All About BA Programme- Eligibility, Colleges & Career Scope

Updated October 13, 2022

Popular BA programme is a 3 year UG course that offers you a Bachelor in Arts degree. B.A. degree has got a lot of attention from civil services Aspirants but it has other fascinating dimensions too. It is an interdisciplinary course that allows students to study different combinations of various disciplines.

Talking about the same, the disciplines include Entrepreneurship, Economics, English, Mathematics, Computer Application, History, Psychology, Philosophy, Sociology, and many more. This course can be pursued right after passing 12th or intermediate class. In this course, students select the core subjects based on specific interests- such as political science + economics, English+ History, Economic + History, just to mention a few. Under CBCS, the B.A. program also comprises the Ability Enhancement Compulsory course (AECC) and SEC paper.

Designing a B.A. program aims to help the students explore various options for further education and spark interest in other possibilities. The Department of BA program is also committed to the holistic growth of each student. Therefore, it conducts seminars, workshops, and workshops as part of its awareness programs and provides ample opportunities to enhance students’ abilities through extracurricular activities. Students get comprehensive knowledge during the B.A. program that helps them make oriented goals. After graduating, a student can choose various exciting career options. We have compiled various vital details that will help you understand this course.

 Eligibility for BA Programme

Following are the eligibility requirements for admission to a B.A. Programme course:

(a) Candidates must have cleared their intermediate (10+2) education from any recognized institution.

(b) Apart from that, applicants must have earned an average of 50% in aggregate at the level of Class 12 to fulfill the basic qualifications.

(c) Furthermore, for SC/ST students, several colleges grant a 5% mark reduction in this criterion.

Course Structure of BA Programme

Since this BA programme is an undergraduate course, the students would have to spend 3 years and clear 6 semesters. In this course, the aspirants would have to choose two core subjects based on specific interest- such as political science + economics, English+ History, Economic + History, etc.

Along with their core papers, they must study two compulsory ability enhancement courses. The ability enhancement course (AECC) includes (a) language (English/Hindi/Modern Indian Language) and (b) EVS. This combination of papers will continue till their 1st year or 2nd year; after that, students would have to choose a skill enhancement course (SEC) for their last two semesters.

The colleges provide a wide range of optional skill enhancement courses to choose from. These include computers, project management, public opinion, and survey methods, financial economics, and research methodology, to name a few. To get the precise details, let’s delve into every inch of components of the subjects/courses of the BA Programme. The courses included in the BA Programme are-

(a) Core Papers –

When students appear in the BA programme course, they have to choose two discipline/Core papers that cannot be changed during three years, as per University’s rule. The students will continue the same combination of papers in all three years.

While applying for the BA programme, students have a wide range of options to choose from and study them, including Economics, Geography, History, Mathematics, Sociology, Psychology, etc. For the first two years, the student attempts 8 core papers and an ability enhancement course. And, in the last year, students will continue their same combination papers as Discipline Specific (DSE) paper with skill enhancement course and Generic elective (GE) paper in every remaining semester.

(b) Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course (AECC)–

Since this course is compulsory under CBCS, in the first two semesters, the students are offered courses in Communication (English/Hindi) or EVS. This course is often pre-decided by the college for each semester.

(c) Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) –

They are the courses based on the contents that lead to knowledge enhancement. So the students are provided with a skill enhancement course in the second/third year in each semester. These courses are value-based or skill-based and aim to provide hands-on training, competencies, skills, etc. Students can choose this course from options provided by the college each semester. Following are some examples:

(i) In history: Historical tourism: Theory and Practice, An introduction to archaeology OR Documentation and visual culture

(ii) In mathematics: Operating System: Linux, Transportation and Game Theory.

(iii) In economics: Understanding the Economic Survey and Union Budget, Research Methodology.

(d) Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) –

DSE papers are studied by the students in the third year of the undergraduate course. In the previous two years of the BA programme, peers continue their graduation with the chosen core papers, and in the last two semesters, the students opt Discipline Specific elective course. The student has the liberty to decide from the options offered at their college.

(e) General Elective (GE) –

Apart from the DSE course in the last year, students would also have to select a generic paper that is GE or Generic Elective from an unrelated discipline/subject. The colleges included this paper intending to provide exposure. The aspirants cannot choose an elective from the main disciplines because this is an interdisciplinary paper, so they can only choose a different field.

Admission to BA Programme

Students get into the BA programme either through merit-based or clearing entrance examinations of respective colleges. Nowadays, the BA program is one of the popular, sought-after courses in India. Admission to BA courses is usually based on merit, but there are few colleges in India that conduct entrance exams as well. I have listed down various popular BA exams that candidates can give for admission to various colleges:

(a) BHU UET
(b) JNUEE
(c) DUET
(d) TISSBAT
(e) PUBDET
(f) NIMSEE
(g) IPU CET
(h) Azim Premji University National Entrance Test
(i) CUCET (Chandigarh University Common Entrance Test)

Popular Bachelor of Arts Colleges-

In India, there are several colleges that provide BA programme. Some of the popular colleges are-

Top Colleges in Bangalore for BA Courses

(a) Christ University, Hosur Road, Bangalore
(b) Maharani’s Arts, Commerce and Management College for Wormen, Seshadri Road, Bangalore
(c) CMR University (School of Social Sciences and Humanities), Banasavadi, Bangalore

Colleges in Uttar Pradesh

(a) Aryakul Group of Colleges, Lucknow
(b) BHU – Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
(c) UPRTOU – U P Rajarshi Tandon Open University, Allahabad
(d) Amity University Online, Noida

Colleges in West Bengal

Jadavpur University, Jadavpur, Kolkata
Adamas University, Barasat, Kolkata
Presidency University Kolkata, College Street, Kolkata
Xavier’s College Kolkata, Park Street, Kolkata
Visva Bharati University, West Bengal

Colleges in Delhi/NCR

Lovely Professional University, Admission Office, Connaught Place, Delhi
Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi, Sheikh Sarai, Delhi
Motilal Nehru College, University of Delhi, Benito Juarez Marg, Delhi
Delhi School of Economics, North Campus, Delhi

Colleges in Maharashtra

(a) FLAME University, Lavale Village, Pune
(b) Garware Institute of Career Education and Development, University of Mumbai, Santacruz East, Mumbai
(c) Sophia College for Women, Byculla, Mumbai
(d) Symbiosis College of Arts & Commerce, Senapati Bapat Road, Pune

Colleges in Tamil Nadu

(a) Stella Maris College, Cathedral Road, Chennai
(b) Avinashilingam Institute for Home Science and Higher Education for Women, Coimbatore
(c) SRMIST – SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Chennai

Career Options after BA Programme

This course is interdisciplinary that allows students to study a combination of subjects, including English + Economics, Political Science + History, English + History, to name a few. After graduating from BA Programme, there are various jobs opportunities or career options in India.

Aspirants can pursue post-graduation, journalism and mass communication, social work, foreign language experts, and many more. Basically, this program is preferred by the aspirants after completing 12th because they are not entirely sure what to choose. So after getting knowledge in different disciplines in the same course, they can quickly orient their goals in whatever direction they want. For students who are still confused about the future prospects of this course, here are some career avenues one can go for.

Career Opportunities for the BA Programme Graduates

(a) After graduating from the B.A. program, the majority of the students continue their studies, i.e. pursue post-graduation such as B.Ed. or M.A. There are many opportunities after completing an M.A. degree in education. Following this program, candidates can be considered for positions as PGT in primary and secondary principalships at public and private schools. After passing NET/SET in education, candidates are also qualified for university-level teaching positions in the public and private sector, whereas a degree of B.Ed. can give the lead to a teacher’s profession in government or private school only.

(b) Students can also go for MBA, after being graduated. This course after BA is most sought-after career options in India because it offers hefty annual packages to the aspirants. MBA also offers a promising career in private/ government financial institutes.

(c) This interdisciplinary course provides wide knowledge to the students that help to participate in various government jobs. After completing graduation with BA programme, students are eligible to apply for one of the most popular union govt. jobs i.e. civil service examinations. They can apply in Union public service communication for posts like IPS, IAS, IFS, Indian defense service. Aspirants also get eligible to apply for Bank PO exams.

(d) Suppose a candidate has studied English, Hindi, history, and political science subjects during BA programe. In that case, it will help the aspirants make a successful career in Law. Since these subjects serve as the foundation for law school, students can seamlessly opt into the law field, a very well-known field. Law as a profession has indeed seen tremendous growth, and more students are pursuing this field of study.

(e) The aspirants can pursue masters in professional courses like hotel management, fashion designing, mass communication and journalism or social work and will open door toward more career avenues. Decision to pursue any of them should entirely depend on interest of candidate.

(f) A B.A. graduate could also pursue Computer-related courses that are certified. A variety of certifications, such as web design animations, coral draw, etc., can assist you in obtaining a promising career in the media industry.

(g) Another option one can think of is pursuing a course related to guidance and counseling. For this, you need to learn about different career counseling tests and guide students towards choosing a career option in the future. The critical aspect here is that aspirants have to keep themselves updated about various career options and changes in their career zone.

Concluding Words

Before you choose career option, you should review your strengths (aptitude) and interests. Choose your potential career options based on your aptitude, interest and personality traits. For example, going for journalism or fashion designing without interest or passion in them won’t take you long in that career.

Reads Beyond B.A. Programme 

• Top courses after 12th science
• 20+ Best Courses After 12th Arts
• Top courses after 12th commerce