The fight for affordable education taken up staunchly by the students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has now spread like wildfire to other students facing oppression by the government. Picking out a leaf from JNU’s book, the students of Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi staged a strike on December 3 against the ‘high’ tuition fee and unruly hostel and mess charges.

IIMC is an autonomous society falling under the umbrella of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and it is known to be one of the best media institutes in India. Societies like the IIMC are supposed to run on a no profit, no loss basis, but students say that the fees at IIMC are extremely high and are increased at a rate of 10% every year.

Students also said that the fee for a course in Radio and TV Journalism stands at Rs. 168,500 while the fee for the Advertising and PR course is Rs. 131,500. The Hindi and English Journalism fees are Rs. 95,000 and the fee for Urdu Journalism stands at Rs. 55,500.

These are just the course fees, say students. The hostel and mess charges are pegged at Rs. 6500 for girls and 4800 for boys every month. These charges are extremely high and burdensome, especially for children from economically weaker backgrounds. It also doesn’t help that every student here doesn’t get hostel accommodation and the hostel fee is not in accordance with the quality of the rooms provided.

IIMC is a public funded institution just like JNU and students say that for the past week they have been trying to seek a redressal of their issues but the administration has been turning a blind eye to their issues.

The administration, say the students, is not willing to help as it says that altering the fee structure is beyond their power. Hence, after testing all other avenues, the students have called for a protest. 

Hrishikesh, a student of the Radio and TV Journalism course at IIMC said, “We cannot allow media institutes to be accessible only to the people who can afford to pay lakhs. Education, after all, is a right and not a privilege.”

People have come out in support of the students and they are being cheered on by fellow students in their protest.

The protest against hostel fee hike at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University spread to the neighbouring #IIMC on Tuesday, where students protested against the “unaffordable fee structure”#JNUProtests #IIMCPROTEST #Protests @PrakashJavdekar @narendramodi_in @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/HPEWhJsxbb

— Brijesh K N Tiwari (@brijeshkntiwari) December 3, 2019

#iimc
Stand in solidarity with students of Indian Institute of Mass Communication in protest against high fees structure in public institutions. Remember, education is not a commodity. #feemustfall pic.twitter.com/ehJLU6RGf1

— Richard Kujur (@IamRCHRD) December 4, 2019

#FeesMustFall spreads to JNU’s neighbouring campus. Students of @IIMC_India protest against fee hike. @IndianExpress @ieDelhi pic.twitter.com/MsDOAJJ3GC

— Anya Shankar (@AnyaShankar) December 3, 2019

₹168500 for a ten-month course in addition to hostel & mess charges, that too in public-funded IIMC! How is it justified?

Does the govt think education is a privilege and not a right?

Why are students forced to protest even for basic demands like right to affordable education? pic.twitter.com/DUivVIblUC

— Anupam | अनुपम (@AnupamConnects) December 4, 2019

What the administration says

Edex Live reports that 90 students are part of the protest and though the administration has told them that a faculty-student grievance committee will be formed to address concerns, it is not guaranteed that the students’ demands will be accepted.

A senior IIMC official said that there is going to be an open house scheduled with the students on December 4 to initiate a dialogue. He said, “The Director-General has already met the students. We were to have another meeting on 15th and we expected a reaction from the students only after that. This was quite unexpected. “We have already acceded to a lot of their demands. One of their demand was to stop the 10 per cent hike in the course fee every year. We, in fact, took a suo motto action against this.”

He also added that there was no interim hike in the fee and that the fee mentioned in the prospectus is collected from the students. Stressing on how important higher education was he said, “Usually, freeships were reimbursed against submission of bills. But this year, we made sure that the students got them awarded right after the entrance examination.” He continued, “Fee hikes is a larger debate which isn’t confined to IIMC alone. But, our courses are mostly skill-based and has a large employability potential. They must be treated akin to self-financing courses in a collegiate system.”

Addressing the quality and unavailability of hostel rooms the official said that it indeed was a challenge to accommodate every student, but they were in talks to construct a larger hostel and were awaiting clearance for the same.

It is now widely acknowledged that fee hikes will prove to be the death of education in India. Education spending in India dropped from 1% of the GDP in the NDA government’s first budget in 2014 to 0.62% in 2017-18. Currently, both the State and Central governments are spending only 3% of the GDP on education.

As if the threat of privatisation wasn’t enough, the government’s arbitrary behaviour with regards to fee hikes is just appalling. Leaving out the most vulnerable sections of society from their rightful share of education, is that the aim of the government?

With aspirational talks about India Rising and it becoming the fastest growing trillion dollar economy, how is the government going to achieve it by keeping bright young minds out of the process?

Related:

Why fee hikes are the death of education in India
Student Movement and Public Education
JNU VC Deserves Compliments — For Passionate Zeal To Destroy Varsity & His Loyalty To Masters
Ahmedabad students sign huge banner in support of JNU anti-fee campaign
‘Stand by JNU!’ Solidarity Statements from across the world

The post After JNU, its neighbour IIMC protests against fee hike appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Alumni and students have protested an invitation to the controversial former inspector general of Bastar, Chattisgarh, SRP Kalluri to speak at a journalism seminar at Delhi’s Indian Institute of Mass Communication on Saturday has drawn protests from some students and alumni. “Should such a media-baiter [Indian Police Service] officer, who is also alleged to have hounded many journalists out of his region, be allowed to speak on the premises of a media institute of international repute?” about 50 alumni said in a letter on Thursday night to the government-run media school’s director general, KG Suresh.

In a letter circulated in the public dommain, they added: “Though we do not dispute any citizen’s right to speak on any issue of public importance…we firmly believe IIMC should deny this right to the likes of…Kalluri who loves to hate the media and media persons…” The police officer, who has been dogged by accusations of having been involved in severe human rights violations, has been invited to speak on marginalised communities at a seminar titled “Vartaman Paripreksh me Rashtriya Patrakarita” or nationalist journalism in today’s context.

It isn’t just Kalluri’s presence that has outraged the protestors: they have criticsed the premise of the seminar itself, which will begin, the invitation promises, with a 7 am yajna – a ritual worship or offering made before a fire.

Over the last few years, Kalluri has been accused of stoking protests against journalists, human rights activists, lawyers and researchers in Bastar. Several, including journalist Malini Subramaniam and human rights lawyer, Shalini Gera had to leave the region following harassment on Kalluri’s watch. He was transferred from his post in February. In March, he was served a disciplinary notice for attending an event in Bastar without official permission.

It wasn’t just Kalluri’s presence that had drawn the ire of the protestors: they objected to the theme of the seminar as well. “What defines ‘rashtriya’ journalism?” they asked in their letter. “Has any media school in the world introduced this discourse in its curriculum? What is the origin of the term?….It goes against the scientific and information-driven journalism.”

In addition to the yajna and Kalluri’s piece, the seminar is also scheduled to to feature the editor of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s mouthpiece, Panchjanya.

The seminar is being organised by a group called Media Scan.

Increasingly, at IIMC, the presence of conservative and rightwing groups has grown, drawing consistent protests. Talking to sections of the media, Indian Institute of Mass Communication’s director general KG Suresh described Media Scan as an “organisation of media persons” not affiliated to the Sangh. Suresh said he was unlikely to honour the alumni’s request to scuttle the seminar and, especially, Kalluri’s visit. “If we can listen to the Hurriyat, why can we not listen to Kalluri?” he asked, referring to Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, the Kashmiri separatist party.

A student of the institute, Rohin Kumar had written to him and faculty-members, in protest against the yajna. “The Indian state and its institutions have to maintain [a] “principled distance” from religiosity, is what I was taught,” he wrote. He also argued that the seminar was peddling “jingoism”.

The alumni has countered the director general's defence. “Your bid to wash your hands of the selection of speakers and theme notwithstanding, we believe that IIMC must have convinced itself of the righteousness of [the] seminar’s message before allowing it to be held at IIMC and what impression [it is] going to leave in the national and international community,” they wrote.

Defending himself against charges of allowing the institution to be used to spread RSS propaganda, Suresh pointed out that the campus is virtually empty now. “The academic session is over,” he said. “Except for the few in the hostel – who will vacate by May 31 – there is not even a single student here. Who am I saffronising then? The buildings?” He further said that the event being on a Saturday, no faculty or staff-member will be on campus either. “It will be their [Media Scan’s] own people and invitees,” he said. “If I had to saffronise, I would do it during the academic session.”

The text of the letter circulated by alumni may be read here:

An open letter to DG- IIMC, New Delhi

Sir,
We, the former students of IIMC, are writing to you to express grave concern over a few developments in the institute.

It is learnt that the institute has given permission to Media Scan for organising a daylong programme on ‘Rashtriya Patrakarita’ which translates as ‘National Journalism’ in English.

You are quoted by ‘The Telegraph’ on May 17, 2017 saying that IIMC is not an organiser but has only rented the premises. You have been quoted thus: "We give our hall for the use of media persons who want to organise an event as long as it is not objectionable, communal, obscene or provocative. Renting the hall is expensive. If I want to help a media organisation, we have to become their partner. Our only support is to give the hall. The organising, selection of speakers, paying for snacks et cetera is up to them. Exams and classes are over and we have not asked students to attend. Also, Saturday is a holiday. Can I stop anyone from lighting a lamp or garlanding an image? The yagna won't be held in the hall…..”

Sir, it is good that the institute has come out in support of media seminars and hope that it would be open to other such events as well in future. You have pointed out that the selection of speakers is not done by the institute. However, if a speaker is going to speak on journalism from the premises of IIMC, an institute which has produced hundreds of thousands of media professionals, and he is known for his open contempt to journalists, then it must ring in bells.

One of the speakers is former IG of Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, Mr SRP Kalluri. While any individual of the country is well within his rights to speak on any issue of public importance in the institute but the background of that person must be looked into. That of Mr Kalluri, at least, doesn’t inspire much confidence as he has often been in news for
openly condemning media.

To cite an instance, he had openly threatened a Hindustan Times journalist recently when he went seeking clarifications for a story the former IG. The IG is quoted in the newspaper’s Nov 14, 2016 report thus: “Aap log aise karenge to hum aapko jaane hi nahi denge ..mere reference se aap gaye the…,” (If you all do like this, we will not let you visit …you went with my reference to Bastar),” an angry Kalluri told Ritesh Mishra.” Earlier, as the same story speaks, he had told the correspondent of the same newspaper, “You write whatever that comes to your mind. We don’t care a damn….” Should an IPS officer, who gives a damn to media, and is alleged to have hounded out many journalists from his region, be allowed to speak on IIMC premises? Sir, you have been a stalwart in journalism and therefore we request to ponder over this question. We, at this juncture, are not bringing forth the human rights abuses that he has been found doing in Bastar for which he has also been admonished by the National Human Rights Commission. “Chhattisgarh
Police raped and assaulted 16 women: NHRC” screamed a newspaper headline about Bijapur region of Bastar range which was taken care of by Mr Kalluri. The full report can be
read accessed through the hyperlink.

To us, the very theme of the seminar, “Rashtriya Patrakarita” sounded perplexing. What exactly is meant by this term? What defines ‘rashtriya’ journalism? Is asking questions or doubting the State considered not ‘rashtriya’? Isn’t these two things fundamental to journalism? Moreover, in our nine-month stay at IIMC, none of our teachers or academics introduced us to this term called ‘national journalism’. Has any media school in the world introduced this discourse in its curriculum? From where does this term stem? In fact, you yourself, taught editing to many a batch. We don’t remember even you using this term. Goes without saying, it goes against the scientific and “information driven journalism".
You have rightly pointed out that since IIMC is not one of the organisers and therefore it hasn’t selected theme, speakers etc. However, we strongly believe that IIMC must have taken care of the fact that as towhat message would be sent from the premises of the, arguably, the largest media school of Asia in the national and international arena. Can IIMC insulate itself from the consequences?

The programme schedule also points out that ‘yagya’ would be organised as a part of the programme. You have clarified that it will not be done in the hall provided by the IIMC. But the same Telegraph report quotes Media Scan proprietor Ashish Kumar. He says, "The yagna will not be performed by a priest but by one of us as organisers. What's wrong in it? Don't we light lamps and garland pictures at functions?". The report further writes, “Yadav said there was a Saraswati idol near the IIMC entrance but could not "recall any ritual" on it.”

We do believe that everyone is entitled to practise his/her faith. We want to bring in here that IIMC’s vision, as stated on its website, says, “The Indian Institute of Mass Communication will set global standards for media education…..contributing to human development, empowerment and participatory democracy, anchored in pluralism….”. We believe any practise done on the institute’s premises of a one particular religion is not in consonance with the very pluralism that the institute boasts of. Had it been an-all religion prayer meeting, then probably we could not have given this argument.

Sir, though we have passed out from the institute, but we still feel a belongingness towards it. We are writing to you with that spirit. We strongly believe that the organisation of the seminar, at heart of which lie many controversies, would badly damage the reputation of IIMC. And as alumni it would deeply pain us. Also, as stated above, it will not gel with the IIMC values and would, therefore, set a very bad precedent. While you have taken the charge of DG sometime back, a few of us had the good fortune of attending your classes as guest faculty when you were receptive to ideas and arguments of all the hues.

Taking into consideration the concerns raised by us, we respectfully demand the cancellation of the permission given to the organisers of this seminar. Also, we hope, that in future, you would consider all these points for the sake of good the institute.

Regards,
We, the journalists who were students of IIMC
 
There are over four dozen signatories to this protest letter.

The post What is Media Bashing ex-IG Kalluri Doing at Journalism School (IIMC) Seminar? appeared first on SabrangIndia.

आईआईएमसी में बैठे भगवा समर्थकों को उनकी लिखी बातें रास नहीं आईं। 9 जनवरी को रोहिन को संस्थान से बाहर कर देने का फरमान जारी कर दिया गया। जिससे अब स्पष्ट हो गया है कि आईआईएमसी में भगवाकरण की आहट साफ़ दिखाई दे रही है।
 
दरअसल रोहिन वर्मा को ऑनलाइन कंटेंट की वजह से निकाला गया है। यह कंटेंट चेक करने पर आप पाएंगे कि रोहन आम दिनचर्या से लेकर अपने आसपास हो रहे घटनाक्रमों के बारे में लिखते रहे हैं, जोकि आईआईएमसी में सिखाया भी जाता है। साथ ही उनके लेख 'द हूट; और 'न्यूज़ लॉन्ड्ररी' में छपते थे। अपने इन लेखो में रोहिन संविधान में दिए गए अधिकारों की बात करते। 
 

आईआईएमसी में ये पहली बार नहीं है जब अधिकारों की मांग को लेकर किसी को हटाया गया हो। इससे पहले संस्थान में काम कर रहे 25 मजदूरों को बाहर किया था। उन मजदूरों का समर्थन जब संस्थान के शिक्षक नरेंद्र सिंह यादव ने किया तो उन्हें भी नौकरी से बाहर कर दिया गया। 
 
हाल ही में देश के सबसे पड़े पत्रकारिता संस्थान ने वरिष्ठ पत्रकार दिलीप मंडल की किताब 'मीडिया को अंडरवर्ल्ड' को भी पाठ्यक्रम से हटा दिया गया था। ये किताब वहां आईआईएमसी सहित कई संस्थानों की रीडिंग्स में शामिल है। हाल में घटित इस सभी घटनाओं से मुँह नहीं मोड़ा जा सकता है। ये घटनाएं इस बात की तस्दीक करती हैं कि भारतीय जनसंचार संस्थान में भगवाकरण बड़े पैमाने पर अपने पांव पसार रहा है।
 
इस मामले पर वरिष्ठ पत्रकार दिलीप मंडल ने लिखा है….
 
प्रचारक ने कहा- लडका ख़तरनाक है। इसे इंडियन इंस्टिट्यूट ऑफ़ मास कम्यूनिकेशन यानी IIMC से हटाओ। इसे लाइब्रेरी में तो क़तई न घुसने दो।
क्यों?

क्यों क्या? वह लिखता है। पत्रकार है और लिखता है। The Hoot और News Laundry में छपता है। जहाँ IIMC के सबसे बड़े अफ़सर और कई प्रोफ़ेसर तक अपना लिखा नहीं छपवा सके।
नाम रोहिन वर्मा है।

मैंने लड़के की टाइम लाइन देखी। ऐसा क्या लिख दिया बंदे ने। ख़ास कुछ नहीं है। यही कुछ संस्थान की बातें। सब संविधान के मौलिक अधिकार के दायरे में। अपनी माँ के साथ सेल्फी। कुछ खान पान की तस्वीरें। कुछ JNU वाले नजीब की अम्मा।

एक ही ख़तरनाक चीज़ नज़र आई।

सावित्रीबाई फुले। वह पत्र जो सावित्रीबाई ने ज्योतिबा फुले को लिखे थे।

Courtesy: National Dastak
 

The post IIMC प्रशासन की तानाशाही, फेसबुक पर लिखने की वजह से छात्र सस्पेंड किया appeared first on SabrangIndia.

संस्थान की विविधता खत्म करने और यहां भगवाकरण करने के उद्देश्य से अब पाठ्यक्रम में भी छटनी शुरू कर दी है। इस कड़ी में वरिष्ठ पत्रकार दिलीप मंडल की किताब मीडिया का अंडरवर्ल्ड को पाठ्यक्रम से हटा दिया गया है। इस मामले की जानकारी शेयर करते हुए मंडल जी ने लिखा है……

शर्मनाक!
भारत सरकार के सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्रालय के अधीन काम करने वाले इंडियन इंस्टिट्यूट ऑफ मास कम्युनिकेशन (IIMC), जिसे पत्रकारिता ट्रेनिंग का देश का सबसे बड़ा संस्थान कहा जाता है, ने अपने सिलेबस से मेरी किताब "मीडिया का अंडरवर्ल्ड" को हटा दिया है.

यह किताब काफी समय से वहां और और कई संस्थानों की रीडिंग्स में शामिल हैं. यहां आप देश सकते हैं कि पिछले साल तक यह किताब IIMC के सिलेबस का हिस्सा रही है.
 

इस किताब को केंद्रीय सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्रालय ने मीडिया क्षेत्र में देश के सर्वश्रेष्ठ लेखन के लिए भारतेंदु हरिश्चंद्र पुरस्कार दिया है. खुद मंत्री आए थे पुरस्कार देने. इसके लिए मुझे 75,000 रुपए भी सूचना और प्रसारण मंत्रालय ने दिए हैं.
 
किसी किताब को सिलेबस में रीडिंग के तौर पर रखना या न रखना, उस संस्थान का विशेषाधिकार है. और इस बारे में मुझे कुछ नहीं कहना है.

मैं सत्ता प्रतिष्ठान के सिर्फ उस भय की ओर इशारा कर रहा हूं, जो नहीं चाहता कि लोग पढ़ें.

इतने भय के साथ वे कैसे जी रहे होंगे? लिखे हुए शब्द से इतना डर?

शर्मनाक!

Courtesy: National Dastak
 

The post किताबों से भी डर रही भाजपा सरकार, दिलीप मंडल की किताब को IIMC के पाठ्यक्रम से हटाया appeared first on SabrangIndia.