Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) a deemed University was awarded the Deemed to be a university by the Union Education Ministry in New Delhi on Wednesday. The UGC had advised the Centre to make the IIMC a deemed university.
The Ministry of Education issued a declaration, which said IIMC-New Delhi and five regional campuses in Jammu, Amravati (Maharashtra), Aizawl (Mizoram), Kottayam (Kerala), and Dhenkanal (Odisha) will be an Institution deemed to be University under distinct category.
“IIMC, New Delhi, shall become compliant with the UGC (Institutions-deemed-to-be- Universities) Regulations, 2023, within six years from the date of issuance of the notification. The entire moveable and immovable assets will be legally transferred in the name of IIMC, New Delhi, within one year,” it said. IIMC can now offer degrees, including doctoral degrees to students. At present, it offers postgraduate diplomas in various streams of mass communication and journalism to students.
Anurag Thakur union Minister I&B welcomed the decision and said it is a special and historic day for the IIMC.
With this new status, IIMC is now authorised to offer degrees, including doctoral.
Indian institute of Mass Communication (Iimc) a deemed university
History
The IIMC institute was set up under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, on 17 August 1965. IIMC is known for offering quality training in journalism and falls into a elite institution.
The notion of bestowing deemed university status upon the IIMC is not a recent one. The plan received approval from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in 2016.
Earlier in 2018 during a review meeting of higher education institutions by Niti Aayog, there was a voice to merge the IIMC with either Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Centre for Media Studies or Jamia Millia Islamia’s AJK Mass Communication Research Centre.