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History Of Journalism & Mass Communication In India

History of Mass Communication In india

Mass communication has evolved into a specialized field today. Till few years back, the course in Mass Communication was not an eligibility to join any media. A person with an English Honors degree or Economics Honors degree with an interest in current affairs was easily accorded the position of a journalist or sub-editor in a newspaper. If somebody has an artistic bent of media and a graduate, the road to a advertisement agency used to be easy for him/her. But scene has undergone a sea change today. Students with Journalism and Mass Communication degree are given preference over a simple graduate.The history of journalism in India dates back to 1780, when James Hickey started the Bengal Gazette which was a weekly political newspaper. There is a very rich history of mass communication in India too. Dadasaheb Phalke was the first known Indian filmmaker who made the first film " Raja Harishchandra


Institutes offering Mass Communication Courses in India

The first institute to provide a formal education in the field of mass communication is the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC).Located in the JNU campus, it was set up by the government in 1965. In 1966 it was made an autonomous Institution under the ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Today it has number of courses relating to different Medias.

After IIMC, the institute where most of the students were seen making a beeline for a course in media is AJ Kidwai Mass communication Research Centre (AJK MCRC). A centre under Jamia Milia University, it was set up in 80s with the collaboration of York University in Toronto to provide education at master’s level. Most of the country’s finest producers, directors and Journalist are the product of AJK MCRC and IIMC.

Now besides these two institutes, several universities have launched their own courses. There are over 75 Indian universities offering courses in journalism and mass communication. At least 18 universities are imparting course through distance-learning programmes.

With more and more 24-hours news channels coming up and new publications being launched every other fourth day, the number of private institutes offering course in Mass Communication has also witnessed a swing. While some are affiliated to government universities, others are purely autonomous and take no guarantee for any placement. Some of the private universities have made a mark and are equated with the best universities in India.