide MA admission.
| Institutes | NIRF Rank | Total Fees (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| IGNOU | 1 | 15,400 |
| NSOU | 2 | 4,275 - 13,475* |
| BAOU | 3 | 3,800 |
| DU SOL | - | 9,370 |
| YCMOU | - | 7,546 |
*Note: The range shows the different fee structures of different MA specialisations.
Students can opt for distance-learning MA programmes through these universities, and give yearly exams at designated university centres. This is a preferable method for students who are unable to attend regular classes.
MA National Entrance Exams 2025
Students can get MA admission in India through National-level entrance exams as well.
CUET-PG 2025 for MA Admission
- The Common Universities Entrance Test, organised by NTA, is the most common method for admission to all central and state universities, as well as some participating private universities.
- There are different subject codes for various MA specialisations, and students need to choose the right one for their desired course.
- These universities release their cut-off lists for different rounds of counselling, and students are allotted seats based on their CUET-PG score.
Some popular universities accepting CUET-PG score are:
| Universities | State |
|---|---|
| DU | Delhi |
| LPU | Punjab |
| Amity University | Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab |
| JNU | Delhi |
| BHU | Uttar Pradesh |
| AUD | Delhi |
| All State Universities | All States |
TISSNET 2025 for MA Admission
The TISSNET has been discontinued since 2024-25. In its place, CUET-PG is used for MA admissions.
The TISSNET was specifically used for admission to the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. Admission can be taken in four campuses:
- Mumbai
- Tuljapur
- Guwahati
- Hyderabad
Since 2024-25, CUET-PG is used for admission to all MA courses, except:
- Master of Arts in Human Resource Management & Labour Relations
- Master of Arts in Organisation Development, Change and Leadership
- Master of Hospital Administration
TISS uses its Common Admission Test (CAT) for admission to these MA courses.
Integrated MA Courses in India
There are two types of Integrated MA courses available for students who wish to pursue a dual degree.
- MA-M.Ed.
The 3-year long integrated Master of Arts-Master of Education is provided by only one institution in India: Indian Institute of Teacher Education, Gandhinagar. Students who have pursued BA B.Ed., or any Arts subject and B.Ed. separately, are eligible for an MA-M.Ed.
- MA-PhD
This is a 4-6 years long integrated course through which students can transfer from MA studies to research without the requirement of any separate entrance exam. Only a few institutions in India provide this integrated programme:
- IIT Bombay
- Manipal Academy of Higher Education
- Techno India University, West Bengal
Students who have a Bachelor’s degree are eligible for this course. Their research aptitude may be tested through a written test or through submission of an abstract.
MA Admission in IIT 2025
The prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology also offer MA admissions in IIT. So far, seven IITs have introduced MA courses:
| IITs | MA Courses |
|---|---|
| IIT Madras |
MA in Development Studies MA in Economics MA in English Studies |
| IIT Delhi | MA in Culture, Society and Thought |
| IIT Gandhinagar | MA in Society and Culture |
| IIT Bombay | MA by Research |
| IIT Hyderabad |
MA in Developmental Studies MA in Health, Gender and Society |
| IIT Mandi | MA in Development Studies |
| IIT Guwahati |
MA in Development Studies MA in Liberal Arts |
While IIT Madras and Delhi require students to qualify the GATE XH exam, IIT Gandhinagar, Hyderabad, Mandi and Guwahati conduct their own University admission tests. In order to get admission to IIT Bombay, students need to clear not just the GATE XH exam, but also the MAAT exam, conducted by the institute.
All IITs conduct a PI round after the written tests for MA admission.
GATE XH exam registrations close by October, and the exam is typically held in the month of February every year.
MA Entrance Exam Syllabus
Different universities may have some unique elements in their admission tests, like descriptive questions, but the general pattern of MA entrance tests is the same across India:
- English Skills (comprehension, grammar, vocabulary)
- Logical Reasoning/Analytical Skills
- General Awareness & Current Affairs
- Discipline-specific questions. For example, an entrance exam for MA in English will include literature-based questions.
Specialisations for MA Degree
Students can get admission in an MA degree under a variety of specialisations. You can choose any one of the following:
| Specialisations for MA Degree | |
|---|---|
| English Literature | Political Science |
| Sociology | History |
| Psychology | Economics |
| Journalism & Mass Communication | Education |
Recent years have seen a growing demand for MA degrees. Students can go into a variety of careers like teaching, content writing, social work, or government services. Many students also opt for PhD studies, continuing research, and even becoming professors. It is a versatile degree that gives students a lot of options to explore.
MA Admission 2025 FAQs
Ques. What is the admission procedure for an MA at DU?
Ans. To get MA admission at DU, students need to appear for the CUET-PG exam. Based on the CUET-PG rank and the student’s choice of colleges, they will be given admission at DU.
Ques. Is it tough to get admission in JNU for a master’s degree?
Ans. JNU is one of the best research institutes in India. The CUET-PG cut-offs for JNU can go very high. So it becomes quite competitive to get admission in JNU for a Master’s degree.
Ques. Can I get admission into DU for an MA course with 60% marks?
Ans. The eligibility for MA course at DU is 50% marks in BA. So students with 60% marks are eligible for MA admission at DU.
Ques. How many years is an MA course?
Ans. An MA course is completed in 2 years.
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