HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST MASS COMMUNICATION INSTITUTE

Education enriches. Education equips. Education empowers. We all know this. Choosing the correct institution for doing any course, including that of mass communication, energizes the dynamics of good education. It positively reinforces the ethos of relevant studies for giving oneself the much-needed springboard for diving headlong into a career quest. So how does one go about choosing the best mass communication institute? Herewith, we discuss the pointers for getting the heads-up signal:

First and foremost, it is necessary to go through the faculty of the various institutes proffering mass communication programs. Faculty that is professional not only in the modicum of disbursing education but is also conversant in the topics is essential. Thus, the mentors and facilitators of the course should not just have the B.Ed. or the M.Ed. degrees they should have experience in the different subjects like reporting, editing, et al in diverse media like radio, television, internet, and print. Those that are trained educators obviously know the mechanics of teaching well. However those that are themselves working or have worked in the field and have adequate on-the-job training will have their own vibes to share with the prospective communicators. Hence, a mix of the two characteristics works well as able and informed faculty members. Thus, one should run a check on the profile of the professors that will teach you the course modalities.

It is relevant, equally if not more, to know the placement plan of the institute. A candidate enrolls and does so for a reason. It is to procure the best job offers possible in the given field. Providing a good platform to excel is relevant for a person to do well in work. Certain companies are known for proffering a healthy work climate. Here, I would like to quote Sana Marwaha Verma, chief sub-editor, Moneycontrol.com. “My first opportunity in journalism came from my institute. It was a dream job that gave me the drive and the fillip to continue further on in this arena despite buzzwords going around about how journalism is on the nosedive these days.” If a person lands up with a good offer for the first job it is redemption of their decision that they have chosen their profession well. This, in turn, and by rote acts as a battery for them doing well in their work and in building up the glory of their line, too. Young minds are nubile. They provide the manna to mold the person and if this mold is ideal, it is a magic potion for giving the candidate a thrust in the vocation. To cut a long story short, placements give you the foothold in an unknown industry. Hence, look at the placement structure of the institutes carefully before finalizing where you want to join.

It is a good idea to go through the curriculum offered by different institutes. If one has a person in the family or friends’ circle that is already pursuing mass communication, ask for their advice about what the latest in this domain is. Check the course curriculum and if it has recently been remodeled or reinvented. If so, then the knowhow they proffer will be up-to-date and not ages old or irrelevant. It is wise, too, to scan the infrastructure including the laboratories and the other equipment in the institutes. This should be not only up-to-the-mark but also the most recent that the industry asks for. Broadcast media, for sure, requires necessary exposure to good equipment used by the industry hands for collating and processing the information at hand. The students must familiarize themselves with this nitty-gritty if they are to feel at ease during their initial work days. Redundant infrastructure will serve no purpose in teaching the basics of the craft. Lastly, it is not a bad idea to check on reputed agencies and their ratings of the various colleges. This can quite be the scam for the uninitiated candidates. Be careful in this analysis. This is not to make the decision of the college to opt for as such. It is only for getting a ballpark hint on which institute the industry top rankers are rooting for and why. At end-point, it is necessary to note that one cannot have ‘one size fits all’ approach in deciding the institute. Each candidate has his own calculated risk to take. Thereby, it is your intuition, after doing your research that will always be the best torchlight in this process.