Leap of faith

Stringent rules about timings. We were not allowed to leave campus before 2:30 pm, even if we didn't have classes.

The curriculum was well rounded. It focused on apparel and textiles more than anything else. So hand illustration, computer aided designing and textile science was very important. Unlike most fashion colleges there weren't any specialisation during graduation, so later on we had the option to select our desired path, be it garment designing, textile designing, merchandising and marketing.

Companies like Turtle, Dev R Nil etc. have absorbed the ones who interned under them. Apart from that export industries, which work with UK and Australia, have often taken in the students through our placement cell.

The college held no festivals but participation in the festivals held by other colleges in the city was allowed and encouraged. What we did have was annual programs and excursions every year for all the course streams. Apart from that, individual streams had their own workshops.

The program fee was around 31000 per annum as it was a self financed course by Calcutta University, which quite frankly is far less than all other fashion colleges. There were no additional charges. The payment was quite old school. We had fee books much like school times and had to pay the total amount through bank drafts during the time of admission.

Rani Birla Girls' College is affiliated to Calcutta University, so the fee structure is nominal. And if in any case a student found it difficult to pay the fees, she could avail a sponsorship, forms of which are available during admission.

Being an all girls college the gender ratio is irrelevant. And having no hostel facility, dorm parties are out of the scene. There is although a quaint little freshers' party, which is in no way glamourous. Individual course streams held their own workshops and seminars. As for diversity, it is like any other college in Calcutta, with a mixed bunch of all religion and ethnicities. Honestly, no one cared about the differences and we didn't really feel all that different. We all came together during our college excursions and inspections.

No. Hostel facility wasn't required. Candidates who came from outside the city had to scout for their own PGs. Being located in a prime location, there are many rentals and PGs nearby, where students chose to stay.

We mostly had a really good relation with our seniors and made some pretty good friends too from amongst them and our juniors. They were always supportive and helpful.

Fashion was always my desired path and the faculty of this course in the college consists of some notable names, so The choice wasn't too hard. The admission procedure was fairly simple, just merit list based on which they shortlist the students and an interview/counselling.

Apart from our Head of Department, Textile Science professor and computer designing professor, most of out lecturers were guest lecturers, who are common faces in NIFT Kolkata, INIFD Kolkata and other fashion colleges in Kolkata. We even had the fortune opportunity of getting our fashion illustration and pattern making classes taken by teachers who have trained a notable designer like Sabyasachi.