Shreen Hamdani
In a conflict zone like Kashmir, where studies suffer every now and then, the journalistic aura has emerged with growth of Mass Communication departments in three recognized universities and two-Degree colleges.
Mass communication is the course, which is becoming important subject and vast field to work upon in contemporary time. Media is changing with its expansion and mushrooming for the betterment of society. It has changed the concept of simple Mass Communication and Journalism.
In our part of the world, Kashmir University is the first institution, which started this course in 1985. Many batches have passed out from this university, and are working in different national or international media outlets.
But lack of facilities is marring the future of Mass Communication students of Kashmir. As a matter of fact, all the important Mass Communication institutions are presenting bleak picture in terms of overall infrastructure.
“Media is very dynamic medium and is ever going. It will be our endeavor to keep pace over it by upgrading all facilities and improve our methods of teaching and practicing on a continuous basis”, says Faruk Masudi, H.O.D MERC Department of KU.
Kashmir University is planning to introduce guest lecturers belonging to different fields like geologists, scientists, physicians and law to the fresher batch.
“There is definitely a lot of scope for improvement. We have doors open to all streams, so that a law student can become a good crime journalist or management student to be a business journalist”, he added.
Kashmir University represents folk street theatre based on the concept of anti-ragging. All participants are voluntarily ready to work under the supervision of H.O.D and concerned professors.
Mr. Faruk Masudi, believes that there is always a scope of progression in every department and states that they are trying their best to connect education with society. Students are free to be creative in showing their skills.
Universities and colleges are coming up with innovative courses of Journalism like convergent journalism (including web and mobile devices) and Multimedia.
There is intake capacity of 30 to 40 candidates in every college or university. They are trying their best to groom all students who are passionate towards this field. Indeed, Higher Education Department is planning to start this course in another Degree college.
Every year these platforms are producing 110 budding journalists to the society. Moreover, there are 20 budding journalists from Government College for Women, M.A.Road and 30 from Central University of Kashmir this year.
“It is very good initiative and achievement for our society to produce more journalists in our own homeland which is going to procure against the trend of studying outside state”, says an Er. Haneef Rashid.
However, Students have their own experience to narrate.
Students who are passionate for aspiring journalism in their post-graduation program ought to be from journalism background only. Students state it is very unjustifiable to allow bachelor degree holders of the other streams to join directly Masters Programme.
“Graduate in any disciple should not allow opting for journalism. Seats are very few and aspirants are in long queue. Recently an entrance examination that Kashmir University conducted for this session comes up with selection of 39 students, when around 450 aspirants were allowed to appear in the same examination. Aspirant seeking admission in journalism must be passionate towards this profession rather than putting his leg into it by chance”, says Aaqib Makhdoomi, journalism student.
“This is the field where one has to be, jack-of-all-trades. Universities and colleges must provide a platform to channelize students in a proper way, so that they can chisel their potential and caliber towards their profession”, he chipped in.
Today thinking of media less society is out of one’s sight. Media plays vital role in developing the nation. There are many forms of media indeed, print journalism, electronic journalism, photography, videography or convergent journalism.
However, as far as the university or college departments in Kashmir are considered, they are yet in under developing process. Kashmir University was the first school of journalism in Kashmir and later it was Government Degree College, Baramullah. Still infrastructure is not up to mark in these institutions that lead students in disappointment.
Lack of basic facilities, exposure define the rot. “Mass communication is such field where one needs to be practical but unfortunately there is no scope and sign of getting exposure in Kashmir”, says Arusha Farooq, journalism student, recent pass out of Women College M.A.Road.
Women College M.A.Road, started MCMP (Mass Communication and Multimedia Production) Bachelor degree program in 2010 for the first time. College got good response and selected 20 female students on basis of entrance examination.
Department was initially started by a single relevant teacher who used to teach four professional subjects alone throughout year. Later faculty started stepping up and got few more teachers appointed, but still the teacher ratio falls short to meet the desired results.
However, in next session, the intake capacity was same but few students appeared in examination and other batch was merely of seven students.
“Higher Education authorities just announced the department with nothing at their disposal, except hike in fee structure. Department gave us nothing apart from certificate”, says Arabia Hamdani, PG student at Kashmir University.
Freshers of current session added their apathy that they are in dilemma about the infrastructure and faculty of MCMP department of the Women College.
“Only two teachers are running our department headed by H.O.D of Functional English, Prof. Masood Malik. There is no context of professionalism and we feel that we live in dark room”, says one girl among fresher batch, wishing anonymity.
The department of MCMP at Women College M.A.Road, has improvised in equipments but faculty is demoting rather than escalating. The course do not confined to Mass Communication and Journalism only. There are more four subjects of graphics and designing in the degree but unfortunately no relevant faculty.
“I have joined college a month ago and it’s too early to comment on”, says Mir Usman, lecturer.
Journalism seems glamorous profession on the camera but it is quite hard and tough job off the camera.
Central University has also taken pledge to cater more space for post-graduation in this field, but could not come out with professional journalists. These institutions are yet at their infancy stage.
“Now in aggregate 50 Under Graduate and110 Post Graduate Mass Communication students pass out every year. Where they would get adjusted in the market when they are basically unprofessional”, asks a working journalist with local daily.
In nutshell, the Mass Communication Departments in Kashmir are still lagging far behind vis-à-vis basic facilities.