Symbiosis Centre for Media & Communication BJMC Review By Sakshi John

SCMC is among the few colleges that offers media course. In media there were few options such as journalism and advertising and I chose advertising. The media course designed by Symbiosis is more inclined towards practical so that we are industry ready as soon as we pass out. We were often sent to attend some work shops or for a month’s internship and sometimes our parents doubted that are we studying in the college or engaged with something else. The best part was that this is one college where one can find girls dominance. Even our faculty members asked us to be proud of the fact that girls have dominated boys in this field. The college has done everything possible in its capacity to make sure that we contribute the best to our abilities and this is why I feel that our college still hasn’t got the recognition that it deserves.

The course is more practical oriented than theory. We are given situation and are asked to work on that. The course was divided in 6 semesters and was divided in modules. 15 in each semesters and last semester had one extra. Grow digitally was the way forward and we served as interns in some digital advertising agencies and during our course we also got the opportunities to work with various ad gurus as well. Even in advertising we were given ample opportunities and options and we can choose to be intern where we like. At some point, it actually was like that is it for real. I could have never imagined for such a tailor-made course in which students’ study what they actually want. Thumbs up to the management for such a wonderful task in making sure that academic part keeps the student on their foot rather than making them bang their heads.

The best that one can find. The number of faculty did confuse me at times but never mind the way they helped us. The best in the business were on board as I chose ad making and Prahlad Kakkar’s ex assistant was there to teach us. They gave us the actual feel and essence of what it takes in ad making and how they are made and presented. The faculty members were quite helpful and were more of a mentor than teachers.

After the 1st semester itself you are placed as an intern in the field of your choice. Since the management is affluent, they have made sure that no one is left behind and that all gets placed. Many ad agencies and Bollywood firms like Yash Raj Studios, and Ajay Devgan’s VFX companies were among the ones who recruited our batch of students. Among the media houses, The Republic, Times Now were the front runners. While in last semester the placement cell comes and registers the students. Thus, a proper planning is done from the college end and most of us actually got placed with the agencies we worked as an intern. The pay package is initially low if we compare that to MBA but getting an opportunity in the advertising field is more than enough that college can do for students.

The hostel is common for the various institutes that are located in the campus. There are in all 6-hostel building and out of which 4 are ladies and 2 are boys’ hostel. I lived in triple sharing as we all three were classmates. There were 32 rooms in our wing and 96 girls used to stay in our hostel. 2 hostel buildings were on twin sharing but of course the fees were higher. The rooms were well furnished and clean as well. Since the hostel is at a distant place from the college, there were buses organized to take us from hostel to college.

The building is 7 storied tower and two institutes like ours and Symbiosis Institute of Design were in same building. They occupied 2 floors, 1 was more of an admin block and rest 4 blocks belonged to SCMC. The building also had an audio-visual room, recording room, a photography lab and a recreation area. Apart from our building there are 2 other Symbiosis institutes present in the college campus. The campus is huge and there’s a huge auditorium in the campus. A huge playground, 2 mess, 2 canteens, and 1 Café Coffee Day Outlet as well. Medical facility is on board at the campus and there’s nothing that you don’t have normally at a University campus.

There are many clubs to be engaged in the pursuit of our interest. Interacting with students from different faculties was fun. I joined dance club and participated in the fests all 3 years. Like dance there are numerous other opportunities and the campus was a great place where I learned and shared my knowledge. The life at the college was fun and was nice to mingle with people from different walks of life.