Move Past ‘Arrogance’ Rumours, Experience at Stephen’s Is Worth it

DU Admissions 2018: The aptitude test at St Stephen’s is all about what you’ve learnt earlier in Class 12.

In 2011, students of the Hansraj College simply refused to take the comments by former Congress MP Mani Shankar Aiyar in a lighter vein. In a TV interview, Mani Shankar Aiyar was asked about a letter written by his colleague Ajay Maken.

“A BA (pass) graduate from the Hansraj College could not use words like ‘dichotomous’ in a letter,” remarked Aiyar in a casual manner.

Despite protests by students of the Hansraj College, Aiyar refused to relent, as he demanded that students from both the colleges should try pronouncing the word ‘dichotomous’.

Often misjudged as haughty, there’s certainly more to the aura of alumni from St Stephen’s College that boasts of churning out hotshots in the fields of politics, academia, media and cinema.

Some of the luminaries who have passed out from St Stephen’s include: former deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, former Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, novelist Amitav Ghosh and actor Konkona Sen Sharma.

In the words of Delhi-based photojournalist Mayank Austen Soofi, students from St Stephen’s College “seem to have, at least partially, colonised other aspects of India too”.

The craze for the college is reflected in its high cut-offs that had touched 99 percent for its Economics Honours course in 2016. The Quint spoke with Maitreyi, a first-year student at St Stephen’s who is pursuing the History Honours course and feels that it’s worth the experience, with teachers going to great lengths in explaining key concepts.

Here are few excerpts from a chat with Maitreyi regarding the ongoing admission process for the undergraduate courses:

Preparing for the Aptitude Test and Interview

Apart from the requisite cut-off, a candidate seeking admission at St Stephen’s College must clear an aptitude test which is followed by an interview. Is there a need for special preparation when it comes to the written test and interview?

For a subject like History and English, there’s very little that you can do about the aptitude test. Last year, we had a passage on a historical event. We had to interpret and answer questions accordingly. For subjects like Economics, you have more technical questions based on things one has learnt in Class 11 and 12 but that is also pretty easy.

Maitreyi, first-year student, St Stephen’s College

There is, however, a word of caution from Maitreyi when it comes to the interview. A simple tip to crack the interview is, be yourself and don’t try to act smart.

For courses like History and English, there are questions about your hobbies, why you want to join St Stephen’s and the reason behind choosing a particular course. Usually the interviewers take these questions forward during the one-to-one interaction. It is important thing to remember that people who are sitting in front of you are experts, so if you are not sure of something, it’s best to just admit it.

Maitreyi, First-Year Student, St Stephen’s College

Don’t Fret if You Get Through the BA Programme

Often students wonder if they would be at a disadvantage in the generic BA programme instead of the specialised BA Honours course. According to Maitreyi, it hardly matters, given the high standards of teaching at St Stephen’s. There are enough options at the Masters level irrespective of your course during graduation.

In the BA Honours programme, you are majoring in one subject and you have one general elective. There is a skill-enhancement course in the initial two years. In the BA programme, you have two majors, depending on the subjects you’ve chosen at the beginning of an academic year. Despite the popular perception that the BA programme doesn’t provide an opportunity to specialise in one thing, the way they teach is thorough, so it’s not half-baked.

Maitreyi, first-year student, St Stephen’s College

Speculation About BA Honours in Political Science

Lots of students who have applied to St Stephen’s are wondering whether they would be eligible for the BA Honours in Political Science. The prospectus doesn’t mention the course at all so it’s best to exclude that option for now.

‘Come to the College With an Open Mind’

College life is also a lot about various extra-curricular activities that help in honing your personality during the three-year stint. Unlike other colleges, a student can join and leave any society at St Stephen’s with membership being available for multiple groups at the same time.

Some of the popular groups formed by students on the campus include: Shakespeare Society, Debating Society, Bengali Literary Society, Malayali Literary Society, along with a Civil Services Forum for those who want a head start in the UPSC exam.

The Poetry Society is relatively new but hugely popular. Most of these societies have events planned through the year. There is a WhatsApp group that helps in informing students about the forthcoming events.

Maitreyi, first-year student, St Stephen’s College

For freshers, Maitreyi’s message is that they should come with an open mind. “The environment of the college is such that it will definitely help you evolve as an individual,” she says.