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In the late 1960s, when Vinay Som took up a job at the Anandabazar Patrika, his longtime
fiancé Radhika refused to marry him. The reason she gave was: “My father will never
agree to this match as he believes that those who have nothing else in life to do become
writers or journalists!”
Year 2004: Shravani Mishra, an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad plans to take up writing has her full
time career as “With the phenomenal growth in media it’s the most happening career right
now!!”
The rapid expansion of media in the last two decades has not only changed the perception of the
people towards journalism as a career but has also increased the demand for competent media
persons, well versed in latest communication technologies. This in turn has given rise to several
schools for wannabe journalists across the country. Some might believe that the power of pen is
something inherent that cannot be taught but has to be developed with years of continuous and
meticulous practice. Yet this new age Journalism Schools [popularly known as J Schools]
promise to teach the “craft of journalism” with a span of 10 months to two years.
However, the J school aspirants are facing a problem quite similar to the one B school aspirants
faced back in the early nineties: How to select a quality institution? Moreover unlike B Schools,
there is no official survey done on J Schools that would make it easy for an aspirant to choose his
or her college. Nonetheless certain factors could help one to make his/her choice.
The first thing that a student should consider is placement. High placement figures substantiate
the fact that the training imparted at the College is held in high esteem in the industry. In this
respect, colleges that have been around for sometime like the IIMC, Asian College of
Journalism, Jamia Milia Islamia, and Symbiosis do have an edge over the others.
Infrastructure or facilities is the second factor to take into consideration. One should definitely
check out if the institute has a proper computer lab with facilities for photography, video editing
and producing lab journals. The other factors that should guide one in deciding his/her college
are faculty, class strength, tie up with other media houses and practical exposure given during the
course.
Although journalism is basically a craft, there is an academic side to it. Journalistic skills can be
learned on the job. But, an academic foundation may never be acquired at a later stage. A
journalism student should do a lot of reading and hence one must check out if the institute has a
good library.
With the above criteria in mind the following list of the “10 best journalism colleges in India”
have been compiled. [In an alphabetical order]
Asian College of Journalism
This College has been functioning in Bangalore since the early nineties under the aegis of BD
Goenka Trust. It was taken up by Media Development Foundation and its base shifted to
Chennai in 2000. The college has a year long course in print, broadcast and internet journalism.
One of the special features of the college program is a ten-week BBC course for the broadcast
journalism students, which is one of its kind in India.
The two year postgraduate course in journalism offered by the Kolkata and Delhi Universities
help an aspiring journalist build up a solid academic foundation. The universities also arrange for
internships with media houses.
Established in August 17 1965, the IIMC is one of the oldest and most reputed institutes in India.
It trains wannabe journalists in a variety of disciplines including print journalism, photo
journalism, radio journalism, television journalism, development communication,
communication research, advertising and public relations.
The institute, established in January 2001, offers students a post graduate diploma in Journalism.
The curriculum of the school has been developed in association with the Columbia University
Graduate School of Journalism, New York.
This new entrant in the field of journalism colleges has already carved a niche for itself. The 10-
month course usually starts from mid-June. The college, located in Kottayam, has courses
designed for both English and vernacular stream journalists.
The institute offers a BA degree in Journalism and Communication Studies. It also offers a two-
year post graduate degree course in Mass communication which is open to graduates from all
over the country.
School of Convergence
The institute offers a two year Post Graduate Diploma in Content Creation and Management,
Print, Radio, Television, New Media and Cinema.
Recognized by Maharashtra Technical Board, the one year full time course offered by the
college is held in high esteem in the industry. The college arranges for a month long placement
after the course ends.
Established in 1990, the Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication offers a two years
postgraduate diploma in mass communications with specialization in print, cyber and broadcast
journalism. It also offers a BA course in journalism.
Institutions offering Journalism and Mass
Communication courses in India
Asian College of Journalism, Kasturi Centre, 2-Anna Salai, Chennai-2.
International Institute of Mass Media, H-15, South Extension 1, New Delhi 110049.
MassCoMedia, A 94-3, Sector 58 Noida- 201 301, U.P.
Sophia College Polytechnic, Sophia College Campus, Babubhai Desai Road, Mumbai
400026.
Shreemati Nathibhai Damodar Thackersey Women's University, 1 Nathibai
Thackersey, Road, Mumbai 400020.
Dept. of Extension Education, SNDT Women's University, Sir Vithaldas Vidyavihar,
Juhu Road, Santacruz (W), Mumbai 400049.
Symbiosis Institute of Communication, Pune-411004.
IIJNM Curriculum
Both the diploma programs consist of core courses including advanced seminars, electives, media
workshops and a master's thesis project. Depending on the type of diploma program, the requirements
vary. These courses are offered in two semesters: July-December and January-June.
Both diploma programs emphasize practical training in addition to important theory. This is
accomplished by covering news at least twice every week in Bangalore city and surrounding
rural areas, using advanced media equipment, working with sophisticated editing software for
text, image, sound and video, publishing newspapers, magazines, TV and radio programs, and
on-line multimedia news presentations. All these are carried out under the guidance of veteran
journalist faculty who are complemented by guest lecturers from the media industry. Further,
students get the opportunity to intern at media organizations for two weeks to a month. In
summary, by the time the academic year ends, the graduating class is ready to hit the road
running in their chosen fields – an unmatched experience among media education institutions for
motivated students.
Media Concentrations
3) Multimedia
Print and New Media students are required to cover both areas, with special focus on newspaper,
magazine or web journalism, respectively. Television and Radio students produce both television
and radio programs as part of their Broadcast curriculum, with special focus on their area of
interest – TV or radio. Multimedia students are required to produce a multimedia website that
incorporates all aspects of their study--audio, video, slideshows, etc., and provides links to
upload material on cell-phones and PDAs.
Students concentrating in newspaper journalism must take the workshop that requires producing
an in-house newspaper. Magazine journalism students produce a monthly magazine. New Media
students produce a weekly on-line publication. Broadcast students may produce both TV and
radio news segments and documentaries, depending on their particular area(s) of interest.
Students concentrating in multimedia journalism must take the workshop that requires producing
an in-house multimedia website.
Core courses introduce students to reporting and writing, and provide a foundation from which
much of the subsequent program work is done. The emphasis is on developing their reporting
and writing skills. Students also learn the techniques and tools available to them, and understand
the ethical and legal issues involved in professional journalism.
Advanced area seminars emphasize selected major areas of journalism, namely, national political
reporting, international news coverage, business and financial reporting, and developmental
journalism. Advanced concentration seminars provide further skills in the chosen concentration
— Television, Radio, Newspaper, Magazine, New Media or Multimedia.
Elective courses allow students to specialize in one or more subject areas such as political
reporting, international news coverage, investigative reporting, business reporting, digital photo
journalism and others.
Media workshops are in Television, Radio, Newspaper, Magazine, New Media and Mutlimedia.
Each student is required to pick one specialty. In the Television workshop students plan and
produce television programs including news bulletins and documentaries on various topics.
Similarly in the Radio workshop students work with sound and learn to produce different kinds
of radio programs. In the Newspaper workshop, students plan and write a newspaper several
times during the semester on politics, crime, health, society and other topics. Magazine
workshop requires publishing a monthly magazine. Students learn how to interview, write and
edit. New Media workshop builds on the course on New Media tools, and students learn to apply
these techniques to traditional story-telling elements. New Media workshop requires publishing
both a newspaper and an on-line magazine several times during the semester. Mutlimedia
workshop requires publishing and maintaining, on a regular basis, a website using all the aspects
of Convergence.
In its scope and duration, the master's thesis project is the postgraduate student's major effort of
the year, an in-depth exploration of a topic as a journalist would pursue it. The master's thesis
project may be executed in Television, Radio, Print, New Media and Multimedia. Each student is
assigned an adviser who helps select a topic and provides guidance in focusing the project,
conducting the research, and reporting, organizing and writing. The master's thesis project is
intended to demonstrate students' ability to conduct and sustain research over several months,
their ability to gather and organize large amounts of material, and their capacity to present that
material clearly and accurately.