In a world where multiple media are consumed simultaneously, media education sector should also gear up for a change. By introducing a slew of courses, MCU aims to adopt a multidisciplinary approach to expand the scope of media education
On July 29, 2021, the nation celebrated one year of transformative reforms under the National Education Policy 2020. Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, Bhopal, Asia’s first and India’s oldest and largest media university, was among the first educational institutions in the country to roll out the NEP launching seven- and four-year Under Graduate programmes including five media courses for the upcoming 2021-22 academic session.
While educational institutions were struggling with the new challenges thrown by the pandemic, MCU made its debut in the India Today rankings for educational institutions for the first time in its three decades old history. It was ranked 12th in overall all India rankings giving a big boost to media education in central India.
Besides, the university has also launched a one of its kind Post-Graduate Diploma programme in Film Journalism from its campus at Khandwa, the birthplace of film actor, director and singer Kishore Kumar. Besides, with a view to give a distinct identity to its different campuses, the university is now offering a Post-Graduate Diploma programme in Rural Journalism, again one of its kind, from its campus at Rewa. The University is also giving a major push to its campus at Datia, famous for its Shaktipeeth.
The university is also all set to shift to its grand campus at Bishen Khedi on the outskirts of Bhopal. The campus, spread over 50 acres, would have state of the art facilities. It would also host a National Media Museum. In Rewa, too, a modern campus is fast coming up in five acres of land in the heart of the city.
Apart from Bhopal and its three campuses, MCU also imparts computer and media education to about a lakh students through its 1600 study centres located across the country. Though the university is known as a media university, it also runs hugely popular AICTE approved programmes in Computer Sciences and Management. It also offers courses in New Media Technology and Library Science. It has recently revived its popular bilingual media journal ‘Media Mimamsa’ as also its publications division.
(The writer is the Vice-Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedithe University and former Director General, IIMC)
