Anwar Jamal Kidwai founded the Mass Communication Research Center (MCRC) in 1982. It was started with funding from the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and with university cooperation between Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi and York University, Toronto, Canada. It is recognised as the only media institution in India that offers a masters degree in mass communication.

The AJK MCRC has opened up new spaces and horizons in media education. By offering a multidisciplinary curriculum where students from all over the country, media professionals and other scholars could interact, create and reflect, the centre has made a significant contribution to the contemporary media culture. This is evident from the large number of innovative documentary films and television programmes produced by professionals who learnt their craft at MCRC.

The centre has a tradition of respect for different and differing views, a climate of intellectual and creative freedom and a robust spirit of academic and functional autonomy.

MCRC has two television studios, a post-production studio, a radio studio and a large facility for audio-visual production based on still photography. All of them are equipped with modern and sophisticated equipment.

The alumni have received national awards like the Chameli Devi Jain award and international awards like the prestigious Golden Gate Award in San Francisco, the Mumbai International Short & Documentary Festival Award, the Film South Asia Award (Kathmandu) and other film and television awards. Its alumni have been awarded prestigious scholarships and grants like the Fulbright and Inlaks scholarships, the Cardiff and Commonwealth fellowships and the India Foundation for the Arts grants for media research.

The MCRC offers a two-year MA and a PhD in mass communication as well as a postgraduate diploma in development communication. The diploma course is unique in its social reach and ensures that all aspects of development are taught. The course trains the students to communicate socially on matters regarding development using the various modes of communication, such as radio, video, film and traditional media.

The notification for the programmes comes out in April and the application forms can be picked up from May onwards from the office on payment of Rs 300 in cash or by a demand draft favouring AJK Mass Communication Research Centre and payable at New Delhi.

Eligibility

Candidates who have received their bachelors degree in any discipline under the 10+2+3 system are eligible to apply provided they have secured 50 per cent marks in their first degree examination. Those who are in their final year of bachelors degree can also apply.

Entrance exam

Candidates will be selected on the basis of a written test and an interview held in May.

Pattern of exam

The test is of one and a half hours duration and may comprise objective-type and descriptive essay-type sections. It is designed to assess your talent, aptitude, general awareness and views over a wide area of knowledge covering current affairs, sports, culture, science, mass communications, media and development.

Those shortlisted on the basis of the qualifying admission test would be called for an interview before a panel of experts.

The number of candidates called for the interview shall be three times the number of seats provided they have secured a minimum of 33 per cent marks in the test.

How to prepare

The entrance test is designed to find out whether you have the requisite talent with an aptitude for communication.

You should have a high degree of visual creativity and expression. You must also have a thorough understanding of current affairs.

Reading newspapers and magazines regularly will keep you updated. Watch BBC, CNN, NDTV, Aaj Tak and other news channels to keep on top of the news. For current affairs, you can prepare from the Manorama Year Book and CSR Year Book.

To develop an in-depth knowledge of media and development, watch programmes on TV as well as films which have a social theme or a message for society.

Read film reviews from newspapers and magazines and also write your comments after seeing films like Lagaan, Godmother, Water, Rang de Basanti, and Lage Raho Munnabhai.