GetMyUni's Verdict on Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun

Pratiki Patra

“Getting admission into Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, is a worrisome affair for students throughout their academic journey. The university is severely lacking and ineffective on several fronts, which the administration does not pay heed to.”

Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun greets everyone with its majestic buildings. Anyone visiting it for the first time is awestruck by its sheer grandeur. However, as much as it is majestic, many students are disappointed with the university. As one delves deeper into various aspects of the university, it gets difficult to find particular areas in which it has excelled or even has performed to the mark.

The list of concerns that the students have presented on various online forums includes its inefficient faculties and their monotonous teaching techniques, poor placement record, incapable infrastructure and many more. Among all of these, the only factor that the students enjoyed on campus was the Graphic Era Hill University's cultural fest. The students have expressed that they chose the university only to regret it later. 

Plain Sailing Curriculum

Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, follows a straightforward course curriculum. This means that even though they cover the UGC-prescribed courses, they do not deviate from them. But at the same time, the management has failed to add any additional topics that would make the courses enjoyable.

The university offers only undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The degrees are offered in only a few fields, such as Journalism, Design, Business Administration, Computer Science, Engineering, etc. The famous courses of the university are B.Tech, MBA, BJMC, BCA, etc. 

Students are often found discussing their dissatisfaction with the course structure on various online platforms. On pondering, it is found that while they mostly chose the course in which they want to pursue their careers and excel, the courses have not yielded any fruitful results.

The curriculum is primarily focused on the theoretical part while almost wholly ignoring the practical aspects. Hence, the knowledge is never received in its entirety. Furthermore, for a few professional courses, unrelated subjects like Environmental Sciences, Economics, etc. have also been included. This pressurizes the students in return. The exams are conducted twice in a semester and are easy to pass. 

Expensive Course Fees

Being a private university, Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun charges quite a lot of money from its students. It is hard, especially for students from economically compromised backgrounds, to afford the courses. For B.Tech, students need to spend around INR 2,62,000 yearly, while MBA students must pay INR 2,67,000 per annum. For B.Com, the course cost is INR 1,43,000, and for BCA, it is INR 1,27,000 yearly. Scholarships are only provided to a few students based on their merit.

Inexperienced Faculties

The faculties at Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, are among the most troubled and concerned areas of the university. From the organic reviews of the students on various discussion forums, it is evident that the faculty members are oblivious to their teaching. Moreover, only a few of the faculties hold a doctoral degree or any significant experience. Many of the faculties are alumni of Graphic Hill University who are now working as professors there. 

Due to lack of experience or otherwise, the faculty members do not employ new and innovative teaching methods. They still essentially hold on to the traditional methods. This makes the lectures monotonous. In addition to this, it does not encourage class participation or a healthy discussion about the subjects. The faculties stick to the theoretical or book's knowledge. No attempts are made to provide practical knowledge and make it a holistic approach.

Many complaints have been raised by the pupils regarding this. But the administration has not paid attention or taken any steps to improve it. This has severely hampered the students. Moreover, the professors are not supportive or friendly in their approach. Therefore, many students do not approach them to resolve any kind of academic doubts. Students at Graphic Era Hill University mainly self-teach themselves.

The students are also not encouraged to engage with various books or topics to further gain knowledge on the subject. Often, students might feel demotivated in such circumstances. In addition, each class has between 70-80 students. Only a single faculty member is allotted to teach the entire class, as the number of students is not divided into sections. Hence, the student-teacher ratio is skewed.

Average Infrastructure

Except for its grand buildings, nothing much can be said about the infrastructure being grand. The university has three campuses in the state of Uttarakhand. The campuses are very small and less spacious. Students often struggle to find open spaces to sit and hang around with students. The classrooms are comparatively spacious and seat the students comfortably.

However, many times, the air-conditioning or the fans present inside the classrooms do not work properly. The internet connectivity is stable and good throughout the campus. The laboratories present are decent and well-equipped. The central library of the Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, holds a good number of books. Although, the genre of books is not varied. 

The sports area available is significantly less. Only a handful of sporting facilities are available for the students to enjoy. Every nook and corner of the campus is lined with CCTV surveillance, making it a safe place for everyone. There is a dedicated canteen for the students offering a good variety of foods. However, students find it expensive for the quality and variety offered. 

Multiple Hostel Facilities 

Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, offers hostel facilities for boys and girls. There are multiple hostels with various room options that the students can choose from. Rooms ranging from single occupancy rooms to triple sharing rooms with air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned rooms are available. The rooms are well furnished and provide a comfortable living environment. The hostel perimeter is tightly secured with a good security system, making it safe.

However, the hostel fees are costly. It ranges between INR 44,000 to INR 1,30,000. For students who may find it difficult to pay such high charges, they can opt for the various paying guest options available in the city at reasonable prices. 

Poor Placement Record

Graphic Era Hill University does not attract several top recruiters. Only a handful of them visit the campus for recruitment. The placement cell conducts a few training sessions to brush up on the students' skills. The highest package received so far is INR 84,88,000 LPA for B.Tech. However, the average package remains at INR 3,50,000 LPA. 

Dull Campus Life

Life at Graphic Era Hill University can be very uninteresting. Nothing much happens on campus except classes. Because of the cramped space, students are also not able to hang out on campus. They can only keep themselves engaged with the limited sports facilities. Although, the annual fest of the college is celebrated grandly every year.

Each year, celebrities from the entertainment industry perform in the fest. It is one event that the students most await. Not much diversity in terms of culture and various walks of life can be seen amongst the students as students mainly from the state take admission. This is coupled with the fact the university charges steep course fees, which many cannot afford.

Dress Code and Rules 

The campus follows a strict dress code and uniform system. Students must wear uniforms and maintain the decorum of the campus. The university also has other stringent rules and regulations, including a 75% attendance criteria. Similarly, there are numerous hostel rules as well, which the students must follow while on the hostel premises.

Is Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, Worth it?

If only getting a degree and education is the ultimate goal of a student, then Graphic Era Hill University, Dehradun, might be a good option. However, if they are looking towards a holistic approach, the university is a massive failure in terms of that.

The university majorly lacks on various fronts like infrastructure, faculties, management, etc. The inexperienced faculty members, coupled with a lack of practical knowledge and following traditional course curriculum, do not help students get any adequate knowledge that can be used further. The placement records, except the highest packages, are sub-par. If one is looking forward to taking admission, then one must think thoroughly before making one's final decision.

Here's a look at the pros and cons of Graphic Era Hill University Dehradun:

*Source: dehradun.gehu.ac.in