National Institute of Mass Communication and Journalism Review By Dwarkesh Joshi

NIMCJ is a baby in front of IIMC. As soon as the students and the faculty came to know that I have come from IIMC, they made the leader and asked to lead. In a way, I became the leader because what was being taught at the PG level here was not new to me. Here 12 months course means a complete 12 months because the internship happened during the breaks and there was just a 15 days break in the entire year. Even during Diwali, we had just 4 days holiday and likewise for all other festivals. NIMCJ was chosen out of proportion as I thought PG is required to have a big pay placement but no matter whether you have done a diploma or postgraduate diploma, the initial salary is always going to be less in the field of journalism. The two-month internship and my previous experience were enough to impress my new employees with whom I did the internship. More than the salary I was happy with the position that I was offered. I always thought I had a creative mind and writing was my passion. So, if you are also among those, take up journalism.

Classes were meant to be an affair where we were assigned assignments. Laptops have to be taken to all classes and we were allowed to do the projects in groups or individually depending on our choices. College has set the students free to be in their space. This is essential as sometimes we need shoulders around while sometimes, we need to be alone. The college management and the professors were aware of all these ifs and buts.

Journalism will always have faculties from outside the college. Their experience and their advice will guide you more than what the in-house faculty can guide you. Faculties here were not that experienced as they were more to teach us what’s in the books. The practical understanding was less from their end but they didn’t interfered much and gave students the much-needed freedom. Specializations were the same as they were in my previous college but professors were a little less experienced.

100% placements were done because our batch was small and we all were placed comfortably. Some were still in their teens when they started working and this itself is one of the biggest motivations to take up journalism. The package may not be high initially but if you have it in you then you will definitely be settled much before what the students of other fields do and that too spending much less in terms of finance and time than those people.

Hostels were badly needed because even though from Gujarat but more than half the batch was staying in PGs or rented apartments. Ahmedabad has students from various places and therefore there are many private hostels in the city. There was a nice PG nearby and I stayed there. Boarding and lodging at just 6k per month was unbelievable.

The college was a four-floor building located at the Gandhinagar Highway. It was arguably one of the best-developed highways that I have seen. I am from Delhi and for all those who say, one should see that highway or that highway, I would request them to come and see the highway in which this college is located. What we don’t have at this highway. There are residential buildings and commercial buildings on this highway. Almost all the branded food outlets and mostly the vegetarians one because Gujju land hardly has non-veg restaurants. My ancestors were from Gujarat and maybe it was in my destiny to come and study in my motherland and I am happy that I came here. Cleanliness and greenery were next levels. First floor of the building was for UG students, 2nd for MA and the third floor was ours that also housed the print and electronic media labs. Those labs should be incorporated by IIMC because this is what labs are. The studio which is the most important room for learning journalism was beyond my imaginations. Lightings, cameras, and an editing room adjacent to that. The 4th floor was the admin block and the staff room was also located on the top floor. The building had lifts, washrooms on each floor, and also water purifiers on all floors. Stairs were always filled with students because that is where all the creativity of the students came out. The college didn’t have much of a space as the space between the gate and the building was less than 50m.

The joyous atmosphere at the college almost lets you forget that you have come miles from your home. There were hardly any students from other states but our Gujju friends were so heartwarming that they never let us feel like one. Would bring Gujarati breakfast for us most of the days and college canteen which was anyway of no use was hardly used by us. I may have not got the desired job but I got the job where I wanted to and for that, I was pleased with the campus of NIMCJ.