Indira Gandhi National Open University is a central government-owned educational institute recognized by AIU and has been approved by UGC. The institute has more than three million students in India. It also has over 25 foreign education partner institutions. The institute provides open, distance, and online modes of education. It has been recognized as the largest institution for higher learning in the world by UNESCO.

The institute offers B.A. in English Honours as a three-year course for a fee of Rs 7,200. The course can be completed over 6 years. Here are a few of the key highlights of the English Honors course at IGNOU.

Admission Procedure:

• The eligibility criteria for seeking admission to the course is having completed 10+2 or its equivalent or BPP from IGNOU.

• There is no maximum or minimum age limit for taking admission.

Faculty:

The institute has more than 800 faculty members and over 33000 academic counselors. Teachers have vast experience and are well-educated. They provide constant support and guidance to the students making the institute among the top institutes.

Facilities:

• IGNOU also provides 67 regional centers and over 2,667 learner support centers around the country.

• For all courses offered, IGNOU provides flexibility to its students in terms of place and time of the study.

• It has launched an e-learning mobile application to provide a digital learning environment to IGNOU affiliated students.

Placement Opportunities:

As it offers distance learning, there are not many campus placement facilities available.

• However, IGNOU has a Campus Placement Cell (CPC). It acts as an interface between the students and the industry.

• Around the academic year, CPC organizes Job Fairs, Recruitment Drive, etc in regional study centers, headquarter, company premises.

• Students also have the option to opt for off-campus placements.

English Honours are available at the college at a very affordable price. IGNOU is one of the best platforms for those who want to pursue a flexible English Honours degree alongside doing a job or pursuing other educational qualifications. The university is internationally recognized and the top-ranked open learning institute in the country. The best feature is that it can be completed over a longer period according to one’s convenience.

Presidency University Kolkata has been ranked 151 by NIRF in 2020 among the top universities of India while St Xavier’s College Kolkata is ranked at number 9 for Arts by The Week in 2020. Both the institutions are known for their well-structured program curriculum and world-class faculty within the Arts department.

Admissions:

The total student intake for Bachelor of Arts English Honours at Presidency and St Xavier’s are 30 and 100 respectively.

• The required eligibility for admission at Presidency University is a minimum score of 65% with English as mandatory subjects. Whereas, students with a minimum score of 60% in 12th from a recognized board are eligible for admission at St. Xavier’s Kolkata.

• Presidency University conducts PUBDET for admission. At St. Xavier’s Kolkata the admission is merit-based.

• The course fee for Presidency University and St Xavier’s Kolkata is INR 13,600 and INR 60,500 respectivecourly.

Curriculum:

Presidency University Kolkata:

• The University follows a combination of grounding British literature as well as the global diversity of the English language with the aim of developing the linguistic skills of students.

• The curriculum is divided into 12 courses, with 12 core subjects and 4 optional open elective modules, which students can choose to specialize in.

St Xavier’s Kolkata:

• The course curriculum is spread across 6 semesters with a core focus on British English literature, including drama, prose, poetry, and history of writing and literature.

• It offers a more detailed course structure in terms of understanding the English language through the works of multiple writers and researchers.

Faculty:

Presidency University Kolkata:

• The faculty members within the English Honours department facilitate interactive informal discussions and tutorial sessions where students and faculty get to interact on a more personal level.

• They follow a combined routine of classroom lectures along with audio-visual aids and techniques in order to keep the curriculum updated and maintain student interest.

St Xavier’s Kolkata:

• The faculty members are academicians with a high level of expertise in research and English language methodologies.

• The core focus of teaching is to make sure that students understand fundamental concepts through interactive exercises, research work, reading manuscripts, and practicing writing through literature.

Infrastructure:

Presidency University Kolkata has a larger campus as opposed to St Xavier’s Kolkata. While both institutions offer great resources in terms of a well-equipped library, reading materials, language labs and study halls, etc.

Placements: Both Presidency University and St Xavier’s Kolkata offers decent placements.

The top recruiters at Presidency University are Cognizant, MOU, etc. Some of the major recruiters at St. Xavier’s Kolkata are Adidas, Ernst & Young, Asian Paints. Most students of BA English Honours opt for higher studies, instead of appearing for placement drive.

Based on the given factors, students can make a well-informed choice between the two institutions for BA in English Honours.