From Kerala to The Capital: My JMI Journey

Political Science: As a passion for the real world

From school time itself, my life has been very easygoing. The only obstacle was putting in some hard work. So, I passed Class 12 as one of the top students in Humanities. 

I chose Political Science as my stream because I found it interesting that how it interlinks with our daily life. Drawbacks of doing an academic degree were not even a concern then, and intentionally masked the career choices with a plan to attempt Civil service examinations. All I wanted to do was to study Political Science in its full sense. 

Affordable Excellence; Journey to Jamia

Belonging to the state of Kerala, there were not a lot of choices available for this subject. So, the Central Universities were my only focus. I didn’t even apply for a college anywhere as a plan B. Then, I got to know about Jamia Millia Islamia, and honestly, what attracted me was its fee structure. 

The problem arose when I came to know they have their own entrance exam apart from CUET UG. As a usual stay-at-homer, going to Delhi just for an exam, with no guarantee of a seat was like too much effort for me. 

However, I applied with all support from my family and friends. Feeling extra responsible for their support and effort, did the preparations and attempted the exam. 

About the preparations, I was not at all a fan of tuition and tutoring. So, I went with self-preparation. The coaching institutions are preparing the same materials for each and every student enrolled, though they also claim to offer personal mentoring. 

Becoming a Delhiite student

Afterward, came a series of days waiting for the results. Finally, it came, and I got on the first list. Destiny, along with my valuable efforts, brought me to Jamia which was the reality that amazed me the most. Delhi gives this vibe of being the past, present and future at the same time. 

Honestly, everything was not so smooth. I lived most of my life as a homebody, and suddenly shifting to a much larger region was fundamentally a very difficult challenge for me. I went through it, and I am managing because I believe nothing is that tough. 

Jamia: The University of Dreams

Jamia is the dream university of a lot of students out there. Sometimes, I feel like I am living someone else’s dream. I am not a person who takes the popular opinion to its fullest. So, for me, it is more about exploring things myself.  

Jamia has a huge campus spread across huge acres of land. Even though the infrastructure is mostly old and rusty, every type of facility is provided. The best part of the campus is the lushness of numerous gardens everywhere. 

For Foodies, Jamia has a lot of options when it comes to food. There are several canteens and eateries with their own signature items. The university has a huge stadium named ‘MAK Pataudi Sports Complex’. 

Talking about Jamia would never see an end. The number of facilities I have seen provided at Jamia has certainly surprised me. Everything is great here. 

Jamian Academics and Opportunities

Now, my academic life is going well, I am doing better than the initial days. I am fond of competitions that involve knowledge battles and games, which makes me a quizzing enthusiast. Classes and faculties at this institute are good and experienced. 

Still, my college days are not optimised to their full utility. In Jamia Millia Islamia, there is a lot more to explore and to utilise the resources for growing potential in us. Moreover, being in the capital city itself is enough. I always tell in my circles in Delhi, “It is not a particular College or University that gives the opportunity to grow, but being in and around Delhi and being a bonafide student in any College is enough”.

About the author: Shifa V I is currently pursuing BA (Hons) Political Science from Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi. She has been tutoring for a while and has a strong enthusiasm for competitions, particularly those that involve intellectual challenges such as quizzes.

Note: The views expressed in this article are solely the author’s own and do not reflect/represent those of Shiksha.