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Bachelor of Arts (BA) is a three-year undergraduate degree programme that focuses on a variety of disciplines such as English, History, Political Science, Geography, and so on. Candidates can pursue a BA general or BA Hons programme based on their preferences and the results of their +2 board exams. The BA general programme emphasises an overview of primary subjects, whereas the BA Hons programme emphasises a specific specialisation. A minimum of 50% in class 10 and 12 exams is required to be eligible to pursue a BA course. Admission to the BA programme is based on both entrance and merit. Top BA Colleges such as DU, BHU, and JNU are now taking CUET scores into account for BA Admission.
The Bachelor of Arts specialisation determines job opportunities after the BA course. After graduation, students can consider Civil Services, becoming a teacher, Content Writer, and other relevant professions, or they can pursue an MBA or law. The average salary offered following a Bachelor of Arts course is determined by the BA Specialization. According to payscale, BA Economics graduates earn INR 7 - 8 lakhs per year, while BA English graduates earn INR 3 - 4 lakhs per year.
Provided below are the major highlights of Bachelor of Arts:
Course Name | Bachelor of Arts |
Short Form/ Popular Name | BA |
Course Duration | 3 Years |
Course Type | Regular & Distance Learning |
Eligibility Requirement | 10+2 with at least 50% |
Age Criteria | At least 17 years |
Selection Process | Merit & Entrance- Exam based |
Course Fee (Annual) | INR 6,000 to INR 1,50,000 |
Job Roles | Computer Operator, Associate, Executive Assistant, Content Writer, Teacher, Operations Manager, HR Manager, Graphic Designer, Subject Matter Expert, Primary School Teacher, Consultant, Marketing Manager, Customer Service Representative (CSR) etc. |
Average Salary Offered (Annual) | INR 2,00,000 to INR 8,10,000 |
Also Read: DU UG Admission 2023
With over 9 million people pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree, the BA degree has become one of the most popular courses in India. Some of the reasons why you should pursue a BA after high school are as follows:
Students who are unsure of which specialisation to pursue can download the BA courses list from the college website. With options from Psychology, Anthropology, History, Literature, Political Science, Philosophy, Foreign Languages, Foreign Studies, Tourism, Public Relations, Sociology, and more, a student can easily customise their Bachelor of Arts course to fit their future goals. The following is a list of popular BA courses:
BA Economics | BA Geography |
BA English | BA Psychology |
BA Music Vocal | BA Anthropology |
BA Sociology | BA Sanskrit |
BA History | BA Home Science |
BA Rural Development | BA Telugu |
BA Philosophy | BA Gujarati |
BA French | BA Punjabi |
BA Dance | BA Media Science |
BA Tamil | BA Journalism |
BA Film Studies | BA Social Work |
BA Social Science | BA Astrology |
BA Education | BA Fine Arts |
BA Business Economics | BA Acting |
BA Fashion Designing | BA Urdu |
BA Political Science | BA Tourism |
Given below are the detailed eligibility criteria for BA:
Check out the syllabus of top BA courses in India below:
BA Political Science | |
Understanding Political Theory | Political Theory-Concepts and Debates |
Generic Elective | Indian Political Thought |
Modern Political Philosophy | Public Policy and Administration in India |
Global Politics | Classical Political Philosophy |
Ability Enhancement Course | Perspectives on Public Administration |
Modern Indian Political Thought | Language - MIL/ English Environmental Science |
Constitutional Government and Democracy in India | Ability Enhancement Course |
Perspectives on International Relations | Generic Elective |
Political Process in India | Environmental Science Language - MIL/ English |
Pol. Process & Inst. in Comparative Perspective | Introduction to Comparative Government & Politics |
BA English | |
English Literature Twentieth-Century Indian Writing | Concurrent – Qualifying Language |
Literary Theory | Nineteenth-Century European Realism/ Classical Literature/ Forms of Popular Fiction |
Concurrent – Discipline Centered Contemporary Literature | Modern European Drama |
Anglo-American Writing from 1930 | Women’s Writing of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries |
BA History | |
History of Modern East Asia | History of India |
Social Formations and Cultural Patterns of the Ancient World | Social Formations and Cultural Patterns of the Medieval World |
History of Modern Europe | History Of Southeast Asia: 19th Century |
Rise of Modern West | Generic Elective: Delhi: Modern or Issues in the Contemporary World, Environmental Issues In India, Making of Contemporary India, Research Methodology in History, Delhi: Ancient, Delhi: Medieval (Any 4) |
Generic Elective: Art Appreciation: An Introduction to Indian Art, Archives & museums, Understanding Heritage, Understanding Popular Culture (Any 2) | – |
BA Psychology | |
Introduction to Psychology | Psychology at Work |
Statistical Methods for Psychological Research-I | Dealing with Psychological Disorders |
Developmental Psychology | Community Psychology |
Organizational Behavior | Health Psychology |
Counselling Psychology | Human Resource Management |
Environmental Science | Psychological Research |
Applied Social Psychology | Positive Psychology |
Stress Management | General Psychology |
Biopsychology | Social Psychology |
Psychology for Health and Well-being | Statistical Methods for Psychological Research-II |
Youth, Gender and Identity | Emotional Intelligence & English Communication |
Development of Psychological | Psychology of Individual Differences |
BA Philosophy | |
Indian Philosophy | Applied Ethics |
Western Philosophy: Descartes to Kant | Understanding Psychological Disorders |
Continental Philosophy | Philosophy of Language (Indian & Western) |
Text of Western Philosophy | Text of Indian Philosophy |
Analytic Philosophy | Philosophy of Religion (Indian & Western) |
Fundamental of Social Work | Greek Philosophy |
BA Social Work | |
Beginnings of Social Work | Social & Political Philosophy: Indian and Western |
Communication and Development | Basic Concepts in Psychology |
Social Deviance and Social Problems | Physical, Mental and Community Health |
Social Policy and Social Development | Community Organisation |
Social Action and Movements | NGO Movement |
Social Legislation and Human Rights | Areas of Social Work Practice II |
Research in Social Work | Working with Individuals & Working with Groups |
Contemporary Social Concerns | Social Welfare & Administration |
Social Psychology | Concurrent- Credit Language |
BA Economics | |
Introductory Microeconomics | Skill Enhancement Course |
Indian Economy | Introductory Macroeconomics |
Development Economics | Introductory Econometrics |
Development Economics | Intermediate Microeconomics & Macroeconomics |
Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course | Skill Enhancement Course |
Discipline-Specific Elective | Indian Economy |
Statistical Methods for Economics | Intermediate Microeconomics |
Generic Elective | Ability Enhancement Compulsory Course |
Mathematical Methods for Economics | Mathematical Methods for Economics |
BA Archaeology | |
Methodology and Perspectives of Social Science | History of Folklore |
History of Art and Architecture in India | Introduction to Sociology |
Cultural Transition in Pre-Modern Kerala | Methods of Archaeology |
Making of Modern Kerala | Development of Sociological Theory |
– | Basics of Archaeology |
BA Sociology | |
Archival Conservation and Reprography | Making of Modern Kerala |
Informatics | History of Art and Architecture in India |
Introduction to Sociology | Methods of Archaeology |
History of Folklore | Development of Sociological Theory |
Development of Numismatics in India | Understanding the Past |
Basics of Indian Numismatics | Introduction to Political Science |
Growth of Indian Archaeology | Early Societies in India |
Introduction to Archives and Records | Governmental Machinery and Processes |
Archaeological Sites and Monuments in India | Methodology and Perspectives of Social Science |
Cultural Transition in Pre-Modern Kerala | Basics of Archaeology |
BA Geography | |
Geomorphology | Climatology |
Cartographic Techniques | Geography of Population |
Concurrent – Qualifying Language | Analytical Physical Geography |
Oceanography | Thematic Cartography (Practical) |
Geography of Settlements | Concurrent – Credit Language |
Economic Geography | Environmental Geography |
Remote Sensing (Practical) | Urban Geography |
Concurrent – Interdisciplinary | Geography of Natural Resources |
Spatial Dimensions of Development | Statistical Methods in Geography |
Geography of India | Evolution of Geographical Thought |
Social Geography | Regional Planning: Case Studies |
Field Techniques | Disaster Management |
Geographical Information System | Optional: Agricultural Geography, Bio Geography, Political Geography, Geography of Tourism, Contemporary Environmental Issues and Rural Development |
BA Anthropology | |
Introduction to Social Anthropology | Introduction to Biological Anthropology |
Archaeological Anthropology-I & II | Technical Writing & Communication in English/ Computational Skills |
Anthropology of Kinship | Biostatistics and Data Analysis |
Theories of Culture and Society | Human Genetics |
Primate Biology / Cell Biology-I | Molecular Biology-I & II |
Tribes and Peasants in India | Anthropology of religion, politics & economy |
Biodiversity & Indigenous Knowledge / Cell Biology II | Anthropology of India |
Human Ecology: Biological Dimensions | Biological Diversity in Human Populations |
Human Ecology: Social and Cultural Dimensions | Genetics & Genomics |
Field work dissertation | Fundamental of Human Origins and Evolution |
Genomic Diversity in Human Populations | Anthropology In Practice |
BA Rural Studies | |
Elements of Rural Development | Rural Development Policies and Programmes |
Indian Rural Economic Scene | Indian Rural Social Scene |
Note: This is a BA course syllabus for only a few courses. Candidates can check out the syllabus of their desired course/ specialisation specifically on the website.
The following table lists some of the BA course subjects taught:
English | Psychology |
Philosophy | History |
French | Sociology |
Journalism and Mass Communication | Media Studies |
Religious Studies | Any Other Linguistics Course |
The following list of BA Course electives includes some of them:
Elements of Rural Development | Understanding Human Language | Archaeological Anthropology |
Urban Geography | Economy and Society | Introductory Econometrics |
Communication and Development | Ethics In Public Domain | Philosophy of mind |
Developmental Psychology | Environmental Issues In India | Global Politics |
Contemporary Literature | Public Policy and Administration in India | Ability Enhancement Course |
In India, BA admission is offered through both merit and performance in entrance exams. Colleges or educational institutes offering BA either conduct an institute level entrance exam to shortlist candidates or consider their performance in academic qualification to provide them admission.
Both an entrance exam and a merit-based selection process are available for BA admission. Numerous universities offer direct admission to the BA programme and admission based on entrance exams. Candidates should have their results from the respective entrance exam boards available when applying for a BA degree at the universities of choice. The steps one should typically take to get admission are listed below, even though the admissions process differs from college to college.
Candidates can apply for BA courses by following the steps outlined below:
Step 1: Check into the application form requirements and deadlines listed by various colleges and universities if you want to an admission to a BA programme.
Step 2: Register for the entrance exams required for BA admissions at the colleges and universities you want to attend
Step 3: Once confirmed, save the application process for future use. Also, for admission and other important notifications, keep an eye on the exam or the university's official website
Step 4: After appearing and passing the BA entrance examination, candidates must fill out an application form for their desired university with personal information such as academic details, entrance examination results, and so on
Step 5: Candidates who successfully meet the university's eligibility requirements are shortlisted for the counselling round (if any) to finalise the admissions process
Step 6: After clearing the counselling session, candidates must pay the university's entrance fee in order to be confirm their admission to the BA course
Candidates can apply for BA courses by following the steps outlined below:
Step 1: Fill out the online BA application form
Step 2: Pay the registration fee and any additional fees if admission is granted based on merit
Step 3: The shortlisted applicants will receive invitations to the subsequent phases of the hiring process, such as individual interviews or counselling
Step 4: Candidates must submit all the required documents and fee in order to confirm their admission to BA course
No matter the specialisation, the selection process for BA courses in India is typically the same. The final selection of candidates is typically made by colleges based on the candidates' entrance exam scores after their applications for the course are received. The candidates' academic achievements during their undergraduate degrees also have a big impact.
Entrance exams are a common and popular way for some colleges to screen students to determine who will be admitted to the course. Many well-known colleges across the country have made a name for themselves through internationally recognised research projects. These colleges frequently hold entrance exams because the demand for admission is greater than the number of seats available. Some of the most popular BA entrance exams are listed below:
Students who are interested in applying to the college can access the BA course information by visiting the college's official website. When it comes to how the college approaches the entrance exam, specialisation is crucial. Some general guidelines for the BA entrance exams are listed below:
Both full-time and part-time options are available to students who want to pursue a BA. The different BA course types are detailed below:
BA Full-time | Part-Time BA | Distance BA |
The full-time BA programme typically lasts three years, during which time students must physically attend classes, turn in assignments, and take exams on campus. The benefit of taking a full-time BA course is that students will have much more exposure to, experience with, and knowledge from their peers and faculty. | For students who are unable to attend regular classes, there is a part-time BA programme. Depending on the course, part-time courses may involve online, weekend, or night classes. The benefit of the part-time BA programme is that students can complete it while also working, conducting research, etc. | The Distance BA programme is offered by numerous Indian universities and colleges. The course was created with the principles of distance learning in mind. Students who cannot afford to attend classes on-campus or who are working full-time and cannot take time off to enrol in a full-time course should take this course. |
Check out the top colleges for BA admission:
College | Location |
Loyola College | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
Brainware University | Kolkata, West Bengal |
St. Xavier’s College | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
Lovely Professional University | Phagwara, Punjab |
Hindu College | New Delhi, Delhi |
Dr. MGR Educational & Research Institute | Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
Fergusson College | Pune, Maharashtra |
The Neotia University | Kolkata, West Bengal |
NIMS University | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
Chitkara University | Patiala, Punjab |
BA graduates must possess a variety of complex and soft skills in order to succeed in their careers. Students may not always be able to learn these skills in a traditional classroom setting. Instead, these are abilities that can only be discovered through practice. To gain as much experience as they can, students should always make an effort to step outside of their comfort zone. Among these abilities are:
The degree programme known as a BA is usually targeted at students who have an interest in and inclination toward the humanities and social sciences. The BA course is contrasted with other courses in the table below:
The table below showcases the differences between BA and BBA:
BA vs BBA: Course Comparison | ||
Course | BA | BBA |
Full-Form | Bachelor of Arts | Bachelor of Business Administration |
Stream | Arts and Humanities | Business Management |
Course Duration | 3 years | 3 years |
Eligibility | 10+2 in any stream with 50% aggregate | 10+2 in commerce stream with 50% aggregate |
Entrance Exams | IPU CET, BHU UET, JSAT, TISSBAT, DU JAT, CUET | GGSIPU CET, DU JAT, SET, AIMA UGAT, NPAT |
Top Colleges | St. Xavier’s College Mumbai, Christ University, Presidency College Chennai | Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, NMIMS Anil Surendra Modi School of Commerce |
Fees | INR 4,000 - 65,000 LPA | INR 1 - 2.5 LPA |
The table below showcases the differences between BA and BSc:
BA vs BSc: Course Comparison | ||
Course | BA | BSc |
Full-Form | Bachelor of Arts | Bachelor of Science |
Stream | Arts and Humanities | Science |
Course Duration | 3 years | 3 years |
Eligibility | 10+2 in any stream with 50% aggregate | 10+2 in the science stream with 50% aggregate |
Entrance Exams | IPU CET, BHU UET, JSAT, TISSBAT, DU JAT, CUET | NEST, UPSEE, TS EAMCET, IEEE, NPAT |
Top Colleges | St. Xavier’s College Mumbai, Christ University, Presidency College Chennai | Miranda House, Lady Shri Ram College, Presidency College Chennai |
Fees | INR 4,000 - 65,000 LPA | INR 10,000 - 2 LPA |
Job opportunities for BA graduates are easily accessible to students. With options from Psychology, Anthropology, History, Literature, Political Science, Philosophy, Foreign Languages, Foreign Studies, Tourism, Public Relations, Sociology, and more, a student can easily customise their Bachelor of Arts course according to their future goals. The majority of BA graduates find employment in teaching positions. The graduate's BA scope of work is extensive and covers a wide range of professions and industries. The following are some of the common positions that graduates hold after receiving their BAs:
The following are some of the most in-demand jobs for BA graduates:
Job Profile | Description |
Content Creator | Content creators can work in a variety of fields, including copywriting, travel writing, blogging, and so on. They are also required in large multinational corporations to create content for brands and advertising. |
Academic Writing | Academic writers typically create content for research articles or papers and edit previously written articles to make changes. |
Air Hostess/ Flight Attendant | They are in charge of the safety of the passengers on board the flight, as well as their care and service. |
Political Consultant | A political consultant investigates the origins, evolution, and operation of political systems, which may include public opinion, ideology, political decision-making, and so on. |
Author/ Writer | Apart from various types of literature mediums, an author writes fictional, academic, nonfictional, or any genre of books or short stories. |
Historian | A historian typically records historical occurrences in chronological order, whether they pertain to past or present individuals, social, ethnic, political, or geographical groups, or to some aspect of human activity. |
Psychologist | Psychologists use their training and experience to conduct psychological testing, individual and group psychotherapy, and diagnostic interviews. They have the option of working alone or with other specialists or multidisciplinary teams. |
Executive Assistant | A secretary or administrative assistant-like position is filled by an executive assistant. Typical tasks range from taking and making phone calls to setting the agenda for business meetings and reading incoming reports, among others. |
Counselor | A counsellor advises professionals or students about their studies and careers in accordance with the interests of the client. They either work independently or for a counselling agency. |
Foreign Language Expert | The professionals who assist in translating conversations and written documents to help remove language barriers in business and communication are known as foreign language experts. |
Social Worker | Any field, such as child labour, women's rights, unemployment, anima services, etc., can use social work. Social workers are needed by a large number of governmental institutions and organisations. They are also employed by both domestic and foreign NGOs. |
Archaeologist | An archaeologist explores historic and prehistoric sites and looks at the artefacts to understand the connections between people and the past and to preserve ancient cultures. |
Graduates with a BA can find a wide variety of jobs in both the public and private sectors. After completing a BA programme, students are not restricted to their specialised fields, leading to a wide range of employment opportunities. The BA course is a broad-based course with many specialisations. There is a suitable plan for almost every candidate choosing the BA course, regardless of their prior academic experience, personal preferences, and aptitude for a given program. Several areas for recruitment include:
Depending on the specialty that candidates choose to pursue, the BA salary for graduates can vary. Experience, location, and specialisation are additional factors that may have an impact on a BA's salary in India. Internships and job placements can help graduates earn more money because they expand their experience.
BA Salary in India
Graduates earning a BA typically make between INR 2.5 and 3 LPA. PayScale is the source. The following table displays the breakdown of salaries for BA graduates in India:
BA Salary | Amount |
Highest Salary | INR 18 LPA |
Lowest Salary | INR 3 LPA |
Average Salary | INR 9 LPA |
The list of BA job profiles and their average yearly salaries are shown in the table below:
Designation | Salary |
Assistant Professor | INR 3.3 LPA |
Executive Assistant | INR 3.7 LPA |
Content Writer | INR 2.6 LPA |
HR Manager | INR 6.8 LPA |
Operations Manager | INR 6 LPA |
The BA is one of the most varied programmes in terms of graduate prospects for higher education as well as employment opportunities across many industries. The student will be able to find relevant jobs in their field or the right course for further education depending on the BA specialisation they choose. Whether a BA graduate decides to work or pursue further education, their options are quite broad.
BA degree holders can work in both the government and private sectors, earning an average salary of INR 4 - 7LPA. Some of the main domains for these candidates to work in include educational institutes, economic development, export companies, foreign affairs, law firms, lobbying firms, media houses, and so on. Bachelor of Arts students with less than one year of experience can expect to earn between INR 18,000 and 25,000. A minimum salary of INR 22,000-28, 000 can be expected in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai, among others. In other cities, the starting salary can range between INR 15,000 and 18,000, depending on the job profile and the company. Some of the top recruiting firms for Bachelor of Arts include Deloitte, ITC Hotels, NIIT, Byju's, Toppr, BCG, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, KPMG, Accenture, and others.
BA graduates have a wide range of employment options available to them right away. In terms of graduate employment options, the BA is one of the most varied programs. Following is a list of career options open to BA graduates:
After completing their undergraduate studies, BA graduates have the option of continuing their education. Depending on their BA specialisation, BA graduates have a wide range of options. The names of the courses that BA graduates can enrol in after completing the course are listed below:
Candidates with a Bachelor of Arts degree can pursue professional courses such as MBA, LLB, B Ed, and so on. Aside from these, there are several professional diploma courses available, such as photography, language studies (French, Spanish, and so on), graphic design, digital marketing, and so on, that will help you get better jobs in the market. Students with a BA degree can enroll in an MBA programme. MBA applicants must have completed a bachelor's degree with a grade point average of at least 50%. In order to study MBA after BA, students must prepare for MBA Entrance Exams. Because there is no age limit for studying LLB, studying LLB after BA is no longer a problem. Students with a bachelor's degree can study LLB for three years.
Bachelor of Arts, or BA, is a three- to four-year degree programme that is popular in the US and the UK. A 4 year Degree Course is known as an Honours Bachelor's Degree in the UK, while a 3 year Bachelor degree is known as a Minors Bachelor's Degree. Although studying for a BA abroad is expensive, the benefits are substantial. In the UK, the average editor makes 25000 pounds per year, or about INR 24,00,000. High Language Proficiency Scores To be accepted into a foreign college to study BA, tests like the TOEFL and IELTS are crucial.
The following are the main reasons for studying BA Abroad:
The following are some of the basic eligibility criteria for admission to an Art School around the world:
The following are the language requirements for studying abroad:
The admission procedure that a student must follow in order to gain admission to any foreign college is outlined below:
The documents required for BA Abroad studies are listed below.
The following lists the top arts and humanities colleges worldwide along with QS rankings, college name, country, and fees:
QS Arts and Humanities World Rankings 2020 |
College Name |
Country |
Fees (INR) |
1 |
University of Oxford |
UK |
33,27,800 |
2 |
Harvard University |
United States |
35,54,730 |
3 |
University of Cambridge |
UK |
25,71,500 |
4 |
University of California, Berkeley(UCB) |
United States |
31,76,500 |
5 |
Stanford University |
United States |
13,32,500 |
6 |
Yale University |
United States |
41,60,800 |
7 |
New York University |
United States |
40,00,000 |
8 |
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) |
United States |
24,48,500 |
9 |
Princeton University |
United States |
40,61,500 |
10 |
Columbia University |
United States |
45,00,000 |
The following are the basic costs that a student incurs when studying abroad:
Type of Expense |
Price (INR) |
Visa Application Cost |
6,347 - 38,500 |
IELTS Fees |
14,000 - 18,000 |
TOEFL Fees |
12,000 - 19,000 |
GMAT Fees |
19,000 |
GRE Fees |
14,350 - 17,300 |
Travel Costs |
37800 - 1,05,000 |
Lastly, completing a Bachelor’s degree abroad provides a huge opportunity to shine in the future because the student will be noticed by others.
BA programme is an engaging and highly reflective area of study. A BA course's intrinsic value can be assessed by students because it provides more employment opportunities than any other stream. As a result, the BA job scope is constantly expanding and appealing. Graduates of this course can choose from a wide variety of job roles. The flexibility of the specialisations offered to students allows them to pursue a variety of roles in their careers.
Anyone who earns a bachelor's degree gains valuable work skills. No matter the size of the college, the goal of earning a bachelor's degree in the arts is to provide the student with a solid foundation that will enable them to engage in a variety of activities. Effective writing, public speaking, and critical thinking are among these abilities. Time spent in college is a time of change. The student learns how to manage time, money, and health while maintaining a commitment to himself in a challenging environment akin to the real world during this period. For instance, a student who does not turn in their paper on time will only receive a poor grade. A worker who fails to turn in a crucial report risks losing their job.
Lastly, students might interact with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and walks of life during their time in college. Greater communication opportunities may result from this.
No particular age is required to enrol in any course or earn a degree. When you decide to study and start your life, it is entirely up to you. After completing your graduation, you can pursue a BA.
If you want to attend conventional colleges, you can pursue your bachelor's in arts degree one at a time. For example, if you want to pursue a BA in history and a BA in political science, you can do so if you choose one of them to be taught online.
Yes, a BA programme is very helpful for IAS preparation. Indian Administrative Service is referred to as IAS. Once you have earned your bachelor's degree in the arts after two years, you can register for UPSC entrance exams.
65% in BA is considered good and 1st division. In fact, you can use these grades to apply for jobs in both the public and private sectors.
In terms of passing criteria, 35% is the minimum requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, BA Program.
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