B.A. in Development Studies is an undergraduate degree course designed for students with a background in Arts, to train them in the various aspects of, and challenges facing development and public policy.
This is a 3- year long course, divided into six semesters, with each semester lasting for about six months. The basic eligibility for pursuance of this course is a 10+2 qualification from a recognized educational Board.
Admission to the course is typically offered on the basis of the candidate’s performance in the relevant entrance exam, and in some cases, on the basis of merit obtained at the 10+2 level.
The average annual course fee charged for the course in India ranges between INR 2 and 5 Lacs, varying across colleges. Successful graduates of the course are lucratively hired in fields such research, policy making, administration, social work, etc. where they can expect an initial average annual salary between INR 3 and 6 Lacs.
Table of Content
B.A. in Development Studies: Course Highlights
Tabulated below are some of the major highlights of the course.
| Course Level | Undergraduate |
| Duration | 3 Years |
| Examination Type | Semester System |
| Eligibility | 10+2 from a recognized educational Board |
| Admission Process | Merit-based/ Counseling after entrance test |
| Course Fee | INR 3 to 5 Lacs |
| Average starting Salary | INR 2 to 6 Lacs |
| Employment Areas | Research, Policy making, NGOs, etc. |
| Policy Analyst, Social Worker, Community Service Officer, Policy Advisor, among others. |
B.A. in Development Studies: What is it About?
As an academic discipline, Development Studies offers eligible candidates the opportunity to acquire critical awareness of issues concerning international development. The course explores the different issues, problems, and policy options facing the developing world. These include inequality, poverty, hunger and health, besides processes of change such as economic, social, political, cultural, and those related to policy challenges. The course aims to build in candidates a firm interdisciplinary foundation in the developmental sciences, as also the capacity for independent and critical inquiry in the subject.
Students enrolled to the course academically explore concepts and processes inherent to the State, society, its civil and commercial setups, and their upshots on developing societies and their inhabitants. As part of the curriculum, students critically analyse developmental aspects of the society’s machinery, both nationally and globally. At the center of such studies, are the weak and marginalized sections of the society, their exploitation, concerns, and their redressal.
Candidates are encouraged to examine the various hurdles facing a given society’s developmental initiatives, concepts of democracy. iportance of people’s participation in framing and implementation of public policies. Students are taught the intricacies of existing and potential approaches and methodological tools in aiding developmental research, policy planning, management, and analyses.
This multi-disciplinary course includes components from gender studies, politics, economics, social sciences, political sciences, psychology, journalism, policy analysis, etc. Teaching, civil services, and administrative roles are best suited for successful graduates of the course. Developmental journalism is another area of relevance that can be pursued professionally by such graduates.
B.A. in Development Studies: Admission Process
Admission to the course is based on the candidate’s performance in a relevant entrance exam followed by a round of group discussion and subsequently, counselling. The entrance test assesses candidates’ aptitude.
Some of the major entrance exams conducted in India for admission to the course are:
- TISS-BAT
- PDPU
- IPU BA (Honors).
Such exams test candidates upon parameters such as General Awareness, Current Affairs, General Knowledge, Communication Skills (English/ Hindi), Logical Reasoning and Analytic Ability.
However, there are a few institutes that provide direct admission to students on the basis of merit obtained in the last qualifying exam.
Eligibility for B.A. in Development Studies
As a minimum criterion of eligibility, candidates aspiring for admission to the course need to have attained the 10+2 qualification from a recognized educational Board, with a minimum aggregate score of 50%, in the Arts/ Humanities stream. However, students from Commerce or Science backgrounds are also eligible to apply.
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Top Institutes Offering B.A. in Development Studies
Listed below are some of the top colleges offering graduation in this discipline.
| NAME OF INSTITUTE | CITY | AVERAGE ANNUAL FEES IN INR |
|---|---|---|
| TISS- Tata Institute of Social Sciences | Mumbai | 1,15,000 |
| LSR | Delhi | 17,940 |
| CHRIST University Banglore | Banglore | 56,667 |
| AU – Ambedkar University | Agra | 32,000 |
B.A. in Development Studies: Syllabus and Course Description
A semester-wise breakup of the course’s syllabus is tabulated below.
| SEMESTER I | SEMESTER II |
|---|---|
| An Introduction to Development Studies | Advanced Mathematics |
| Fundamentals of Finance | Advanced Statistics |
| Psychology | Computing for Social Scientists |
| German/ French/ Sanskrit/ Hindi | Microeconomics Analysis 1 |
| Introductory Mathematics | Microeconomics Analysis 2 |
| SEMESTER III | SEMESTER IV |
| Development Economics A | Financial Statement Analysis |
| Development Economics B | Public Administration |
| Fundamentals of Finance | History of Policies |
| Geography | Intermediate Management Accounting |
| Anthropology | Introduction to Business Information Systems |
| SEMESTER V | SEMESTER VI |
| Macroeconomics Analysis 1 | Literature |
| Macroeconomics Analysis 2 | Political Science |
| Archaeology | Legal History/ Legal Systems |
| Sociology | - |
B.A. in Development Studies: Career Prospects
The course is ideally suited for candidates interested in exploring and resolving the many different issues that the developing world faces. The curriculum essentially covers components of Social Sciences, History, Political Science, etc.
Such graduates are hired in fields such as Policing, Social work, Community Service, Civil Services, Law, among others.
The various career opportunities available to such graduates are listed below.
| JOB POSITION | JOB DESCRIPTION | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY IN INR |
|---|---|---|
| Policy Analyst | Policy Analysts are responsible for professionally studying social problems and developing policies towards their resolution. They work towards uncovering problem origins and studying how well current policies are working, and recommend changes. | 3 to 5 Lacs |
| Social Worker | Social Workers are responsible for helping individuals, families, and groups of people cope with problems faced on multiple levels, working towards improvement of such aggrieved parties’ lives. | 2.5 to 3.5 Lacs |
| Community Service Officer | Community Service Officers are responsible for helping clients with counseling issues, and for leading and organizing community group activities. | 3.5 to 5 Lacs |
| Policy Advisor | Policy Advisors are responsible for studying, examining, and analysing nationa policies, and assisting the manufacturing of political policies, like a technician would assist the installation, maintenance, and repair of mechanical equipment. | 3.5 to 5 Lacs |
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