Wholesome Experience

The college management surprisingly, truth be told, is very quick in their work. You would normally expect things to take their usual bureaucratic/government time to work but it really doesn't here. Apart from the minor hiccups one can get when one is made to run between departments to get some stuff sorted, it is overall really good. The 'running here and there' too in my opinion is important as it prepares us for the outside world. The world isn't all good and with rainbows and unicorns flying around. A whole lot of people exist and we need to learn to cooperate, tackle, take things in our stride and learn to just let minor things go. College prepares you for that.

To be able to get admission to B.Sc Biotechnology in Jamia, I had to give an entrance test devised by the University itself. The intake capacity is about 30-32 students, though they do add a couple more occasionally if a deserving candidate comes. When the results were out on the website of the University, scores weren't provided and thus I do not know how much I scored. Only the names of the selected and wait-listed students was published on the University's website. It (Jamia) is one of the better colleges in the country and truly an under-rated one. The Physics department is one of the best in the country. The Mass Communication department is one of the finest in Asia. I chose this college as there aren't many colleges that offer Biotechnology in undergrad in or around Delhi/NCR. Out of the ones that do, Jamia was/is the finest. At least for a B.Sc degree in Biotechnology in my humble opinion.

Well, we follow the curriculum devised by UGC. All universities implement and ours is no different. It is a wholesome mix of subjects you would normally expect to learn during your undergrad study. We study subjects like Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Mammalian Physiology, Plant Physiology, Plant Diversity, Genetics, Microbiology, Bioethics, Biotechnology and its applications, Forensic Science, Immunology, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Bioprocess Technology, Recombinant DNA technology, Genomics, Proteonomics, Bioanalytical tools, Developmental Biology, Enzymology, Bioinformatics, Bio-statistics, Evolutionary Biology, Intellectual Property Rights and a couple of others over a period of 3 years. That covers a wide base and prepares the students for the future. One can learn a lot, develop new interests or hone pre-existing ones.

Here is where it gets really interesting. We have a Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Now, what it really is this. You come up with an idea, draft a proposal, work out the details of the project highlighting everything and prepare a presentation on it and showcase it. Now, the university will allocate you funds for your project and upon successful completion, you will receive a specific amount for all the hard-work you put in. You get to brainstorm with the brightest in your college, make teams, interact with other teams, learn and grow. And more importantly, get a hand-on experience on what it really is in the outside world.

Placement opportunities seem to be really good in the Engineering and Technology department and good offers offered. In our department itself, since very few, almost no one, actually takes up a job directly after an Undergrad degree, so I am not aware of the ones coming to our department of Biotechnology. Most students go in for a Master's degree either here in Jamia itself or outside and do amazingly well.

Technical events happen almost on a day to day basis with special lectures, sessions and conferences that take place. Cultural event is named Talimi Mela which is an almost week-long event.

Since Jamia Millia Islamia is a government University, the fees structure is one of the lowest that I have personally observed. The latest fees I paid for the entire 2nd year was Rs. 6900 for a General student. To a normal middle class person, it is feasible.

I personally haven't availed any scholarship or loan facility but I do know some students who have and just in general that the University is very generous with handing out scholarships to deserving students.

Gender ratios seem to be good. Amazing, in my own department of Biotechnology, or rather the Faculty of Natural Sciences. Campus life is abuzz with with workshops, seminars, public lectures. There are cultural societies, along with a Students' Welfare Body that deals with the student affairs. The labs are air conditioned (the ones in Faculty of Natural Sciences) with all the needful equipment. There are some much needed machines which are costly and are provided to the University by the UGC on grant. Debates, drama, nukkad natak, happen on a regular basis.

I do not avail the hostel facility as I am not in requirement of it but I have quite some students from my class who stay in hostel and I know little bit about it from them. The rooms seem to be good, with study table and all needs for a student. Food is decent enough (what you will expect in a hostel). I am not aware of the charges but being a government college, pretty sure it would be less. There is a set procedure for getting the hostel facility. One needs to fill out an application form, their is a background check done, local guardian(s) of the student is spoken with, an interview is scheduled and a handful of shortlisted ones are selected. There are a couple of hostel for boys and girls and still not everyone gets the hostel. Sometimes, there's a waiting time too. A student's educational history/academic background is also given preference.

To be really honest, I personally haven't interacted with many seniors or alumni of our college with our department of Biotechnology but I have interacted with a couple from other departments like that of Physics, Mass Communication and English. It was more often than not, a brilliant exercise to discuss, debate and laugh with your peers, to learn from them, sometimes to teach them and in whole, gain from that experience. Sometimes that will help in the outside world. People take constructive criticism in their stride.

We follow Semester system here. In addition to the obvious semester exams that happen twice in 1 academic year, there are 2 sets of sessional exams' that happen during 1 semester. They are placed with decent enough gap in them so it doesn't become too chaotic for students. For a good student who studies regularly, it is designed really good. But then, we students, always take things to the last minute.

We have some really good professors which teach us with a lot of credentials and experience under their name. Their research papers speak volumes of their worth. Overall, it is a mixed bag as it would in any other university. There are great teachers and not so great ones (your average Joes, so to say). The brilliant ones actually want to impart knowledge to the students, teach in an interesting way with class collaboration in projects, discussions and more importantly, admit when they make a mistake inadvertently, which should be the best quality in a teacher. Someone who isn't afraid to admit he was wrong some time and more importantly, works to rectify what wrong he did, whether it was misspelling some protein's name or messing in some calculations which are honest mistakes that can happen with anyone. This is what makes the faculty of JMI a delight to study under.