Pondicherry University - A Review

After my B. A in English, I obviously wanted to do Masters's. And as a part of it, I applied to all major central universities, including Hydrabad Cental University and EFLU. And got accepted at Pondicherry University. The admission is based on the score of an entrance exam, conducted by Pondicherry University. One main reason for me getting accepted is that Pondicherry University has a higher intake of students. When other universities accept around 30 students for a master's programme, Pondicherry University takes up to 100.

I was always interested in comparative literature. But taking up masters on that sole subject felt intimidating. And that was when I found out that Pondicherry University offers a course M. A English and Comparative Literature. This sounded perfect for me. It gave me a chance to explore the concept of Comparative Literature, with the comfort of English Literature. The department of English has highly experienced and qualified faculty. As mentioned previously the department takes around 100 students every year, and this might point to the fact that the faculty: student ratio is very low. But the department never compromises on the quality of education. The teaching methods are very student-friendly, and the teachers even provide notes and extra materials on occasion. The exams are conducted very often, however with no fixed schedules. It is upto the teacher to decide on the dates. However, this helps the students to stay in tune with the syllabus.

The tution fees in Pondicherry University when compared to other central universities are a bit higher. However, the hostel for girls is absolutely free, whereas the boys are supposed to pay a sum which is somewhere around 1000 rupees. The highest-scoring students are provided with scholarships. My department in other cases never offered any stipends.

Pondicherry University has a lot to offer in terms of social life. The university always has some kind of fests going on at all times. with such a diverse student community, every festival from Holi to Onam to Pongal is celebrated. The university is set right across the sea, and the beach is even called university beach. The library is also great. The study hall can be a little short of seats, however, the library facility is unparallel. The university library allows free access to international journals, also to programmes like Grammarly and JSTOR. The classrooms are all spacious and well furnished. Each depatment has its own small sections where classes are held. Sports and other activities are also very active. Sports matches are held often as part of different fests.

Hostels are free for girls, whereas boy's hostel requires payment of 1000 rupees. The students can apply for hostels during the application process and will be allotted rooms during the admission process. The mess food is quite average, just like any other hostel facility.