ITANAGAR, 21 Feb: A delegation of the Contemporary Communiqué Club (C3), a collective of mass communication alumni from Rajiv Gandhi University, met with Education Minister PD Sona on Friday and submitted a representation, urging the government to introduce mass communication and journalism courses in government colleges and the Arunachal Pradesh University (APU), Pasighat.
The delegation highlighted the critical need to address the limited opportunities for graduates in the field, despite the subject’s 24-year presence in the state.
Sona on his part assured the delegation that he would explore the possibility and do the necessary to address their concerns. He acknowledged the importance of media literacy in the contemporary world and the potential of mass communication as a professional course.
The representation submitted by C3 underscored the stark reality faced by mass communication graduates in Arunachal. Despite RGU offering a postgraduate programme in mass communication since 2004 and producing over 700 graduates – many of whom have excelled in academics and cleared national eligibility tests – employment opportunities within the state remain severely limited. With RGU being the sole government institution offering the course, graduates are largely confined to seeking teaching positions at the same university, creating a bottleneck and pushing many skilled professionals to look for opportunities outside the state.
“For 24 years, mass communication has existed in Arunachal Pradesh, yet our graduates are struggling to find relevant employment within the state. We possess diverse skills in journalism, filmmaking, public relations, and more- skills vital for a developing state like ours. However, the lack of dedicated departments in government colleges and a postgraduate programme at APU is crippling our potential and the state’s media landscape,” the C3 said.
The delegation pointed out that neighbouring states have already recognised the importance of media education by introducing mass communication courses in their government colleges. They argued that establishing such departments in colleges with huge intake capacity, like DNGC Itanagar, Government College Bomdila, and JNC Pasighat would not only create awareness about global issues and encourage civic participation but also provide employment avenues for qualified master’s and PhD degree holders and contribute to building a robust and responsible media fraternity in Arunachal.
The C3 delegation also met with Education Commissioner Amzad Tak, who engaged in positive discussions regarding their representation.
He exuded positivism about the proposal and assured the delegation that he would prioritise the matter and take it up for consideration within the education department.
