Teachers flag concerns about DU’s journalism course

After the Delhi University announced its new five-year integrated course in journalism to initiate the process of setting up the Central university’s “School of Journalism”, the National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF) has submitted a list of suggestions to Vice-Chancellor Prof Yogesh K. Tyagi, pointing to aspects allegedly overlooked while finalising the course. In a note to V-C Tyagi, NDTF’s president A.K. Bhagi, a member of the Executive Council, said, “Since 2011, the NDTF had been constantly raising in Academic Council (AC) meetings the need to start an independent Journalism Department. However, it is noted with concern that the university is planning to start this course under the Department of Adult, Continuing Education and Extension and not as an independent department.” There had been reports earlier that the new integrated course in journalism will be offered on “self-financing mode”, meaning that the students will have to bear the entire cost of academics that will make the course significantly expensive, rendering it unaffordable for students from lower income groups.  The NDTF, in its letter to the V-C, said, “In agenda papers of the Standing Committee or the concept paper of the course, it is nowhere mentioned that it is run and approved for self financing mode. So we are of the assumption that it will be run on a normal fee structure.” Stating their opposition to the self-finance mode proposal, Bhagi said that NDTF will not support this module till the university gets UGC grants, as for other already existing courses. Among other suggestions, the letter states that this course should be designed and taught by people who have formal degrees in the field of journalism. A course in Hindi journalism has also been recommended, along with establishing an independent department that could help start post-graduation, MPhil and PhD programmes in journalism. The integrated course will span five years and will provide students an opportunity to get dual degrees of Bachelors and Masters in journalism.