MA Bengali Syllabus, Distance Education, Admission, Colleges, Scope 2023

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MA Bengali is a 2-year postgraduate course which is offered by a number of colleges in the State of West Bengal in India.

Check Top MA Bengali Colleges in India here.

The course focuses on various aspects such as history of the Bengali language and literature. It covers aspects of developments that the language has seen over its more than 1300 years of recorded existence.

Undertaking this program, helps the student to get an insight into the role played by many literary greats and scholars in the advancement of the Bengali language and literature as seen today.

The course structure comprises both internal assessments as well as semester-end exams, which are descriptive in nature, thus testing the student’s skill in formulating descriptive and illustrative essays.

To be considered eligible to apply to this course, students must hold a Bachelor’s degree in relevant stream from a recognized university.

Admission to this course will be done either on the basis of performance of candidates in the entrance exams conducted by the admission authorities or based on candidate’s performance in the Bachelor degree exams. Check MA Bengali Cutoff here. The tuition fees for enrolling in MA Bengali courses vary as per universities. The average annual course fees generally ranges between INR 20,000 and 2,00,000.

This course is available both in regular and correspondence mode. This lingual course unlocks various future prospects. The average initial package after completing this course is around INR 2,00,000 - 10,00,000.

MA Bengali postgraduates can get jobs in numerous sectors such as private organizations, private academic institutions, Teaching, Literature, Translation, Print media, Tourism and TV channel industry etc. as a Translator, Teacher, Bengali Interpreter, Online Transcript, Typist etc.

After completing this course, students can pursue higher studies and advanced academic exploration along with research through PhD Bengali courses. This course essentially provides a solid basis for further studies and related prospects. Also, check top Phd Bengali Colleges in West Bengal here.

Table of Contents

MA Bengali Course Highlights
MA Bengali: What is it About?
Why Study?
Admission Process
4.1 Eligibility Criteria
4.2 Top Entrance Exams
4.3 How to Prepare for Entrance Exam
4.4 How to Get Admission in Top College
Syllabus
Top Colleges in India
6.1 College Comparison
Distance Education
Courses Comparison
Jobs and Career Options
Future Scope
FAQs

MA Bengali Course Highlights

Course Level	Post Graduate
Full-Form	Master of Arts in Bengali
Duration	2 years
Examination type	Semester wise
Eligibility	Bachelor’s degree in Bengali from a recognized college or university
Admission Process	Merit-based
Average Annual Fees	INR 20,000 to 2,00,000
Average Annual Salary	INR 2,00,000 to 10,00,000
Top Recruiting Companies	Schools, Colleges, Universities, Publishing Houses, Digital Media Platforms, Television and Radio Broadcasting Channels, Language Translation Cells etc.
Job Positions	Teacher, Lecturer, Professor, Writer, Translator, Interpreter, News Reader, Editor, Journalist, Proof Reader etc.

MA Bengali: What is it About?

Read the points given below to know what MA Bengali course is all about:

The course MA Bengali leads to a postgraduate degree that helps to know a lot about the Bengali language and literature and the changes that it has seen over the years, especially in the 19th and 20th century.
The medium of instruction during the course and the examinations will be in Bengali only. There are internal assessments as well as semester end exams that are descriptive and illustrative in nature.
Through this course, the students will get to learn about the history of the Bengali language and literature.
As part of the course, the students will come across various Bengali literary works like dramas, stories, novels and poems.

Why Should You Study MA Bengali?

There are many benefits of pursuing a MA Bengali program. The main benefits of pursuing this program are as follows:

Diversified Career Options: - You can work in various private and public sectors including teaching, Literature field, Translation services, Tourism, Print Media, Advertising Companies or agencies etc.
Future Prospects:- One can also pursue higher studies like PhD and MPhil in the same specialization for improving the literature and grammatical skills in the language.
By undertaking this course, a student gets to learn about the more than 1300 years of history of the Bengali language.
One also gets to be aware of the developments that the Bengali language saw ever since the Bengali Renaissance during the period of British rule in Bengal and the rest of India.
Through its various topics on Bengali language and literature, one gets to learn about the contribution of the various literary greats and scholars, like Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay and Rabindranath Tagore, who enriched the Bengali language in great measures.
The curriculum of this course is an interesting one as one gets to learn about various historical aspects of the language, as well as gets to read various novels, stories, dramas and poems penned by literary giants in Bengali literature.
Being a widely spoken language, there are a good number of opportunities for those going for higher education.

What is the Admission Process for MA Bengali?

The MA Bengali Admission Process can vary as per the rules and regulations of the university. Some universities grant admission to students to this course based on merit. Some of the top-most Indian universities prefer conducting entrance exams to grant admission to qualified candidates.

The admission procedures followed in the Indian universities for admission to MA Bengali course are given below.

Merit-based admission

In merit-based admission, the universities offering MA Bengali course grant admission to students based on their marks obtained in the graduation level.

Entrance-Based Admission

The steps of the entrance-based admission are provided below:

Step 1 - Students have to register for the entrance test by providing their email address, mobile number and password after which a login id will be created.
Step 2 - On creation of login id, candidates are required to fill the application form with the required information correctly.
Step 3 - In this step, candidates have to upload the necessary documents such as photograph, signature, id proof, Class 10 and 12 certificates, Bachelor’s degree etc.
Step 4 - On uploading the documents successfully, students have to pay the requisite amount of application fee online.
Step 5 - Based on the details submitted by the students, the admission authority will issue the admit cards to the eligible students.
Step 6 - After getting the admit card, exam dates will be released by different conducting bodies. Candidates have to sit for the entrance test and qualify the same to get admission.
Step 7 - In the final stage, admission authorities will release the results of the entrance test they have appeared for.
Step 8 - Successful candidates will then be allotted seats to the respective institutes.

What is the Eligibility Criteria for Admission to MA Bengali?

The minimum eligibility criteria for students who want to pursue an MA Bengali from Indian universities are given below:

Hold a bachelor’s degree in Arts from a recognized university.
Students interested in Bengali language and who are keen in preserving the ancient literature and spreading the language are eligible for the admission.
Applicants must have studied Bengali as a main subject in their undergraduate program.
The students should possess good speaking, reading and writing skills for the course.

Is There Any Entrance Exam for Admission to MA Bengali course?

Many premier Indian universities conduct entrance exams for MA Bengali admissions. The entrance exams conducted thus vary according to the respective universities. Some of the most sought-after entrance examinations are:

JNUEE: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Entrance Examination is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to the university's graduate and post-graduate courses. JNUEE is considered to be one of the toughest entrance examinations in India.

JNUEE Pattern and Syllabus	JNUEE Application and Registration

DUET: The Delhi University conducts Delhi University Entrance Test (DUET) for admissions to UG, PG, M.Phil, and PhD programs.

Check DUET Practice Papers here.

The important dates of these exams are given below :

Exam name	Registration date	Exam date
PUBDET	To be Announced	To be Announced
APU UG NET	Last date to apply For Round 1 – 26 November, 2022 Last date to apply For Round 2 – January to 16 March, 2023	National Entrance Test For Round 1 – December 24, 2022 National Entrance Test For Round 2 – April 16, 2023
TS EAMCET	-	2nd week of July 2023

How to Prepare for MA Bengali entrance exams?

Candidates are advised to follow the below mentioned points to score well in the entrance examination: .

Research: - Go through your entrance exam syllabus thoroughly and follow a time table to complete the full syllabus on time.
Strong command on subject matter: - You should have some background or knowledge in respective subjects and strong command on the subjects of Bengali language.
Practice: - Practice previous year question papers to keep a check on exam pattern.
Revision: - Study and revise the graduation syllabus thoroughly.
Enhance vocabulary and grammar:- The applicant should be proficient in Bengali vocabulary and grammar.

How to get Admission in a Good MA Bengali College?

For getting admission in a good college for MA in Bengali, following points needs to be considered:-

Do proper research about various colleges in the area and filter out the best as per the preference.
Connect with alumni on social media to get a better knowledge about the fee structure and placement pattern.
Visit the college site and follow the admission procedure regularly.
Be fluent in the respective language by gaining appropriate subject matter knowledge.
Make a strong command on both oral and written lingual skills with strong vocabulary and grammar.
Prepare for entrance examinations well.
Build a strong command on communication skills for PI round.

What are the Subjects Covered in MA Bengali Syllabus?

The Syllabus of MA Bengali program includes a comprehensive and integrative curriculum of both theoretical and practical study spread over the four semesters in two years. A semester-wise breakup of the general syllabus for MA Bengali course is given below in a tabulated form :

Semester I	Semester II
Socio political history of old and medieval Bengali	Bengali literature
History of Bengali literature	Modern Bengali literature
Old and medieval texts	Bengali poetry texts
History of Indian languages	Socio political history of Bengali
Old medieval history of Bengali literature	__
Semester III	Semester IV
Linguistics and Bengali language	Medieval Bengali language
Literary theory and Bengali essays	Life and works of Rabindranath Tagore
World literature	Tagore literature
Translation studies	Bengali literature of north east India
Life and literature I	Bengali fictional literature
__	Contemporary Bengali literature
__	Modern Assamese literature
__	Life and literature II

Which books can I study for my MA Bengali course?

Important Books which can be followed while studying MA Bengali program are as follows:

Name of the Book	Author
Bangla Sahityer Itihas	Sukumar Sen
Bangla Bhashatattwer Itihas	Krishnapada Goswami
Meghnad Badh Kavya	Michael Madhusudan
Krishnakanter Will	Bankim Chandra Chatterjee
Bangla Sahityer Gadya	Sukumar Sen
Bangla Sahityer Ruprekha	Gopal Malder
Bhasha Jigansha	Shishir Kumar Das

Which are the Top Colleges for Studying MA Bengali?

A large number of institutes/ universities across India offer MA Bengali courses. Some of the top universities among them are given below in a tabulated form along with their respective location, average annual fee, and NIRF ranking :

Name of the College/ University	Admission Process	Average Annual Fees
Miranda House, New Delhi	Merit-Based	INR 14,530
Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandir, Howrah	Merit-Based	INR 12,000
Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi	Entrance-Based	INR 4,620
Gauhati University, Guwahati	Merit-Based	INR 8,975
Bethune College, Kolkata	Merit-Based	INR 7,466
Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata	Merit-Based	INR 27,174
Assam University, Silchar	Silchar	INR 12,195
Presidency University, Kolkata	Entrance-Based	INR 3,960
Patna University, Patna	Merit-Based	INR 6,620
Ranchi University, Ranchi	Merit-Based	INR 2,850

MA Bengali: College Comparison

Find in the table below, a comparison among the three top colleges and universities in India offering MA Bengali courses.

Parameter	Miranda College, New Delhi	Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandir, Howrah	BHU, Varanasi
Overview	It is one of the prestigious women’s colleges under the University of Delhi. Located in New Delhi, the college is ranked among the top colleges in the country offering courses in the arts and the science stream.	Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandir offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in arts, science and commerce.	This university offers courses in multiple disciplines at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctorate level. Admissions to these academic programs are done on the basis of entrance tests conducted at the university level.
Location	New Delhi	Howrah	Varanasi
NIRF Ranking 2020	1	7	10
Eligibility Criteria	Bachelor’s degree in Bengali or equivalent from a recognized university.	Bachelor’s degree in Bengali or equivalent from a recognized university.	Bachelor’s degree in Bengali or equivalent from a recognized university.
Admission Process	Merit-Based	Merit-Based	Entrance-Based
Average Annual Fees	INR 14,530	INR 12,000	INR 4,630
Average Annual Salary	INR 3,75,000	INR 4,00,000	INR 5,00,000
Top Recruiting Sectors	Schools, Colleges, Universities, Print Media, Foreign Language Cells, Publishing Houses	Schools, Colleges, Universities, Print Media, Foreign Language Cells, Publishing Houses	Schools, Colleges, Universities, Print Media, Foreign Language Cells, Publishing Houses

MA Bengali Distance Learning

Students who are unable to pursue MA Bengali program in regular mode can also pursue the same through Distance Learning. Before taking admission, Students must check for the validity of the course and the college in distance or correspondence mode.

In order to be eligible for this course through correspondence mode students must hold a Bachelor’s degree in Bengali or equivalent from a recognized university.
The minimum duration required to complete this course from distance mode is 2 year and the maximum duration of the same is 5 years.
Admission to MA Bengali course through correspondence mode will be done based on the candidate's merit in the Bachelor’s degree examination.
The average fee for the course ranges from INR 7,000 to INR 22,000 annually.

Some of the top colleges offering MA Bengali course in distance learning mode are as follows:

Name of the College University	Admission Process	Duration	Average Course Fees
Institute of Distance & Open Learning, Gauhati University	Merit-Based	2 years	INR 7,000
Netaji Subhas Open University (NSOU)	Merit-Based	2 years	INR 7,600
Directorate of Distance Education, Vidyasagar University	Merit-Based	2 years	INR 4,500
University of North Bengal, Siliguri	Merit-Based	2 years	INR 22,180
University of Kalyani, Nadia	Merit-Based	2 years	INR 5,250

MA Bengali vs MA Bengali Language and Literature

MA Bengali and MA Bengali Language and Literature are two postgraduate programs offered by colleges and universities across India.

A comparison between the two courses is given below in a tabulated form for better understanding along with their respective fee and expected salaries:

Parameters	MA Bengali	MA Bengali Language and Literature
Qualification	Master of Arts in Bengali	Master of Arts in Bengali Language and Literature
Duration	2 years	2 years
Eligibility	Bachelor’s Degree in Bengali from a recognized university	Bachelor’s Degree in Bengali from a recognized university
Course Overview	The course is about Bengali language, its history, literature and the developments that it has seen over the years.	The course focuses on literary works in the Bengali language like novels, dramas and poetries.
Admission Process	Entrance/ Merit-based	Entrance/ Merit-based
Average Annual Fee	INR 20,000 to 2,00,000	INR 10,000 to 1,50,000
Average Annual Salary	INR 2,00,000 to 10,00,000	INR 2,00,000 to 7,00,000
Recruitment Sectors	Literary Field, Publishing Industry, Mass Media, Teaching, Freelancing etc.	Literary Field, Publishing Industry, Mass Media, Teaching, Freelancing etc.
Top Job Profiles	Teacher, Lecturer, Professor, Writer, Translator, Interpreter, News Reader, Editor, Journalist etc.	Teacher, Lecturer, Professor, Writer, Translator, Interpreter, News Reader, Editor, Journalist etc.

What are the Career Options and Job Profiles Available After Completing MA Bengali?

Undertaking a course in MA Bengali provides a number of job opportunities and career prospects in the field.

The qualification provides opportunities to work in the government as well as in the private sector. There are many government offices, especially in the language departments in the State of West Bengal where the above qualification is a must.
Schools, colleges and other educational institutions provide the best scope to work to someone who has mastered in the Bengali language. In schools and colleges, one will be appointed as Teacher, Headmaster, Lecturer, Professor and so on.
Opportunities are provided in the Print Media, Publishing Industry and the literary field in general as Writers, Copywriters, Editors etc.
One can be appointed as Translators and Interpreters for various government agencies, publishing houses or work on their own.
One may simply opt to work as a freelance writer, teacher or even take tuitions in the Bengali language.

Some of the popular professional jobs available to MA Bengali degree holders along with the corresponding salaries are provided in the table given below:

Job Profile	Job Description	Average Annual Salary
Teacher	The job of a teacher is to teach the school students about the basics of Bengali language	INR 3,00,000
Translator	A translator works in translating mostly literary works from one language to the other.	INR 3,75,000
Bengali Writer	Creative writers usually produce a written copy in the form of editorial articles, books, screenplays and promotional marketing material.	INR 4,02,000
Editor	The Editor basically manages all the day-to-day operations of a publication, such as a trade publication, magazine, newspaper, or academic journal.	INR 4,50,000
Tourist Guide	Tour guides basically work for tour and cruise lines, visitors' bureaus travel guide companies, independent contractors, cruise lines, and hotels as seasonal workers or full-time employees.	INR 2,80,000

What is the Future Scope After Completing a MA Bengali Course?

Students who have completed MA Bengali program have a large number of career options. The future scopes for MA Bengali degree holders are given below :

Higher and advanced education: Students can opt for higher advanced education and research opportunities on completion of their MA Bengali program. The higher education options they can pursue are :

B.Ed.: For those who want to pursue a career as a school teacher in either public schools or private schools can consider enrolling in a B.Ed degree course. This course can provide them with the necessary insights required for teaching at different school levels.
M.Phil.: Post-graduate students can opt for pursuing an M.Phil. degree in the discipline. This will present them with a scope to gain more thorough and intense knowledge over the subject and will provide them with opportunities for academic research.
PhD: Students can also enrol in PhD programs in the discipline as per the area of their liking. Along with in-depth research and studies on the subject, this provides massive scope for further employment with higher pay-scales.
Competitive Exams:Students, after completing their post-graduation in Urdu, can appear in different competitive examinations for government jobs, including UPSC CSE, IFS, and PSC of different states.
Junior Research Fellowship:Students can also appear for NTA-UGC NET-JRF that will grant them eligibility for employment as Assistant Professor in Indian colleges and universities, and also open up research avenues in top universities.

So, after completing MA Bengali course students will be able to choose a career as per their skills and area of interest. You can go for higher education or you can also opt for a decent job. It all depends on you whether you want to do the job after completing this course or you wish to do research for the betterment of the world.

MA Bengali FAQs

Ques. What is the minimum duration to complete the MA Bengali course?

Ans. It takes 2 years to complete the MA Bengali course. Most institutes, however, allow the student to complete it within 4 years, beyond which the candidature of the student is cancelled from the program.

Ques. Are there any entrance tests for getting selected to the MA Bengali program?

Ans. The candidates are generally selected to the program based on their marks in graduation. So one does not have to appear for any entrance tests for getting selected to the program.

Ques. What minimum qualification is required for applying for MA Bengali?

Ans. The minimum criterion for applying for the regular full-time program is a 3-year undergraduate honours degree in the Bengali language from a recognized college or university. For distance education programs offered by some colleges, any graduate can apply for the course, without any restriction in qualifying marks.

Ques. Are there any distance education programs for MA Bengali course?

Ans. There are many distance education programs that offer the MA Bengali course. The duration of these programs are also a minimum of 2 years and the candidate needs to be a graduate to be eligible for the course.

Ques. What are the average fees for pursuing an MA Bengali course as a full-time program?

Ans. The average fees for this post graduate course ranges from INR 15,000 to 2,00,000. The fees depend upon a lot of factors, like the location of the city and whether it is government or a private college. In general, the fees are somewhat less in government colleges compared to the private ones.

Ques. What is the role of an Editor in the publishing industry and does it help to have a postgraduate degree?

Ans. Yes, it helps to have a postgraduate degree in the Bengali language, while seeking jobs in the publishing industry, especially in the Bengali literary field. The role of an Editor is gaining a lot of significance these days considering that there is an increasing popularity of the various media platforms, be it print media, electronic media or the digital media. Having great language skills in the Bengali language can be an asset to become an Editor in one of the media outlets that deals with Bengali literature or content.

Ques. Which are the fields, where one can seek jobs after doing an MA Bengali course?

Ans. After doing an MA Bengali course, one may join the teaching career; become a Content Creator, Writer, Proofreader or Editor at one of the publishing agencies. One may also get into jobs such as Translators and Interpreters.

Ques. Is there any opportunity to go for higher studies post MA Bengali?

Ans. There are numerous opportunities to go for higher education after completion of the MA Bengali course. There are various academic cum research programs such as MPhil and PhD in Bengali and other related subjects.

Ques. What are the average salaries offered after completion of the MA Bengali course?

Ans. The average salaries offered after completion of this program differ from job to job and whether it is a private job or a government one. However, in general, the average salaries range from INR 2,00,000 to 375,000 per annum. The salaries rise with experience and gain in expertise.