Nagpur: Four years after the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) opened its Hindi Journalism programme at Amravati, the course has been discontinued after attracting no students this academic year.The Hindi programme had a sanctioned intake of 30 students but recorded zero admissions this year. The centre’s two other journalism programmes are also running substantially below capacity, with nine students in English Journalism and 10 in Marathi Journalism against 30 sanctioned seats each. The English programme, according to information available, continued after two students from outside the centre were admitted, taking its strength to 11.IIMC-Amravati regional director Raj Singh Kushwaha confirmed the closure of the Hindi programme. “The minimum requirement is for at least ten students. A few students who took admission at Amravati agreed to shift to our Jammu campus,” he told TOI.Kushwaha said the centre had made efforts to attract students through publicity. “The admissions are based on the CUET exam for postgraduate courses for English and Hindi programmes, while for Marathi, the students are picked locally,” he said.Students have raised concerns about the career opportunities offered by the centre. Marathi Journalism students allege that prospective students are attracted by expectations of employment but later receive inadequate placement support, leaving many to seek jobs through personal contacts.Faculty availability has emerged as another point of contention. Students claimed that one assistant professor post each in Hindi and English Journalism remained vacant during the current academic year. Kushwaha, however, denied the allegation, saying the centre has four faculty members in accordance with UGC norms.English Journalism students have also alleged that they were taught journalism in Hindi during the previous academic year despite being enrolled in an English programme.The Amravati centre was established following the initiative of former President Pratibha Patil. It aimed to expand professional journalism education in Vidarbha. The latest figures, however, present a different picture: the Hindi programme has closed, while only 19 students are enrolled across the two remaining programmes against 60 sanctioned seats.
