Lost…is the first word that comes to my mind when I think about IIJNM. Reason being, me and my folks were lost when we went to see the institute for the very first time. But ever since then IIJNM has only guided me all through and made sure I don’t lose direction.

Life in IINM is definitely not easy. You live in a hostel, there are umpteen deadlines and expectations, but after a year long of all of this you realise how important it was. After working in Broadcast media for more than 3 years, I have realised that it’s not a cakewalk, actually far from it and IIJNM totally prepares you for it.

Starting from early morning edit meets, to going on shoots, figuring out where the story is heading and eventually producing a bulletin or printing a newspaper…and no it doesn’t end there…after everything there is feedback time. Here the professors who have all been on field and have ample experience help you understand where and what went wrong.

We were not only taught how to use the best of equipment, we were also taught how to take care and respect the equipment. One is introduced to the basics of the industry like the lingo, formats which is a boon when you step into the professional world.

I was placed through campus recruitment and I still can’t thank IIJNM enough for what they have taught me and made me learn. It was a great, memorable and truly valuable year of my life
With lots of love & luck 

It’s almost unbelievable that time has flown by so fast and it’s been three years since I graduated from IIJNM. Honestly, I gambled when I picked IIJNM over another prominent Journalism School. But after a year at the institute – I have good friends, teachers and skills to talk about.

IIJNM gave me a head start on many things. The practical skills set you apart. From day one at work, my batchmates and I could make a page for a broadsheet and since then we were almost indispensable. I could upload a website and review content for NDTV while other J-school people went through training weeks (nothing has made me more smug).

The software skills I’ve learnt, I believe made me a whiz everywhere. The perspectives I received on International politics has made me somewhat an expert and am gradually working to make it a specialized beat. The insistence on discipline has ensured that I’ve not missed a single deadline till today and people find it unbelievable. The ethics classes have helped me maintain some principles even today, despite the fact that, sadly as you will learn, marketing dictates your journalistic ethics.

IIJNM’s facilities are excellent. You will be amazed as to how deprived other J-school students are.

My best…

After graduating from IIJNM, in 2009 with broadcast media as my major, I entered the radio industry. And then, I shifted to the print media. The best part about IIJNM is that it teaches you to cut across media.

The course is tough, no two ways about it, but it prepares you to take on any media job, and helps you fit right in with any organization.

During my year at the Institute, I saw a lot of hard work, a lot of anxiety as deadlines approached, the excited buzz of a newsroom and the triumph of pulling off a daily bulletin. Things went wrong, but we were trained to learn and move forward.

The faculty was always there to support us, but they ensured that the maximum amount of work was put in by us. They knew each student thoroughly and helped them realize their potential.

But, it was also a lot of fun. We learnt not just to put our best foot forward but also to help those working with us. I am a proud alumnus of IIJNM and would happily recommend it to anyone who has a passion for journalism.

I was a television student and always wondered what I was doing learning ‘writing’ news. I was shortsighted. Now, as a happy full time freelancer, my skills as a journalist are putting me above other “content writers” and “copywriters”. It might seem strange, but there are a lot of websites in the world that look for writers and editors online with knowledge of journalism. The first thing any foreign website asks me to do is to rewrite a press release into a news story. It comes easy now. Find the news, put it on the top, 5Ws and 1H, cut the adjectives (fluff as most of them call it) and put a brief background at the end. Seemed like hardwork then, but is a boon now. I’m fast, efficient and in a world where payment is per hour, my employers are happy.

Thanks a lot of making it tough in IIJNM, it’s simpler now.

Lots of love…

I’d hate to start off saying, “Hi this is Simran, an old student of IIJNM.” If I remember correctly I hated reading any mail that started like that (and I was more than generous with the delete key). But I’m afraid that’s the only way I can introduce myself, atleast in this situation. I write this mail just to give you a preview of what’s to come (like the faculty does all year). Each time I have a conversation with Kanchan Mam, I can’t stop thanking her for what we learnt in IIJNM. Even as I write to you guys, I’m on a night shift and have juggled between four stories. The reason I tell you this is because, every time you go out searching for stories for the daily edition, don’t mistake it for being simply an exercise. It is almost identical to what you will be doing in the near future.

The purpose of this mail isn’t to preach but to tell you guys from experience that no matter how much they (faculty) scream, no matter how many times Kanchan Mam puts down your story idea saying “So where’s the story,” or no matter how many time Nikhat Mam fails you in one of those camera tests (my friend Suhali failed it thrice) please remember that in later years, this is all going to come back to you. And mind you, not so politely this time. For each time, she says that’s no story, trust me, chances are it isn’t one (and I can never dispute that.)

My point being that often times as students, and sometimes as immature ones, we tend to think/feel that teachers are out to target us, individually. Like in every batch, you’ll always have a set of kids believe that (I’d like to think they are the one’s with serious complexes lol). Besides the point, as an ex-student, all I can say is that, if Girish Sir or KK Mam is pushing you to learn shortcuts to Quark Xpress, do it. Believe you me, professional organisation aren’t there to guide you. The intension is not to scare you people, but it is true that media organisations don’t need interns; I think KK Mam will second me on that one. (Cheap labour, maybe yes lol) so no matter where you get to intern, TV channel, newspaper, magazines, give it your best shot (whether you like the organisation or not is irrelevent). I’ve even heard of incidents where interns in Express are given copies to sub from the bin and they go back straight into the bin without even a glace from the boss (No, It’s not an urban legend). For those who have inflated egos, kindly leave them at home and be prepared to be treated like shit. But mind you, once you pass that stage, its isn’t bad at all. Don’t be worried about placements unnecessarily, because with the faculty you have, all of you will get placed a 100 percent (except those with attitude problems, I guess even the faculty doesn’t take their responsibility).

Since this mail has got much longer than planned, therefore lastly, remember that when you’re out of IIJNM, you become a representative of the institute (atleast I think that way). If journalism isn’t what you want to pursue, don’t do it but don’t write a story half-heartedly. Don’t give anyone an opportunity to a point finger at the faculty because they deserve better, for the amount of work they put in us. All the best. Good luck with internships.