Aliah University - An Institution that needs to be appreciated and brought out to the mainstream.

Aliah University conducts entrance examinations AUAT for each department, and admission of a candidate takes place on the basis of his/her performance in the entrance. The eligibility criteria for B.Sc (H) Microbiology/Zoology/Botany is to have passed Class 12 with PCB as the main subject and English as a compulsory subject, scoring an aggregate of at least 60%. The application forms for various courses can be availed on the official website of Aliah University. The appliance fees for filling up forms are INR 500 for males and INR 300 for females.

I wanted to pursue research, and the past few years with peak COVID made me interested in Microbiology. The student: faculty ratio is roughly 1:20. There are near about 60 seats in total in the Biological Sciences department. Out of this, based on merit, the students are dived equally into 3 hons subjects - Zoology, Botany and Microbiology. The classes are not chaotic at all and are easy to manage. The faculty of the Department of Biological Sciences are all excellent. Needless to say, all of them have a PhD in their respective fields and every interaction with them would teach you a lot of things about the subject. In UG courses, for the first 2-3 semesters at least, most classes are taken by research scholars of the university, who are very frank and friendly with the students. They treat you like their juniors in all essence. Most of them rely on teaching the classes via PPT slides combined with using green board as and when required.

The semester charges and admission charges at Aliah University are very affordable. It ensures that everyone regardless of their financial status, gets a good education. There are a few scholarships as well funded by the state government like Aikyashree that you may avail of. Overall, I find it a good institution offering education at a much more affordable cost.

The library is good and huge with lots of books on each subject. It is a well-maintained multiple-storey building, of which currently two storeys are functionally available. There is a separate sitting arena with wifi availability. The latest magazines and newspapers are available in the library as well. Centralised Air-conditioned facilities will soon be functional in the library. Because of COVID, fests are not conducted in the university to avoid crowded gatherings. There are inter-departmental sports competitions held annually. The classrooms are spacious and well ventilated, huge enough to accommodate 70 students at a time at least. Practical labs are fully functional and you'll work with different devices in the labs.

The hostel rooms are airy and well maintained. Cleanliness is thoroughly maintained on the hostel premises. Hostel rooms contain one bed, a cupboard and a study table. Each room accommodates 2-3 students depending on its size. The meals provided by the hostel have both veg and non-veg options. However, the availability of hostel rooms depends on the distance between your city and university campus. Most of the students do not get hostels in the first year unless they are from a different state, but in the second year, the hostel accommodations are provided to almost every student who applies. The per annum charges are quite affordable and the institution offers the best possible facilities. For students who haven't yet got a hostel, there are plenty of PGs available in the locality.