CAMPUS
India set to emerge as a media superpower
Smriti Kak

Addressing the students of journalism during a seminar on ‘Importance of journalism and Media Studies today,’ organised by the Institute of Integrated Learning in Management, Dr Chandan Mitra, Editor, The Pioneer, drew attention to the enhanced scope and career prospects in the field.

Asserting that India will emerge as a media superpower, he underscored that the insatiable appetite for information, coupled with the increase in per capita purchasing power, is triggering an exponential growth in the media industry. Quoting figures, he pointed out that Delhi alone boasts of 20,000 daily newspapers; it also has the maximum number of English dailies.

The four streams of media — print, television, radio and internet — are coming together to cater to the greater need to know that has been discernible in the recent past. He also had a word of caution for aspiring journalists: : “Journalism as a career requires sound knowledge, discipline and good communications skills.”

Emphasising the need for acquiring multiple skills and the ability to undertake multitasking in this age of convergence, Dr Mitra assured the aspiring journalists that “Indian media is among the best in the world and Indian journalists one of the finest lots.”

Amity joins hands with Zambian technical body

Amity has joined hands with the Zambian technical education and vocational regulatory body, the Technical Education Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training Authority, to promote quality educational and management programmes and training in Zambia and India.

Atul Chauhan, President, Amity, and Dr. Patrick Nkanza, Director General, TEVETA, signed the MoU, as per which both will conduct a study to identify the training needs of the Zambian training institutes.

Student and faculty exchanges will be undertaken and training will be offered in areas like Business Management, Finance, Behavioural Science, Biotechnology and Insurance and Actuarial Science.

The TEVETA will assist Amity in setting up institutions in Zambia by providing information on general political and economic environment.

Industry-institute synergy under French auspices

Product Lifecycle Management Competency Centre (PLMCC), the first project of its kind in India, was inaugurated at the JSS Academy of Technical Education (JSSATE), Noida, by the French Ambassador, Mr Dominique Girard.

Aimed at giving a fillip to industry-institute synergy in the area of advanced manufacturing technologies, PLMCC has been established by the Ministry of Education, Government of France and Dassault Systemes in collaboration with JSSATE. It is in fact a unique tie-up between government, industry and a technical Institute.

In his inaugural address, Mr Girard said his country shared with India “a deep commitment to education” and a conviction that “development cannot take place without progress in education, science and technology.”

Mr Girard disclosed that the project would offer high-level programmes, constantly update its software and products, as also the technology involved. CATIA, the most widely used software in computer aided design, will be an important part of its curriculum. This, in turn, would open myriad job opportunities for its students.

Presiding over the function, Sri Sri Sri Shivrathri Deshikendra Mahaswami, President, JSS Mahavid-yapeetha, said the new centre was a “classic example of what can be achieved if industry and educational institutions decide to come together to set up institutions of excellence that provide training in the latest technologies”.

The centre is currently equipped with CATIA and the other suites – DELMIA and ENOVIA—will be added shortly to complete the total requirement of the product process and resource hub needed for design and manufacturing of products. The French Ministry of Education has deputed a full-time Professor to work in the PLMCC to share the experiences of French pedagogy and curriculum design and development..

Affiliated to the Uttar Pradesh Technical University, Lucknow, the academy focuses primarily on information technology and manufacturing technology.

Three-month course in publishing

Noted publishers have decided to get together to share their experience with those aspiring to join the publishing industry. Penguin India’s David Davidar and Kali for women’s Urvashi Bhutalia are among those who will teach the curriculum drafted by the Federation of Publishers’ and Booksellers’ Associations in India (FPBAI) to launch a three-month certificate course in publishing from June 2. Twenty-five students will be enrolled in the course, which will be conducted at the Jamia Millia Islamia. The students will be given an introductory experience of editing, production and marketing with the help of three course modules developed by the FPBAI School of Publishing Science.

The course is open to both fresh graduates and those who have just joined the industry. The federation has roped in big names from the publishing industry to contribute to the course.

Jamia Millia Introduces MIB course

Jamia Millia Islamia hopes to emerge as Asia’s leading business school. With this avowed objective, the JMI has announced the launch of Masters of International Business (MIB) course from the current academic year.

The course will focus on transactions in international financing and trade.

Dr Aziz Ansari, Head of the Department of Commerce and Business Studies, said that the new course will help create and develop value-added human resource of global standards.

The graduates admitted to this course will be imparted knowledge skills and trained to imbibe the attitude of professionals and the specialisation needed for efficiently managing international business tasks.

North East music fest

The Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan, in association with the Department of North Eastern Region, Government of India and Doordarshan, organised a North East Music Fest in the Capital.

Fashion technology comes to Noida
Parminder Singh

THE International Institute of Fashion Technology (IIFT) has opened a fully equipped centre in Noida at J.O.P. Plaza, Sector-18. Here students will be taught various courses such as Fashion Designing, Interior Designing, Computer-Aided Fashion Designing, Apparel Merchandising, etc.

The founder and CEO of IIFT, Mr Ratnadeep Lal, said that fashion technology is one of the prime areas where India can contribute substantially and earn precious foreign exchange for the country.

India is one of the pioneers in the field of embroidery, beading, colour matching and Indian products are quite popular all over the globe.

The opening of the IIFT has been hailed as a wonderful contribution in putting India on the World’s fashion map and the opening of Noida centre is expected to have recognition at international level. The centre was inaugurated in the presence of a number of students, professionals and directors of the centre, Sanjay Agarwal and Vivek Agarwal.

The Noida centre organised a fashion show at Shipra Hotel where renowned models walked down the ramp, wearing beautiful Indian and Western dresses designed by IIFT students. The dresses were highly appreciated by the audience.

Mr Sanjay Agarwal (Director) said that this centre is the first of its kind in Noida where students will get quality education in the field of fashion and design. Already IIFT’s students have earned names both in India and abroad. The centre is also introducing a new course in Computer-aided Designs.

Delhi Govt ordered to take action against tantriks
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 30
The Delhi High Court directed the Delhi Government today to act against ‘tantriks’ and quacks promising ‘magic cures’ for various aliments in the city. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice B. C. Patel and Justice A. K. Sikri issued the direction while disposing of a PIL seeking appropriate action by the authorities against persons offering ‘magic cures’ and misleading the people.

The judges also told the petitioner, Mr S. C. Jain, to cooperate with the law enforcement agencies and consider the petition as a representation to them.

The Court issued notices on November 28 to the Union Home Ministry and the Delhi Government on the petition directing the authorities to take appropriate steps required under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act.

The petition had sought to prohibit ‘tantriks’ (magic cure doctors) from distributing pamphlets and putting out advertisements in newspapers making tall claims, cheating innocent people and causing injuries to the public at large. It said the authorities were not taking steps to implement the Act, which prescribes six-month imprisonment or a fine upto Rs 1,000 or both, for a person promising such cures and one year imprisonment or a fine upto Rs 1,000 or both for any second and subsequent offences.

Unchecked advertisements about magic cures could cause a grave health hazard if measures were not taken to check such practices, it added. The petition claimed that there were at least 200 such ‘tantriks’ in South Delhi alone.

Delhi businessman sentenced for rape

Panipat, April 30
The Court of Additional Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Panipat, Dr Neelima Shangla, has sentenced Harsh Suri, a businessman from Delhi, to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 50,000 as compensation to the victim. While talking to mediapersons here today, the ADSJ said that the accused, Harsh Suri, met a young girl, identified as Sonu (original name concealed) in train, while on a business trip to Panipat.

Over a period of time, they developed physical relationship, the ADSJ said. OC