It's a new world for IIMC

The newly-earned deemed-to-be university status has opened many doors for the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). It will launch master’s degree courses, expand infrastructure and recruit teachers. Professor and dean, academics, Govind Singh spoke to Shradha Chettri about the changes, becoming eligible for government grants, experience with admissions through the Common University Entrance Test, and more. Edited excerpts

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Q. How long did it take to receive the deemed university status?

A. The process for getting the deemed university status started in 2010 itself. In between it would get stuck. In 2016, it was finally taken seriously. First, a committee was sent by the UGC [University Grants Commission] to check on the preparedness. The committee visited the institute and its five regional centres. In other centres there was no regular staff or permanent buildings. They refused.

In 2017-18, another team visited and said we could start the process as land had been acquired in various places. Construction of buildings had also started.

In 2019, we received a letter of intent asking us to fulfil some of the conditions. These included building staff strength, building, infrastructure and others. Importantly, we had to start new departments in emerging areas of communication. It had to be courses which were not running anywhere else. It had to be in niche and emerging areas and had to be masters courses. Then there was the COVID-19 pandemic and another two years passed.

Last year, on the basis of an old application, we were told to start the process of fulfilling the conditions given in the letter of intent. We applied again in December 2023 but since the new regulations came in for the [grant of ] deemed-university status, our application had to be changed as per the new UGC rules.

We now have to sign a memorandum of association with the UGC. A new vice-chancellor has to be appointed. We will have a VC and a registrar. Our society will also have to be reconstituted. The statutory bodies – academic and executive councils – have to be formed.