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As the entire media landscape in India is experiencing a major change due to the digital revolution, the changes in the behaviour of the audience, and the demand for multi, skilled, ethically conscious professionals, the necessity of media education that anticipates the future is extremely urgent. Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC), Pune, is very much aware of this and continues to lead the way in journalism and media education with its flagship postgraduate programs. These are not only designed to equip with the necessary professional skills but also to nurture the future leaders of the media.

While it is true that journalism, content creation, and strategic communication are the three areas that are gradually blending into each other, SIMC's academic philosophy is still unchanged: the future of media will be the people who can think critically, tell responsible stories, and use their influence for good, whatever platform they have.

SIMCs programmes are a mix of deep, rooted values and contemporary media, related practices along with the real, world exposure, so students can not only see media as an industry but also as a societal force. The content of the courses concentrates on students' ability to change, their inventiveness, and their integrity, thus they are equipped with the skills necessary not only for certain jobs but also for leadership positions in journalism, media production, and communication management.

Flagship Programmes Shaping the Next Generation The MA in Journalism & Media Industries delves into the changing role of journalism in a digital, first world. The programme focuses on storytelling across formats, media research, narrative depth, and ethical reporting, thereby arming students with the skills necessary to engage audiences in a responsible manner in an era characterised by a non, stop flow of information.

In contrast, the MA in Film, Television & Digital Production instils in students the knowledge and skills required to take advantage of the rapidly growing content economy. Experiential learning equips students with the abilities to innovate, construct, and implement content for the film, television, and digital media sectors, such as OTT channels.

Industry Integration at the Core

SIMCs are deeply connected to the industry and this helps students to have hands, on and real, world experiences through internships, live projects, and being in the company of professionals. Such an approach serves as a bridge between the theory learned and the actual professional work; therefore, graduates become academically strong as well as industry, ready.

Dr. Ruchi Kher Jaggi, Director of SIMC, highlights, Media education today cannot be limited to just skill acquisition. Our MA programmes develop the qualities of clarity of thought, ethical judgment, and creative confidence in students making them professionals who not only are aware of their responsibility of narrating but also understand the media complexity. SIMC goes beyond skills and placements and instils ethical responsibility, critical inquiry, and reflective practice in its students, thus, producing professionals who have the ability to shape public discourse with integrity. By doing this, SIMC is not only Indias redefinition of media education but also the creation of media leaders who are socially aware, ethically grounded, and future, ready.

India's media and entertainment industry is no longer a niche career choice; it is a ₹2.7 trillion powerhouse. As the FICCI–EY Report 2025 reports, the sector is growing rapidly, digitally driven by journalism, OTT platforms, advertising, film production, and public relations. With skilled media professionals increasingly in demand, picking the right media college has become the most crucial first step for budding journalists, filmmakers, and digital storytellers.

What has changed in recent years is not only the scale of opportunity but also the manner in which students can gain access to top institutions. Through a single entrance test, GMCET, it became possible for students to seek admission into more than 50 leading private media colleges in India.

India's Best Media Colleges

Several of these institutions have, therefore, continued their domination in media education, primarily for their strong industry linkages, practical training, and placement outcomes.

National School of Journalism, Bengaluru, is amongst the top few options providing courses such as BA Journalism (Honours) with average placement packages being in the range of ₹10–15 lakh/annum.

The NRAI School of Mass Communication, New Delhi offers PG Diploma and Mass Communication programs, with average reporting packages of ₹8–12 lakh.

JECRC University, Jaipur offers BJMC and multimedia-related courses. The fee structure is approximately around ₹1.5 lac per year, and the placements lie in the range of ₹7–11 lac on average.

The MET Institute in Mumbai is known especially for the courses in media, advertising, and journalism and fetches average packages from ₹12–18 lakh.

Some of the other prominent names in this category include GNA University, Punjab; Ajeenkya DY Patil University, Pune; The NorthCap University, Gurugram; School of Broadcasting and Communication, Mumbai; Alliance University, Bengaluru; and Chandigarh University that offer specialized courses in Journalism, Digital Media, Communication Design and Broadcasting.

How GMCET Is Changing Media Admissions

Conventionally, aspirants had to sit for numerous entrance tests with varying formats, syllabi, and timelines. GMCET has streamlined this into a single nationally accepted test for admissions into over 50 reputed private media colleges.

Such an examination would test the students on current affairs, media awareness, writing skills, and logical reasoning—closely at par with industry expectations. GMCET also offers merit-based scholarships, with fee waiver from 25 to 50 percent or more for the top performers.

Most often, the registration for GMCET starts from September and goes on until July, offering ample opportunity to students, hence reducing admission-related stress.

Why Media Careers Are Booming

From IPL broadcasting to Netflix originals, digital-first newsrooms to influencer-led brand storytelling, India's media ecosystem is expanding across platforms. From Presidency University, Bengaluru, for example, it has been reported that there were median placement packages of ₹15-25 lakh with alumni placed at NDTV, BBC, Disney+ Hotstar and other global media organizations.

For students targeting such competitive institutions, it all comes down to early planning and the right entrance pathway. As a single test opened the door to many colleges, GMCET has emerged as a practical solution in this increasingly crowded admission landscape. As the media industry in India continues to expand, the real challenge for aspirants is no longer a lack of opportunity-but choosing the right launchpad.

One teacher’s classroom lesson involving static electricity has gone viral on the internet, bringing delight to millions as it revives debate on using fun in science education, a philosophy long advocated by this publication.

The inspiring incident occurred in Sandipani English School in Halvad, a town in the state of Gujarat, where teacher Mayur Vaishnav was carrying out a simple physics demonstration of static electricity. But the lesson in physics would quickly become a lesson in inspiration, which spread like a wave far beyond the classroom.

Vaishnav explained the presence of static charges by rubbing a cloth on the heads of his students. When the cloth was removed, the student hairs rose into the air as if they were flying. This impressed the students to the point that they all laughed as the class erupted into applause just seconds after.

A video of the experiment, which was eventually uploaded on Instagram, showed the extent of the joy the students felt when this experiment took place. In the video, it is seen that two of the students are involved in this experiment as the rest of the students show their excitement as their hair stands up. The video eventually went viral with over 26 million views.

Fans flooded the comments section with accolades for the teacher’s novel teaching methodology. Some commented that they would have wanted such teachers during their school days, while others shared memories of experiments that inspired interest in science.

"This is how science should be taught—simple, visual, and fun," wrote one user. Another added, "This video reminds us that learning doesn’t have to be boring."

Experts say that experiences such as this re-emphasize the need for learning through activities, particularly in subjects such as physics, which are normally associated with difficulties. Using real-life examples, as witnessed in the physics demonstrations, leads to optimal learning outcomes, besides kindling curiosity. In an era where the education sector emphasizes primarily results and exams, the viral static electricity experiment in Gujarat ought to remind us of a very important fact:The best part about teaching and science? Joy and wonder.

Thousands of shouting demonstrators poured into the capital city of Dhaka and other cities, burning down the buildings of the most popular media groups as well as another connected to the previous prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, owns 32 Dhanmandi.

In a statement issued by the government of President Yunus, it said it “strongly and unequivocally” denounces all forms of violence, intimidation, arson, and destruction of property and appeals to all citizens of Bangladesh to resist all forms of mob violence that were committed by a few fringe elements.

“The country has seen its courage and its tolerance threatened with terrorism. Attacks on journalists are attacks on truth. We promise you full justice," read one of the messages.   “But I would like to assure that the government is standing with those journalists threatened by mobs. To the journalists of Daily Star, Prothom Alo, and New Age: We are with you. We are deeply sorry for the terror and violence you have faced," said the government.

Focus on the democratic change that the country was undergoing, it was stated, “"This is a critical moment in our country’s history. We cannot and must not allow it to be derailed by those few who thrive on chaos and reject peace."

It also highlighted the significance of upcoming elections and a referendum, referred to as "no less than political exercises, but a solemn national commitment."

Describing Hadi as a martyr, it said, “This promise is interwoven with the dream Shaheed Sharif Osman Hadi has sacrificed his life for. Remembering this memory requires us to control ourselves, be responsible for ourselves, and totally abstain from hate.”

The statement also disapproved of a lynching of a Hindu in Mymensingh, saying, "There is no scope for such violence in the new Bangladesh. The perpetrators of such a horrible crime will not be spared."

“We thoroughly disapprove of the lynching of a Hindu in Mymensingh. Such acts had no place in the new Bangladesh, and the culprits who committed this barbaric act would get no reprieve,” said the minister.

“This critical time calls upon all our citizens to honor the memory of Saheed Hadi through refusal and resistance to violence, incitement, and hate,” it said.

As reported by witnesses and also by news sources, there were hundreds of protesting Muslims who flooded the capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka, shortly after the death of Hadi, gathering in Shahbagh Square in the area near Dhaka University, who chanted 'Allahu Akbar,' which is 'God is Great' in Arabic.

Later, some agitated persons gathered around the headquarters of the largest Bengali daily newspaper, Prothom Alo, in Karwan Bazar in Dhaka, the country’s capital city. The protesters Gain stormed into their office and burnt it down, according to some of the largest online news portals.

A few hundred meters away, a group of demonstrators stormed the office of the largest English daily in the country, the Daily Star. They were able to set the building on fire. This was revealed by video evidence provided by another major newspaper, Kaler Kantha.

Army troops and paramilitary forces were deployed around the two buildings but didn’t make an attempt to remove the protesters. Security officials attempted to convince them to disperse peacefully as the fire brigade was approaching the Daily Star building. It is reported that the students were protesting the death of two students in an altercation.

The fire engulfed employees of the newspaper who happened to be present in the office late Thursday. One of the members of staff of the Daily Star, Zyma Islam, was reported on Facebook to have been in the building.

By early Friday, the situation was brought under control. Both the dailies stopped updating their online editions after the attack. Neither of them published broadsheets on Friday.

In Prothom Alo, executive editor Sajjad Sharif was quoted as saying, “I am deeply saddened that, despite our utmost efforts, our newspaper couldn’t come out because of vandalism and arson.”

"This is not only an attack on Prothom Alo and the Daily Star, but it is an attack on the freedom of the press, of expression, of dissent, and of diversity of opinion," he told Reuters.

The critics of these newspapers, which are the largest in this South Asian country, are accusing them of having a biased approach in favor of their Indian neighbors, where the former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has been taking political asylum since she resigned in 2024.

The Rise of Anti-India Sentiments in Bangladesh

Hadi was a bitter critic of India and also of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, whose 15-year rule in Bangladesh ended with last year’s uprising. Inqilab Moncho Front, formed in the wake of the ousting of Hasina last year, has been conducting street protests against India and Hasina. Islamist groups in the country, as well as anti-Hasina groups, have accused the Hasina administration of being too subservient to India. Hadi had also decided that he will contest in the forthcoming national elections as an independent candidate in a large constituency in Dhaka. February has even been decided by the country’s current interim government as the month for the national elections. Since the fall of Hasina, the Inqilab Moncho group has been instilling anti-Indian sentiment among the population, who are mostly Muslims. However, this is happening right under the nose of the Yunus administration, which has been accused of allowing jihad groups to do as they please. Also in place are plans for staging that the murder is carried out by supporters of India despite sharp disapproval by India of this situation. There are incidents involving stone pelting at the Deputy High Commission’s office and also at the residence in Chattogram. Videos are flowing that show radical groups at play. Also in Dhaka, there is an attempt by radicals to approach the Indian High Commission. They managed to breach the barricades, shout anti-India slogans, and even make threat statements. Due to that, they managed to be controlled by the police.

The diploma course in Journalism and Mass Communication at Jadavpur University has been ongoing since 1989 and, remarkably, has remained continuous without breaks until this year. The Jadavpur University has decided to shut down this particular program for this year because of a complete absence of applications by hopefuls. The application website for this program closed on December 3, and there were only a meager 60 applications at that point. None of these will actually enroll and thus cannot be economical; hence, this particular program at the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies, Law, and Management (FISLM) will be discontinued for this year.

Jadavpur University’s Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Chiranjib Bhattacharjee, commented: “This has been taken as an internal matter by the department themselves through the Board of Studies. The reason is: the number of persons opting for this course has been declining steadily. Students are opting for formal degrees rather than diplomas.” In regard to the controversies that exist in the department, the vice-chancellor stated: “Those are old matters. There have been several reviews regarding the complaints that have been made. We have settled that issue and will issue marked photocopies accordingly. We do not see any relevance between those complaints and this issue.”

FISLM Dean Dr. Partha Sarathi Chakraborty told News Ei Samay: “Only 60 applications have been received this time. Maybe only 30 to 40 could have joined. It is not feasible for us to bear all the charges for the whole program. That is why this program has been temporarily stopped this year.”

Blaming the absence of interest from candidates for the never-ending controversies within the department since 2024 for the shutting down of the course, JU Executive Council member and English Department professor at JU Dr Manojit Mandal said that the oldest course is being closed down, except for the master’s course that was introduced in 2018.

“This is the oldest course, not the master's course that was introduced in 2018. This course was popular and was running for three and a half decades. We have repeatedly brought up the matter about the absence of qualified teachers at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication. How the master's course was introduced despite the absence of teachers? This was initiated by the then Vice-Chancellor without our knowledge. Now the original course is being shut down,” said Prof Mandal.

Dr. Mandal also added, “There has also been controversy in the department. The teachers have been observed to award marks without scrutinizing the answer scripts or without awarding marks at all. All this has taken a toll on the department. This has also not been made known to the EC yet, and hence the university may not have been made aware of this decision. The master’s course is also in a deplorable state. “

But the university authority has decided not to hold the exam and thus postpone the programme for this year since the number of applicants is less than half the capacity of the programme. The university has not posted a cancellation notice, but only a refund notice in the evening of the 11th of December since the students would have to pay a certain fee to submit their applications.” “Students have already reached to appear in the exam, only to know that the exam has been cancelled,” he added.

Talking about this issue, a former student belonging to this course, Souhardya Deb, said that: “As a former Jadavpur University mass communication diploma course student, it is highly shameful and painful for me and for all associated with this course that this year, finally, it has been observed that the admissions for the course are not processed this year. In last 2-3 years, actually, the condition of this department is continuously deteriorating, from a decrease in faculty facilities to a decrease in proper infrastructure as well."

Aspirant's perspective News: Ei Samay: They talked to a student who was planning to take admission in this course. “I am also an employed student, planning to take preparation for that. Then I went to check our help-desk WhatsApp group for last-year questions. A senior conveyed every piece of news to us. That was just one day before the exam. They should have come up with better ideas,” said this student. With the shutting down of the diploma course, now the future of the Journalism and Mass Communication master’s course in Jadavpur University is also uncertain.

A new research report by Bytes for All, Pakistan, entitled “Exploring the Grounds of Digital Violence Against Women in Pakistan,” offers undeniable proof of the risks that women run both in respect of their personal safety and their freedom of expression because of the conjunction of digital violence against women. Cases involving TikTok-er Imsha Rehman, Shia ordinary women activists, and women activists Dr Sabiha Baloch and Sindhoo Nawaz Ghanghro represent the illustration of online harassment campaigns not only silencing women but also contributing to the spread of terroristic thought on the internet. Such cases suggest that the weaponization of the internet is exercised via defamatory campaigns that cow women, including women from minority communities.

The report illustrates that women who speak out online, through either media reporting, working as Human Rights Defenders, activists, or other forms of online content creation through speaking out, face online harassment or online abuse meant to silence them. For most women, online abuse does not stop at just being online; it spills into their psychosocial well-being.

The report charts patterns of evident hatred, gender-specific derogation, organized hatred campaigns, religious hatred, blasphemy allegations, unauthorized private images, imitation, and the use of synthetic media by using real-world examples of cases. By using such real-world examples of cases, it is obvious that digital violence is connected with other inequalities linked to patriarchal values from the past centuries. This is because patriarchal practices make the digital spaces unsafe for women.

The recommendations within this report demonstrate how policymakers, law enforcement, the judiciary, technology companies, the media, and civil society organizations need to accept that digital violence is a real issue that needs to be addressed in order to ensure that women and girls feel safe online enough to express their opinions, produce online content, and use technology for their own ends. This is a call-to-action report.