Hindi journalism gets a boost

With Hindi news channels ruling the air waves, Hindi journalism has also got a boost at the college level.More than 500 aspirants have applied for the BA (Honours) Hindi Journalism programme offered by Delhi University (DU) with Tuesday being the last date of application.

With Hindi news channels ruling the air waves, Hindi journalism has also got a boost at the college level.
More than 500 aspirants have applied for the BA (Honours) Hindi Journalism programme offered by Delhi University (DU) with Tuesday being the last date of application.

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The course is offered at four DU colleges — Aditi Mahavidyalaya, B.R. Ambedkar College, Ram Lal Anand College and Sri Guru Nanak Dev Khalsa College.

The application process to these colleges is centralised. The admission will also be on the basis of a centralised entrance examination, which will be held on June 20.

“We get many applications each year. There is a lot of competition,” said Professor S. Pachauri, head of the department of Hindi, DU.

The varsity offers 100 seats in the discipline. “We easily fill all the seats,” he added.

The three-year course has a total of nine theory papers and a project report based on practicals. Students learn subjects such as the Hindi language, advertising, editing, reporting, ethics and Press laws.

Though the course is popular, it lacks the appeal that the course in English journalism has. University officials feel this trend is because Hindi journalism is not offered in some of the more popular colleges across the university.

“English journalism is offered in various popular colleges such as Lady Shri Ram College and Delhi College for Arts and Commerce but not Hindi journalism. Many don’t even know that the course exists,” said a DU teacher counsellor, who did not want to be named.

Kalpana Bharara, principal, Aditi Mahavidyalaya, agrees. “We don’t always manage to fill the seats as the location is not favourable for many students,” she said. The college is located in Bawana.

But for those who enroll, the course is providing ample opportunity. “Television is a very big employer. We have a journalism laboratory where we give students lessons in editing and camerawork. We aim to make the course more technical,” added Bharara.

But colleges that are more approachable have no problem filling seats.

“The seats are always filled. Students, initially, are more interested in television but most get placed in the print media,” said Vijay Sharma, principal, Ram Lal Anand College.