E-Paper
Students oppose merger of journalism dept with media & communication studies
PUNE: Several former and current students on Monday met vice chancellor professor Nitin Karmalkar to oppose the Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU’s) recent decision to merge the department of communication and journalism with the department of media and communication studies on campus while placing it under the faculty of interdisciplinary studies
PUNE: Several former and current students on Monday met vice chancellor professor Nitin Karmalkar to oppose the Savitribai Phule Pune University’s (SPPU’s) recent decision to merge the department of communication and journalism with the department of media and communication studies on campus while placing it under the faculty of interdisciplinary studies.
After over 15 minutes of heated argument with the protesting students, student union leaders and student organisations, Karmalkar assured them of reviewing their demands based upon which further action would be taken.
Karmalkar refused to comment further on the issue and said, “Today, we had a detailed discussion with the students and their organisational representatives. We have got their letter putting forth their demand and we will now study it. Accordingly within 15 days, further steps about the institute will be taken.”
The SPPU last week issued a circular that read, “The department of communication and journalism has been merged with the department of media and communication studies and renamed as the department of communication, journalism and media studies and placed under the faculty of interdisciplinary studies.” Interestingly however, the circular was not published on the SPPU official website as is the case with other important circulars that are made available in the public domain.
The department of communication and journalism is popularly known as the Ranade Institute and is located on Fergusson college road near Deccan gymkhana. Established in 1964, it is among the most renowned journalism departments in the country with several veteran journalists among its alumni.
