Friends, Mumbaikars and Indians! I am obliged to avow, that indeed, Ruparel is one of the best Mumbai has to offer. It’s over 50 years old, and still growing. A seminary for bandits a decade or so ago has now become a temple for the intelligentsia.
The ease with which Ruparel acquires toppers is unreal. It swanks of being the most sought after college in the city for the science stream. Due to the awe-inspiring desire, toppers have to obtain a seat in this cherished college; cut-offs always end up in the early 90’s. The commerce and arts stream may perhaps not have such ruthless competition for a presence in the merit list, Ruparel yet manages to crank-up a respectable 77 in this arena.
And now the reality…
Students and parents alike only enroll their students in Ruparel, solely because of the didactic reputation it has earned over the years. Little do the masses do to unearth what Ruparel in actuality has to proffer. Lets make things crystal clear. Ruparel is excellent for Junior College Science, decent for Junior College Arts and abysmal and substandard for the rest. The results they produce speak for themselves. Science is towering, Arts is somewhere in between whereas commerce is yet to be seen. The Degree college too is nothing special, and unquestionably not for assiduous students.
Having said that, Ruparel offers state-of-the-art laboratories for Biology, Physics and Chemistry. No prehistoric, putrid specimens, no broken test tubes and any defected apparatus and measuring instruments. Separate labs for first year and second year students are its strong suit. Although two students will be conducting the practical simultaneously, there is no problem as such.
The teachers are not impressive. There are very good teachers definitely, but few of them annihilate the good name the good quality professors make. The Maharashtra Board Syllabus is all about mugging so there is nothing special and unique in the teaching approach of the professor. However, a handful of professors assume that the brains of the city have assembled in the college; hence they will easily be able to handle the syllabus without external or additional help. This attitude makes them a bit sluggish and lackadaisical in their approach.
The good things students face in the college is healthy competition. By virtue of being amongst a bookish crowd does make one studious. The student begins working hard beyond his expected limits. The jealousy or the disappointment the student faces when subjugated by his peers motivates the student to try harder. No wonder, it’s a solemn birthplace for toppers. They also conduct special classes for those who have done well in the 11th and nurture them properly for the 12th.
Its unique feature includes a Competitive Exam Center. Here, students can approach the full-time professor with doubts pertaining to the various competitive exams going on in the country. They also conduct courses for students who want to prepare at nominal rates. The college has a mammoth library encompassing a whole building of three floors. New facilities also include a free cyber café for the benefit of students. Usually the reading rooms are full considering that students bunk lectures to sit there for self-study!! The computer laboratory is unparalleled and the best among Mumbai colleges. Ruparel is also blessed with an extraordinarily huge campus having not only the college buildings but three huge grounds, a gymkhana with all facilities available, a college hostel for outstation students as well as a few staff quarters for the senior faculty. The college book depot is also well equipped with most of the sought stipulate books in the syllabi.
The extra curricular provisions are great. Owing to the big campus, it can conduct all indoor and outdoor sports with professional coaches training students at very nominal charges. The location of the college is also ideal. It’s right next to the railway station and not very far from Dadar or Shivaji Park.
They are ABSOLUTELY unconcerned about attendance. They have stipulated certain codes of conduct, which they haven’t even bothered to enforce. Students blatantly flaunt the rules nonchalant about the consequences. No defaulters (black) list whatsoever. Its administration is not very organized. The typical Maharashtrian mentality (I dare say) of stalling errands and responsibilities is evident when one makes his first trip to the office. The peons and clerks are helpful but bad-tempered and ratty. The watchmen are quite strict about ID cards so a student cannot take the law on his/her head easily.
Ruparel doesn’t crow about popular celebrity alumni due to its academic nature. Its alumni are far from being in touch with college as most of them are not in the country.
There aren’t many hang out spots outside college. Café’s, theaters, beaches are at walking distance but a handful actually bothers to make the trip.
In conclusion, Ruparel is undeniably the place to be. It’s a toppers paradise. Furthermore, a student who jus wants to have a good time can exploit the facilities offered here to its fullest extent and make his college years moments to cherish!