BA Political Science Entrance-based vs Merit-based Admission

Shuchi Bagchi

Updated On: October 31, 2025 12:52 PM

Know how entrance-based and merit-based admission are conducted in the BA political science course. Get the list of colleges accepting both forms of admission.

BA Political Science Entrance-based vs Merit-based Admission

Entrance-based vs Merit-based admission processes in India for a BA political science course are different. On the basis of the entrance-based admission process, the student has to appear for the exams such as CUET, LPU NEST, UGC NET, GATE, etc. While many of the colleges take admissions based on class 12 merit for political science courses, a few of the popular colleges may demand entrance exam qualification for admission. The commonly accepted entrance exams for Political Science courses are CUET, CUET PG, CPGET, UGC NET, GATE, SAT India, etc.

Also Read:

Top BA Political Science Colleges for UPSC Aspirants Tier 2 BA Political Science Colleges with Best Placements
List of BA Political Science Colleges for 90 Percentile in CUET

Entrance-Based Admission for BA Political Science Course

In the entrance-based admission process, admission is based on the BA political science exam marks, followed by the personal interview (PI) or written ability test (WAT). The top entrance-based universities are:

College List

Entrance Exam

Ashoka University (Sonipat)

Ashoka Aptitude Test (SAT/ACT)

O.P Jindal Global University (Sonipat)

JSAT/SAT/ACT

Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Pune)

SET (Symbiosis Entrance Test)

Delhi University

CUET

Banaras Hindu University

BHU entrance exam

Merit-Based Admission for BA Political Science Course

The following colleges accept merit-based admission BA political science course:

St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai/Kolkata)

Mount Carmel College (Bangalore)

Loyola College (Chennai)

Presidency College (Kolkata)

Fergusson College (Pune)

Hansraj College (DU)

Related Pages : Top BA Political Science Colleges in India | Top BA Political Science and History Colleges in Delhi

Entrance-based vs Merit-based Admission Criteria in BA Political Science

Check out the entrance-based vs merit-based admission criteria in the BA Political Science course from the table below:

Eligibility Criteria

Entrance Based

Merit-Based

Primary Factor

Entrance test score

Class 12th percentage

Secondary Factor

The admission process may include an interview or a writing test

None

Colleges Accepting

DU via CUET, JNU, BHU

St. Xavier’s College, Loyola College

Entrance-based vs Merit-based Admission Process in BA Political Science

Check out the entrance-based vs merit-based admission process in BA Political Science course from the table below:

Steps

Entrance-based process

Merit-based process

Application process

Fill out the exam form (for example, CUET/SET)

Apply directly to college

Selection process

The admission process is based on the entrance exam score and cut-off

The admission process is based on Class 12th marks and merit list

Final Admission Process

After the counselling process/interview

The admission is conducted after the document verification

Also Read: BA Political Science College Admission FAQs Answered

Entrance-based vs Merit-based Preparation Process in BA Political Science

Check out the entrance-based vs merit-based preparation process in the BA Political Science course from the table below:

Particulars

Entrance-Based Preparation Process

Merit-Based Preparation Process

Areas to focus

Requires preparation in different areas such as GK, reasoning, English, Current Affairs etc

Requires preparation from class 12th board exams

Difficulty Level

Moderate to high

Low to moderate

Time Required

Requires preparation based on the entrance exam syllabus

No preparation required

Entrance-based vs Merit-based Admission in BA Political Science: Which is Better?

The entrance vs merit admission in BA political science is based on the student’s merit and eligibility. The students who have scored 90% in class 12th with excellent reasoning and current affairs can apply for the entrance exam in colleges like DU, JNU, etc. If the student has scored good marks in the exam but does not want to appear in the entrance exam, they can go for merit merit-based admission process in the BA Political Science course.

Also Read: Top 10 Political Science Online Courses | Top Universities in India for Distance Course in BA Political Science

Some of the best BA Political Science colleges in India are Hindu College, St. Xavier's College, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Ramjas College, Kirori Mal College, and many others. The average BA Political Science course fees range from INR 360 to INR 12.5 Lakh in government colleges and from INR 360 to INR 30.68 Lakh in private colleges of India.

Are you feeling lost and unsure about what career path to take after completing 12th standard?

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FAQs

What are the major exams conducted for admission in the BA political science exams?

The major exams conducted for admission in the BA Political Science are: 

  • CUET
  • Ashoka Aptitude Test
  • LPUNEST

Entrance-based vs Merit-based Admission in BA Political Science: Which is better?

The admission process to the BA political science course depends on the student’s interest and eligibility criteria of the college. The student can appear for the entrance exam as well as take admission based on merit.

Can the student after scoring 95+ marks in class 12th exam appear for the BA political science entrance exams?

Yes. The students, after scoring 95+ marks in the class 12th exam, appear for the BA political science entrance exams conducted by the respective colleges. 

What is the average course fees for the BA political science course in government college in India?

The average BA Political Science course fees range from INR 360 to INR 12.5 Lakh in government colleges in India.

What are the best BA political science colleges in India?

The best BA political science colleges in India are: 

  • Hindu College
  • St. Xavier's College
  • Lady Shri Ram College for Women
  • Ramjas College
  • Christ University

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