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B-A-HONS in Bengali at University of Delhi
Delhi, Delhi
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About the Specialization
What is Bengali at University of Delhi Delhi?
This B.A. (Hons.) Bengali program at the University of Delhi focuses on providing a deep and comprehensive understanding of Bengali language, literature, and culture from its ancient roots to contemporary trends. The curriculum spans classical, medieval, and modern literary periods, critically examining various genres like poetry, prose, drama, and short stories. The program also delves into linguistic aspects, literary theory, and cultural studies, preparing students for diverse intellectual and professional pursuits within the rich Bengali linguistic landscape in India.
Who Should Apply?
This program is ideal for students with a passion for Bengali language and literature, including fresh graduates seeking entry into academic, media, or cultural fields. It also suits individuals aspiring to careers in teaching, journalism, content creation, or civil services where a strong foundation in Indian languages is beneficial. The program is particularly appealing to those interested in preserving and promoting regional languages and cultural heritage in the Indian subcontinent.
Why Choose This Course?
Graduates of this program can expect diverse career paths in India, including roles as educators, journalists, content writers, translators, editors, and cultural heritage managers. Entry-level salaries typically range from INR 2.5 Lakhs to 4.5 Lakhs per annum, with significant growth trajectories in academia, media houses, publishing, and government sectors. The comprehensive literary and linguistic training aligns with the demand for language experts in a culturally rich and multilingual nation like India, aiding professional certifications in language-related fields.
Student Success Practices
Foundation Stage
Master Core Literary History & Grammar- (Semester 1-2)
Dedicate time to thoroughly understand the historical evolution of Bengali literature (ancient to modern) and solidify your grasp on Bengali grammar. Utilize textbooks, reference grammars, and online resources like ''''Bangla Academy'''' digital archives. Participate in departmental seminars on foundational topics.
Tools & Resources
Departmental Textbooks, Bangla Academy Grammars, Online Dictionaries (Sansad, Chalantika), DU Library resources
Career Connection
A strong foundation is crucial for competitive exams (UPSC, WBCS), higher studies (MA, PhD), and roles in content writing or editing, ensuring accuracy and depth in language use.
Engage Actively in Literary Discussions- (Semester 1-2)
Form study groups to discuss prescribed texts, critical interpretations, and literary theories. Attend college literary society events, debates, and poetry recitations. This enhances analytical thinking and articulation skills.
Tools & Resources
Study Circles, College Literary Societies, Online forums for Bengali literature, Critical essays and journals
Career Connection
Develops critical thinking vital for research, journalism, and teaching. Improves public speaking and presentation skills essential for professional growth.
Build a Reading Habit Beyond Syllabus- (Semester 1-2)
Read a wide range of Bengali authors, both classic and contemporary, beyond the mandatory curriculum. Explore different genres and critical reviews. Visit local book fairs (like Delhi Book Fair, Kolkata Book Fair) and libraries to discover new works.
Tools & Resources
Public Libraries, College Library, Online literary magazines (e.g., Boi Chitra, Abahaman), Book Fairs
Career Connection
Expands cultural knowledge, vocabulary, and literary appreciation, making you a more versatile content creator, critic, or academician. It provides a competitive edge in interviews.
Intermediate Stage
Cultivate Creative and Critical Writing Skills- (Semester 3-5)
Practice writing short stories, poems, essays, and literary criticisms regularly. Seek feedback from professors and peers. Participate in creative writing workshops or college literary journals to hone your voice and analytical abilities.
Tools & Resources
Creative Writing Workshops, College Magazines, Online Writing Platforms, Peer Review Groups
Career Connection
Directly prepares you for careers in journalism, publishing, content creation, and academic writing, where strong persuasive and analytical writing is highly valued.
Explore Interdisciplinary Connections- (Semester 3-5)
Look for connections between Bengali literature and other fields like history, sociology, philosophy, and arts (music, film). Opt for Generic Electives that complement your literary studies, such as history of Bengal or cultural studies. This broadens your perspective.
Tools & Resources
Interdisciplinary Seminars, Cross-departmental courses, Documentaries on Bengali Culture, Academic Journals
Career Connection
Provides a holistic understanding valuable for research, cultural diplomacy, and roles requiring a nuanced view of Indian society and its literary expressions.
Engage with Literary Events and Authors- (Semester 3-5)
Attend literary festivals, book launches, and author talks organized in Delhi or Kolkata. This offers insights into contemporary literary trends, networking opportunities, and a chance to interact with established and emerging writers.
Tools & Resources
Delhi Literature Festival, Kolkata Literary Festival, Online webinars with authors, Departmental guest lectures
Career Connection
Builds a professional network, keeps you updated on industry developments, and can lead to mentorship or internship opportunities in publishing or media.
Advanced Stage
Undertake Research Projects/Internships- (Semester 6-8)
Actively seek research projects under faculty guidance or internships with publishing houses, media organizations (e.g., DD Bangla, All India Radio), or cultural institutions. This practical exposure is critical for professional development and understanding industry demands.
Tools & Resources
DU Internship Portal, Departmental notices for research projects, NGOs working on language preservation, Reputed publishing houses
Career Connection
Provides invaluable real-world experience, builds a portfolio, and often leads to pre-placement offers or strong recommendations, accelerating career entry.
Specialize in a Niche Area & Develop Language Skills- (Semester 6-8)
Identify a specific area of interest within Bengali literature (e.g., folk literature, post-modern poetry, translation studies) and delve deeper. Simultaneously, focus on refining formal Bengali writing, translation skills, and basic digital literary tools for research and content creation.
Tools & Resources
Specialized courses (DSEs), Translation software (if applicable), Digital archives, Advanced grammar resources
Career Connection
Creates a unique profile for specialized roles as a translator, archivist, cultural historian, or in digital humanities, catering to emerging job markets.
Prepare for Higher Education or Professional Examinations- (Semester 6-8)
If pursuing higher education, prepare for entrance exams for MA/MPhil/PhD programs. For career entry, prepare for competitive exams (UPSC, SSC, banking) or hone interview skills. Focus on refining presentation abilities, CV building, and mock interviews.
Tools & Resources
UGC NET/JRF study materials, CUET PG exam guides, Career counselling services, Mock interview sessions
Career Connection
Ensures readiness for diverse post-graduation pathways, whether academic or professional, maximizing success in securing desired roles or admissions.
Program Structure and Curriculum
Eligibility:
- Passed 10+2 (or equivalent) from a recognized board, with admission based on the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) scores as per University of Delhi norms.
Duration: 4 years (8 semesters)
Credits: 160 credits Credits
Assessment: Internal: 25% (for theory papers), External: 75% (End-Semester Examination for theory papers)
Semester-wise Curriculum Table
Semester 1
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSC-1 | Bengali Sahityer Itihas – Adhunik Yug (1800-1950) | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Origin of Modern Bengali Literature, Influence of Raja Rammohan Roy, Bankimchandra Chatterjee''''s Contributions, Growth of Novel and Short Story, Poetry of Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Socio-Literary Movements (1800-1950) |
| DSC-2 | Bangala Sahityer Itihas – Prachin O Madhyajug (Adhunik Yuger Purbaparjanta) | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Charyapada and its significance, Mangalkavya tradition, Vaishnava Padavali, Contribution of Sri Chaitanya, Impact of Islam on Bengali Literature, Early Bengali Prose |
| GE-1 | Generic Elective - 1 (Choice-based) | Generic Elective (GE) | 4 | Introduction to Discipline, Fundamental Concepts, Basic Theories, Application of Knowledge, Current Trends |
| AEC-1 | Environmental Studies/MIL Communication | Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course (AEC) | 2 | Environmental Concepts, Ecology and Ecosystems, Environmental Pollution, Communication Skills, Language and Society |
| VAC-1 | Indian Constitution/Fitness and Wellness/Yoga/Digital Empowerment/Ethics and Culture (Choice-based) | Value Addition Course (VAC) | 2 | Constitutional Values, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Health and Well-being, Digital Literacy, Ethical Principles |
| SEC-1 | Art of Being Happy/Bhasha Shiksha/Communicative Bengali (Choice-based) | Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) | 3 | Well-being and Mindfulness, Language Learning Strategies, Practical Bengali Communication, Grammar and Vocabulary, Everyday Dialogues |
Semester 2
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSC-3 | Natak o Moncho Prasanga | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Evolution of Bengali Drama, Types of Plays, Modern Bengali Theatre, Playwrights: Dinabandhu Mitra, Girish Ghosh, Rabindranath Tagore''''s Drama, Contemporary Theatre Trends |
| DSC-4 | Godya Sahitya: Upanyas | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Origin of Bengali Novel, Bankimchandra and early novels, Rabindranath''''s novels, Social and historical novels, Modern Bengali novelists, Narrative techniques in novels |
| GE-2 | Generic Elective - 2 (Choice-based) | Generic Elective (GE) | 4 | Introduction to Discipline, Fundamental Concepts, Basic Theories, Application of Knowledge, Current Trends |
| AEC-2 | MIL Communication/Environmental Studies | Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course (AEC) | 2 | Communication Skills, Language and Society, Environmental Concepts, Ecology and Ecosystems, Environmental Pollution |
| VAC-2 | Value Addition Course - 2 (Choice-based) | Value Addition Course (VAC) | 2 | Constitutional Values, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Health and Well-being, Digital Literacy, Ethical Principles |
| SEC-2 | Skill Enhancement Course - 2 (Choice-based) | Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) | 3 | Specific Skill Development, Practical Applications, Problem Solving, Professional Communication, Industry Relevant Tools |
Semester 3
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSC-5 | Chhotogalpo | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Evolution of Bengali Short Story, Rabindranath Tagore''''s Short Stories, Post-Tagore Short Story Writers, Themes and Techniques of Short Stories, Symbolism and Realism, Impact of Social Change |
| DSC-6 | Kobita | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Development of Bengali Poetry, Rabindranath''''s Poetry, Modern Bengali Poets (Jibanananda Das, Nazrul Islam), Poetic Forms and Styles, Symbolism and Imagery in Poetry, Trends in Contemporary Poetry |
| DSC-7 | Sahityalochona o Sahitya tattwa | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Principles of Literary Criticism, Theories of Rasa and Dhvani, Western Literary Theories, Bengali Literary Criticism Tradition, Methods of Textual Analysis, Role of the Critic |
| GE-3 | Generic Elective - 3 (Choice-based) | Generic Elective (GE) | 4 | Introduction to Discipline, Fundamental Concepts, Basic Theories, Application of Knowledge, Current Trends |
| SEC-3 | Skill Enhancement Course - 3 (Choice-based) | Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) | 3 | Specific Skill Development, Practical Applications, Problem Solving, Professional Communication, Industry Relevant Tools |
| VAC-3 | Value Addition Course - 3 (Choice-based) | Value Addition Course (VAC) | 2 | Constitutional Values, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Health and Well-being, Digital Literacy, Ethical Principles |
Semester 4
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSC-8 | Rammohan Theke Rabindranath (1800-1940) | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Age of Raja Rammohan Roy, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar''''s Reforms, Emergence of Bengali Prose, Bankimchandra and early novels, Rabindranath Tagore''''s literary beginnings, Social and political influences on literature |
| DSC-9 | Rabindranath Theke Rabindranath (1940-2000) | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Impact of Post-Tagore Era, Kallol Yug, Progressive Writers'''' Movement, Post-partition literature, Modernist and post-modernist trends, Contemporary Bengali authors |
| DSC-10 | Nirbachita Bhasha o Sahitya Charcha | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Selected Texts from Various Genres, In-depth Literary Analysis, Contextual Studies, Critical Interpretations, Language Features of Selected Works, Historical and Cultural Influences |
| GE-4 | Generic Elective - 4 (Choice-based) | Generic Elective (GE) | 4 | Introduction to Discipline, Fundamental Concepts, Basic Theories, Application of Knowledge, Current Trends |
| SEC-4 | Skill Enhancement Course - 4 (Choice-based) | Skill Enhancement Course (SEC) | 3 | Specific Skill Development, Practical Applications, Problem Solving, Professional Communication, Industry Relevant Tools |
| VAC-4 | Value Addition Course - 4 (Choice-based) | Value Addition Course (VAC) | 2 | Constitutional Values, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Health and Well-being, Digital Literacy, Ethical Principles |
Semester 5
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSC-11 | Adhunik Bangla Sahityer Dhara (1900-1950) | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Rise of Modernism, Tagore and his Contemporaries, Literary Magazines and Movements, Impact of World Wars, Development of Prose and Poetry, Literary Criticism in the Period |
| DSC-12 | Adhunik Bangla Sahityer Dhara (1950 Theke Bartaman) | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Post-Partition Literary Landscape, Experimental Forms, Emergence of New Voices, Influence of Global Literature, Contemporary Bengali Novels and Short Stories, Trends in Modern Bengali Poetry |
| DSE-1 | Discipline Specific Elective - 1 (e.g., Tulonamulak Sahitya, Adhunik Bangla Sahitya: Nirbachita Godya) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Comparative Literature, Selected Prose Works, Genre Studies, Authorial Styles, Literary Movements, Cultural Contexts |
| DSE-2 | Discipline Specific Elective - 2 (e.g., Adhunik Bangla Sahitya: Nirbachita Kobita, Bangla Anubad Sahitya) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Selected Poetic Works, Translation Studies, Poetic Devices, Themes in Poetry, Theory of Translation, Transcultural Literature |
Semester 6
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSC-13 | Adhunik Bangla Bhasha o Byakaran | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Structure of Modern Bengali Language, Phonetics and Phonology, Morphology and Syntax, Bengali Grammar Rules, Semantics and Pragmatics, Regional Variations in Bengali |
| DSC-14 | Bhashatattwa o Sahityatattwa | Discipline Specific Core (DSC) | 4 | Introduction to Linguistics, Historical Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Literary Theories (Formalism, Structuralism), Post-structuralism and Deconstruction, Reader-response Theory |
| DSE-3 | Discipline Specific Elective - 3 (e.g., Folkloric Studies, Journalism in Bengali) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Folklore and Oral Traditions, Journalism Principles, Reporting and Editing, Media Ethics, Feature Writing, Role of Folk Culture |
| DSE-4 | Discipline Specific Elective - 4 (e.g., Creative Writing in Bengali, Digital Humanities) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Creative Writing Techniques, Poetry and Prose Writing, Digital Tools for Humanities, Text Mining and Analysis, Archiving Digital Data, Narrative Structure |
Semester 7
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSE-5 | Discipline Specific Elective - 5 (Choice-based) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Advanced Literary Concepts, Specialized Author Studies, Interdisciplinary Approaches, Research Methodologies, Critical Perspectives, Genre-specific Analysis |
| DSE-6 | Discipline Specific Elective - 6 (Choice-based) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Advanced Literary Concepts, Specialized Author Studies, Interdisciplinary Approaches, Research Methodologies, Critical Perspectives, Genre-specific Analysis |
| DSE-7 | Discipline Specific Elective - 7 (Choice-based) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Advanced Literary Concepts, Specialized Author Studies, Interdisciplinary Approaches, Research Methodologies, Critical Perspectives, Genre-specific Analysis |
| PROJ-1 | Research Project / Dissertation / Internship | Project/Internship | 12 | Research Design, Data Collection and Analysis, Report Writing, Presentation Skills, Practical Application of Knowledge, Industry Exposure |
Semester 8
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Subject Type | Credits | Key Topics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DSE-8 | Discipline Specific Elective - 8 (Choice-based) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Advanced Literary Concepts, Specialized Author Studies, Interdisciplinary Approaches, Research Methodologies, Critical Perspectives, Genre-specific Analysis |
| DSE-9 | Discipline Specific Elective - 9 (Choice-based) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Advanced Literary Concepts, Specialized Author Studies, Interdisciplinary Approaches, Research Methodologies, Critical Perspectives, Genre-specific Analysis |
| DSE-10 | Discipline Specific Elective - 10 (Choice-based) | Discipline Specific Elective (DSE) | 4 | Advanced Literary Concepts, Specialized Author Studies, Interdisciplinary Approaches, Research Methodologies, Critical Perspectives, Genre-specific Analysis |
| PROJ-2 | Research Project / Dissertation / Internship | Project/Internship | 12 | Independent Research, Advanced Data Interpretation, Thesis Writing, Oral Defense Preparation, Professional Networking, Career Portfolio Development |
