In a significant move, Kolkata's prestigious Jadavpur University (JU) has decided to permanently discontinue its one-year postgraduate diploma in mass communication. The decision comes after the course received a surprisingly low number of applications for the current academic session, making it unviable to continue.
End of an Era: A Course Since 1989
The diploma program, which has been a part of the university's academic offerings for over three decades, was run under the Department of Adult Continuing Education and Extension. According to sources, this marks the first time since its inception in 1989 that the course has been scrapped. The university has officially posted a notice on its website regarding the discontinuation and has initiated the process to refund the application fees to all candidates who had applied.
Dwindling Numbers Force the Decision
A senior university official revealed the core reason behind this drastic step. Only 60 students submitted applications for the course this year, with the deadline set for December 1. After the standard screening and admission tests, only a small fraction of these applicants would have finally enrolled. "It will not be feasible to run a course with so few students," the official stated, confirming the closure.
Faculty members expressed sadness over the declining popularity of the once-sought-after program. A professor pointed out that while the course had 70 to 75 students in recent years, and about 50-55 would typically take admission, this year's application count of 60 was a new low. The drop is stark compared to a decade ago, when the course attracted around 140 enrolling students.
Refund Process and Underlying Reasons
The university has streamlined the refund process for affected applicants. It has uploaded a specific link where students must fill out a Google form to claim their refund. Officials confirmed that each student will get back their Rs 100 application fee.
Several teachers and sources within the department speculate on the reasons for the decline. Many believe the constant controversies in the journalism department, including issues like unchecked answer scripts, have tarnished its reputation and affected the demand for this diploma. The department also offers a separate two-year Master's course in Journalism and Mass Communication, which may have influenced student preferences.
An anonymous professor summed up the sentiment, calling it "unfortunate" to see how student numbers have dwindled over the years, leading to the end of a long-running academic program.
