Azim Premji University's Review and Verdict by CollegeDekho

Campus at a Glimpse

With a motive to improve the quality of education in India at a deep and institutional level in close partnership with the government, Azim Premji University was established in 2010 with two programs in development and education. The university has over 1,000 students with a balanced female-to-male ratio of 55:45.

The private university offers 13 degrees and over 1000 short courses for working professionals. The faculty-to-student ratio is at a favourable 1:7 ratio. Most of the faculty are PhD holders actively taking part in social work.  Admissions in Azim Premji University are done based on an admission test administered by the university itself.

Infrastructure-wise, the university has two campuses UG-1 and UG-2, with shuttle services from one campus to the other. The hostel facilities are satisfactory, but students have raised concerns about the placement opportunities and whether the university name will hold a strong influence on their future endeavours. Let’s find out more about it in detail.

Azim Premji University Ranking

NIRF: Not in the Race

Our Take:

According to the students on platforms like Quora, the university is still at its developing stage and focused on bringing social changes and incorporating social values. They further added that the university has a lot of room for improvement in terms of its academia to compete with its contemporary private universities.

Azim Premji University Academia and Batch Size

Academically, the university follows the credit-based system and has adopted the NEP-2020 in its curriculum. Azim Premji University's curriculum comprises undergraduate courses in Economics, Social Science, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, History and Philosophy. Postgraduate degrees are offered in Education, Development, Economics and Public Health along with dual-degree programmes in science and teacher education.

Academic Composition

Azim Premji University academia combines classroom learning, assignments/field projects and assessments.

Batch Size

According to the official data, Azim Premji University currently has 300 students. The alumni including the 2022 graduates stand at 3,314 in number with 87% from PG and 13% from UG programs.

Fees

The university fees are as follows:

Our Take:

Students have expressed that the university is perfect for those focused on social systems and societal upgrowth. Many also opined that the fees charged are higher when compared to the quality of teaching and placement. Along with that, we also came across many comments on Quora where previous year students have claimed that the university does not hold much value when it comes to pursuing higher education.

Azim Premji University Infrastructure

Classrooms

Azim Premji University claims to have spacious classrooms. According to the official website, the university offers the needed classroom support to ensure that students from diverse social backgrounds can enjoy a creative and enriching academic experience without being held back by disadvantages.

Library

The university boasts about its fully automated library equipped with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system and is well-stocked with 95,000+ books, 3,940+ online journals, 12,000+ e‑newspapers and e‑magazines.

Hostel

Azim Premji University has two hostels, one at the main campus and the other a few km away in the UG 2 campus. The main campus (UG1) hostel is allotted to the 1st year students and 2nd year students at the later stage. Each hostel room is equipped with 2 beds, 2 cupboards, 1 bookshelf, 2 study tables and chairs with communal washroom facilities on each floor.

The hostel fees are as follows:

Our Take:

Students have expressed a satisfactory response towards the facilities provided in hostels. They have commented that hostellers have 24x7 access to the lawn, cafeteria and recreation room. Television, gym facilities, a playground, a music room with equipment, and late-night library access are a few other highlights.

Transportation

Azim Premji University offers shuttle services from the hostel to the university and back in exchange for INR 8,500 per semester.

Our Take:

The transportation fee is exorbitantly charged and students were seen protesting against the same. Further, a student met with a depressing fate as a result of a hunger strike and thus the management was accused of failing to meet the demand for reducing the conveyance fee.

Source: The New Indian Express

Source: Indian Express

Azim Premji University Internships and Placements

Internships

According to the official website, internship opportunities are provided to students during the final year in the form of field projects. The internship duration can range from a month to six weeks depending on the course.

Placements

According to the university officials, approximately 90% of APU graduates are actively engaged in the social sector, with 80% of them dedicated to serving disadvantaged communities at the grassroots level in India. The following data was retrieved from the placement brochure 2024 that highlights the percentage of students employed in each sector:

A few of the institutions that have been part of the Azim Premji University placement process over the years as mentioned in its placement brochure 2024 are as follows:

Our Take:

Students have noted that regardless of the courses they choose, a wide range of job opportunities falls under a single umbrella. They find significant career prospects in the social sector. Nevertheless, they have also pointed out that the tuition and associated expenses for the university's courses are not in alignment with the corresponding job market value.

Azim Premji University Diversity and Demographics

Currently, Azim Premji University has a total of 680 postgraduate students and 320 undergraduate students. According to the official website, out of the total student population, 55% of them are females and half of the total students hail from small towns and nearby areas. 55% of students enrolled in Azim Premji University are currently pursuing their studies under scholarships.

Azim Premji University- Gender Ratio Index

Our Take:

The gender ratio of the institute is balanced with a 55% female percentage. According to students' comments on Quora, the university crowd is diverse with students from different parts of the country. From elites to marginalized, students from all sections can be seen on the university premises they further added.

Azim Premji University Faculty

The university in its placement brochure 2024 has stated that the university has a total of 140 faculty and staff catering to the needs of the students. The majority of Azim Premji University faculty hold doctoral degrees in their respective fields.

Our Take:

When asked to students about the faculty they voiced that faculty are well-educated and are actively involved in the social sector. Many faculties are involved in establishing and maintaining non-governmental organizations and schools across the country.

Azim Premji University Location

Nestled in Burugunte Village on the Bikkanahalli Main Road near Sarjapur in Bengaluru, Azim Premji University is situated at a distance of  52.4 km from the Kempegowda International Airport and at a distance of 32.2 km from the  Bangalore City Railway Station.

Our Take:

According to the students, the university location is favourable with easy conveyance connectivity. The nearest bus stop is Agara Junction Bus Stop which is at a walkable distance of 500 meters.

Azim Premji University Expectation vs Reality- CollegeDekho Verdict

Azim Premji University operates through five distinct schools, namely, School of Education, School of Development, School of Policy and Governance, School of Arts and Sciences and School of Continuing Education. The university is perfect for those who are into social work. For students who wish to build their careers in a profit organisation, we advise them to look for other options as past students have shared their views that the university name does not hold great importance in the corporate world.

The facilities provided by the university are updated and meet the reasonable demands of the students except for the cost of the shuttle services at INR 8,500 per semester, which the students have claimed to be unjustifiable. As a final verdict, we have inferred that the university is primarily intended for individuals who are dedicated to pursuing a career in the field of social work.

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