The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication is the only one of its kind in the entire state.  The department was established in 1986 and has made steady progress in the one and a half decade of its existence. The students and teachers have worked all these years, together, to earn the status that this department has in the media industry today. And, almost all the products of this department wanting to join the media have been placed year after year.

Department Teaching Programs

Bachelor’s course in Journalism and Mass Communication

This is a post-graduate one-year degree course. Admission to this course is through an open competitive examination. There is stiff competition for the 25 seats available for this course. Last year there were close to 20 students competing for each seat. The focus of this course is on giving the students conceptual inputs and practical skills required to excel in the various fields of Mass Communication.

Master’s course in Journalism and Mass Communication

The admission to this course is available for those who have already done a recognised post-graduate degree or diploma in Journalism/Mass Communication. The focus of this course is on developing deeper understanding of and research orientation towards mass communication process and the behaviour and functioning of communication media.

Ph.D. in Journalism and Mass Communication

This is the most recent programme initiated in the department and already enrolls 14 researchers. The Doctoral programme was undertaken keeping in mind the need to appreciate and develop a sound knowledge base of the special conditions in which communication activities need to be undertaken in this developing state, to understand special communication behaviours of the people with respect to the communication messages and media; and several other problems faced by the practitioners of development communication.

Teaching Methods

The department has over the years and with experience evolved innovative teaching and training methods for its students. This has over the years helped our students to attain jobs easily and perform better when they get into the profession. Personality development, building up positive attitudes and a value system have become part of the dept’s culture.

(i)     Simulated and Practical Learning

To make learning effective the students work in simulated and real-life field conditions. Classroom is used to simulate real life press conferences, interviews etc. The students are then asked to report and edit the simulated stories.

Also, the students are encouraged to go out in the field in the afternoons, holidays and weekends and file reports next morning for the department’s lab-journals Hill Beat. This instills in them confidence and expertise of a professional newsperson.

(ii) Motivation and Inspiration

The department also believes in non-formal teaching and training. The faculty members lay emphasis on grooming each student after assessing individual capacities and limitations. Keeping these in mind the students are motivated to imbibe the requisite professional qualities and capabilities. They are inspired to take initiatives to attain best possible skills.

Industry Orientation

The curriculum and the teaching/training methods are designed, keeping in view the needs of the industry. Apart from the industry oriented atmosphere the department firmly believes in:

(i) Constant interaction with the industry experts – Pursuing this objective over the last several years the department has arranged the students’ interaction with the renowned media professionals and academics. This not only instills in them the confidence of attaining the latest knowledge but also effectively fills the gaps between the latest developments in the field and academics. Some of the media luminaries to have interacted with our students over the last few years include:

Mr. Prem Kumar, Former Editor, The Tribune, Chandigarh

Mr. Vijay Saigal, Former Editor,  Dainik Tribune, Chandigarh

Mr. NK Trikha, Former Editor, Nav Bharat Times and Member Press Council of India, New Delhi

Mr. Radheyshyam Sharma, Editor, Divya Himachal, Dharamshala

Mr. Dinesh Kumar Sharma, Resident Editor, Times of India, Chandigarh

Mr. Kanwar Sandhu, Resident Editor, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh

Mr. Derek D’Souza, Former Resident Editor, The Indian Express, Chandigarh

Mr. Anant Dehadrai, Vice President Marketing, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Mr. Gobind Thukral, Senior Correspondent, The Tribune, Chandigarh

Mr. Om Thanvi, Former Editor, Jansatta,

Mr. Upendra Vajpayee, Veteran Journalist, ,

Mr. Sat Soni, Former Editor, Sandhya Times, New Delhi

Ms. Nandini Sahay, Associate Editor, Grassroots Press Institute of India, New Delhi

Ms. Samara, Editor, Rozgar Samachar, New Delhi

Mr. Rajeshwar Dayal, Consultant, Fredrick Foundation, New Delhi

Mr. Ved Pratap Vaidik, Former Editor Bhasha, PTI, New Delhi

Mr. Shailesh Kumar, News Editor, Zee TV, New Delhi

Mr. Rajendra Awasthi, Editor, Kadambini (Hindustan Times group), New Delhi

Mr. Arum Shourie, Former Editor-in-Chief, The Indian Express, New Delhi

Mr. Khushwant Singh, Former Editor, Illustrated Weekly and Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Ms. Amrita Pritam, Writer

Mr. Kamleshwar, Former Director General, Doordarshan, New Delhi

Dr. Govind Singh, Senior Producer, Aaj Tak, New Delhi

Mr. Amit Narender , Chief Editor, Vir Arjun, Jallandhar

Mr. Sadanand Pandey, Co-Editor, Vir Arjun, Jallandhar

Mr. Barjinder Singh, Chief Editor, Ajit Samachar, Jallandhar

Ms. Irwin Khanna, Editor, Uttam Hindu, Jallandhar

Mr. Chander Mohan, Editor, Vir Pratap, Jallandhar

Mr. Balraj Sahani, Eminent Writer

Mr. Ravindra Kumar, Managing editor, The Statesman, New Delhi

Mr. Alok Verma, News editor, Zee TV, New Delhi

Mr. Manoj Raghuvanshi, TV Personality and producer

Mr. Rajat Sharma, TV Personality and producer, IMPL, New Delhi

Mr. HK Dua, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribue, Chandigarh

Mr. VN Narayanan, Former Editor, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Mr. Setia, Director, All India Radio, New Delhi

Mr. Devki Nandan Pandey, News Reader and Announcer, All India radio, New Delhi

(ii) Attaching students with local media outfits – The students are encouraged and helped, early in the course, to start working with various media organizations in the city in the evenings. This conditions them to handle pulls and pressures of the media job.

(iii)             Internship training – Each winter, when the university breaks for winter vacations, the students and teachers of this department go to the cities in the plains. There the students start their two month long internship with big media houses like The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Zee TV, The Indian Express etc. The list goes on. While the students gain invaluable experience in a job like situation, making up for what they miss out on in Shimla, the teachers constantly monitor their progress. During this time, the teachers take turns in the cities where the students are working and meet the bosses to get regular feedback on how the students are doing. The training of each student is modified according to the ground realities. The teachers also attend to all major and minor problems; from boarding and lodging to health problems, from problems at the workplace to the personal difficulties.

Post-course Handling

Though this is the most testing time for the faculty members, this we believe, is the job we are the best at. We believe that our responsibility for our students’ progress and welfare does not cease a student's ties with the department do not cease with the completion of the course. A special feature here is the ex-students (those in job or without it) visiting the department. We continue to train those, who for some inadequacy or the other did not get a job. They are encouraged to informally attend special extension lectures and afternoon practical training program along with regular students. We also try to keep their confidence and morale high and succeed at it too.

The Dept Lab Journal

The dept brings out a lab journal HILL BEAT produced by the students of the department. Hill Beat is a community paper reporting life in Shimla and is appreciated for its professional content and wide appeal. Each student as a part of his/her daily practical assignment ventures in the field as would any other professional reporter, collects and writes news reports, articles, and features, all under the guidance of the dept teachers. After editing their stories, the students design the edition and the printed version is circulated in the city, media outfits and the other Journalism Departments in the country.

Near 100% Placements

The biggest contribution of this department has been scores of journalists who represent the state in all major national and regional media organizations. This despite the fact that most new comers to the department come from rural and interior reaches of the state. With labour of love and commitment, consistently for over a decade, we have seen our students flower, as individuals and as professionals.

The students and teachers have worked all these years, together, to earn the status that this department has in the media industry today. And, almost all the products of this department wanting to join the media have been placed.