How is BA (Hons) Different from BA Pass?
What is the difference between BA (Hons) and BA (Pass)? What are the career prospects for BA (Pass) graduates? Which are the best Universities which offer BA (Hons) and BA (Pass)? Questions like these have been answered in the article below.
Arts aspirants after clearing their Boards exams often get confused between BA (Hons) and BA Pass because they both sound similar and high school pass outs mostly do not know how to differentiate between the two. In this article, we will try to focus on the differences between B.A (Hons) and B.A (Pass) programmes. But first, let us provide you with some brief details about these two programmes.
The basic difference between BA Pass Course and BA Hons is that BA Hons offers specialization in a particular subject for the entire three years while BA Pass Course students are required to choose a combination of 4-5 subjects every year in order to complete their graduation. The students of BA Hons specialize in great details and gain thorough knowledge about the subject and it has better value and recognition in the industry. The cut off marks to take admission in BA Hons courses are very high as compared to BA Pass Courses. Since the profile of BA Hons students are better as compared to BA Pass courses, hence the salary and pay package of BA Hons is expected to be higher than BA Pass Salary. The profiles of BA Hons students are also better as compared to BA Pass students.
BA (Hons) Vs BA Pass Comparison Table
Check out the table below for the basic comparison between BA (Hons) and BA Pass.
| Parameters | Bachelor of Arts (BA) Hons | Bachelor of Arts (BA) Pass |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 03 Years | 03 Years |
| Eligibility | Class XIIth from any recognised Board and must have studied the Honours seeking subject at the qualifying level | Class XIIth from any recognised Board |
| Admission Process | Both merit-based and entrance test-based admission process | Merit-based admission process |
| Mode of Study | Both regular and correspondence mode of study available | Both regular and correspondence mode of study available |
| Specializations Offered | Yes | No |
| Eligible to Apply for Government Jobs | Yes | Yes |
Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Programme Overview
BA (Hons) is a three-year Undergraduate degree programme which is usually offered in the branches of Science or Liberal Arts or both. In BA (Hons), the students specialize in a particular subject and various papers related to the specialization are taught to the students. The students are also taught subjects which are different from the main field of study or specialization.
Eg: A student who opts for B.A (Hons) in English (English is specialization) is taught about Greek Literature, Modern Literature, African Literature which are related to the specialization. Also, the student is taught other subjects which are not related to the specialization (here English) like Hindi, Environmental Studies, Political Science etc which fulfils the purpose of all-round development of students.
BA (Hons) Admission Process
Admission into the BA (Hons) programmes offered by various Indian Universities differ from each other. While some Universities conduct an all-out entrance exam to fill up the vacant seats, some partially fill the vacant seats and the rest is filled up on the basis of merit, i.e the performance of the applicants at the qualifying exam level.
Also Read: Why you should pick up Arts in Higher Studies?
Top Universities Offering BA (Hons) Programme
The following list will provide the list of top Universities which offers BA (Hons) programme:
Career Scopes for BA (Hons) Graduates
Here is a list of favourite go-to career opportunities for B.A (Hons) students:
Communicator
Writer
Teacher
Journalist
Content Writer
Top Private Universities/Colleges Offering BA Hons
Given below is the list comprising the name of some top private institutions or universities where the interested candidates can apply for admission in their favourite BA Hons specialization through our Common Application Form -
| Name of Institution/University | Average Annual Fee (In INR) |
|---|---|
| Sandip University, Nasik | 7,000/- |
| Vidya Jyoti Eduversity, Chandigarh | 22,000/- |
| RVS College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore | 32,000/- |
| Acharya Bangalore-B School | 59,500/- |
| Teerthankar Mahavir University, Moradabad | 7,200/- to 55,800/- |
BA (Hons) Syllabus
The syllabus of BA Hons will be different for all the courses that are available for doing Hons courses. There are many BA Hons courses and each course has its own set of subjects spread across six semesters. The syllabus of Hons courses also varies from college to college. However the basic structure of most of the universities remains the same as they all follow guidelines issued by the state and the central government bodies. The students can check some of the common and popular BA Hons courses syllabus as mentioned below.
BA Hons Subjects | Topics Covered |
BA English | English Literature, Twentieth Century Indian Writing, Literary Theory, Women’s Writing of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, Modern European Drama.Qualifying Language, Credit Language, Nineteenth-Century European Realism, Classical Literature, Forms of Popular Fiction, Contemporary Literature, Anglo-American Writing from 1930 |
BA History | History of India, Social Formations and Cultural Patterns of the Ancient World, Social Formations and Cultural Patterns of the Medieval World, Rise of Modern West, History of Modern Europe, History Of Southeast Asia-The 19TH Century, History of Modern East Asia; Electives. |
BA Political Science | Environmental Science, Understanding Political Theory, Perspectives on Public Administration, Perspectives on International Relations, Public Policy and Administration in India, Global Politics, Classical Political Philosophy, Modern Indian Political Thought, Modern Political Philosophy, Constitutional Government and Democracy in India, Generic Elective, Political Theory-Concepts and Debates, Political Process in India, Introduction to Comparative Government & Politics |
BA (Pass) Programme Overview
The BA Pass programme is a mixture of various subjects where the students do not specialise in any of the subjects. Compared to BA (Hons), there is less number of papers per subject. Also, BA Pass is considered to be much easier compared to BA (Hons) programme as the students do not have to extensively study different papers related to the subject of specialisation.
Also Read: Top Universities in India offering Arts and Humanities programmes in Distance Mode
BA (Pass) Admission Process
Admission into the B.A (Pass) programme offered by various Universities is done on the basis of merit. Usually, the students are required to fill in the application form on the basis of fulfilling the eligibility criteria and apply for admission by visiting the University campus. Students from reserved categories will be given relaxation in marks during the admission process. The admission process in B.A (Pass) programme might differ from University to University.
Top Universities/Colleges Offering BA (Pass)
Except for the University of Delhi, there are no major Universities in India which offers BA (Pass) programme. However, there are many private institutions in which BA (Pass) aspirants can seek admission for which they need to contact the particular institution directly.
Career Prospects for Students with a BA (Pass) Degree
There are several career opportunities for students with a B.A (Pass) degree. While some of them can be pursued straight after the completion of the course, a few options require the students to possess a higher degree after getting their B.A (Pass) degree. We have categorically put them in the section below:
Opportunities for BA (Pass) Graduates without any Higher Studies
Social Service
UPSC Examination
BPO Services
Bank Jobs
Other Government Jobs (via SSC CGL, CDSE etc)
Freelance Writing Jobs
Opportunities for BA (Pass) Graduates after Higher Studies
Career after completing a professional course like animation
Career in media post-obtaining a PGD in Journalism and Mass Communication (or even a PG degree)
Career in Business Management after pursuing an MBA
Career as a Professor or Assistant Professor after a Master’s degree study (via UGC NET/SET)
BA (Pass) Syllabus
Bachelor of Arts is taught in almost all the universities and all those students who fail to be a part of BA Hons course opt for doing regular BA Course. There are also groups of students who choose to study BA courses looking at the syllabus as they are far more easy when compared to BA Hons courses. BA Pass course has a wide course curriculum for multiple subjects but there are some common subjects that are taught in every BA program, which are mentioned below.
Social Problems in India | Administrative Theory |
Foundation Course in Hindi | Economic Development |
Agricultural Development in India | History of Urdu Literature and Language |
Religions of the World | Foundation Course in English |
Government & Politics in India | Political Ideas and Ideologies |
Indian Philosophy | Foundation Course in Humanities and Social Sciences |
Understanding Prose and Poetry | Indian Economic Development: Issues and Perspectives |
BA (Pass) and BA (Hons) Entrance Exam
The candidates can check the list of entrance exam for BA course.
Also Read: UGC NET 2022 Important English Literature topics
It can be established from the pointers above that B.A (Pass) degree offers equally exciting career opportunities as BA (Hons) degree and the popular myth - BA (Pass) students are weaker than BA (Hons) students, is totally absurd and baseless. So, this admission season, if you are unable to secure a seat in one of the BA (Hons) programmes, you know where to look and what are your options.
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