The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication was established in 2010 as an add-on course with an initial batch of 45 students. Two years later, in 2012, the department introduced a regular course in Journalism and Mass Communication. Since then, it has been dedicated to training future media professionals who critically engage with information, and contribute to development communication. We recognize that media is not just a tool for communication but a powerful force that shapes perceptions, reinforces power structures, and influences social realities. Historically, information and knowledge have been controlled by those in power—governments, dominant groups, and political elites—to maintain hegemony. Walter Lippmann, in Public Opinion (1922), argued that media constructs reality through selective framing, while Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent (1988) exposed how media serves the interests of the ruling class. Even today, technological determinism ensures that digital platforms are not neutral but are shaped by economic and political forces, often reinforcing existing privileges and established myths.

At our department, we emphasize how information can be used both constructively and destructively as a tool for information or misinformation, mobilization or disintegration, love or hate, creation or destruction. Through rigorous academic training and experiential learning, we prepare students to navigate the complexities of modern media while upholding journalistic integrity. The role of journalism extends beyond reporting facts; it requires a knowledge and praxis approach that integrates theoretical insights with real-world applications. Students are trained to recognize echo chambers, where algorithmic bias limits diverse perspectives, and understand how shadow banning and doxing can silence marginalized voices.

By applying Project-Based Learning (PBL), Peer Assessment and Gamification methods, we encourage students to engage with journalism not just as passive reporters but as active agents of change. In the era of social media, which Habermas envisioned as a public sphere, the ability to distinguish between credible and manipulative narratives is more crucial than ever. Digital platforms, while providing opportunities for radical creativity and resistance, are also spaces where dominant groups reinforce their narratives. Stereotypes about caste, gender, and identity continue to be perpetuated through visual and textual media, further maintaining existing hierarchies. In the whole, we encourage students to go beyond mainstream narratives and critically analyze how digital technology is being used to maintain privilege and power structures. From understanding the politics of content moderation to investigating how media narratives affect social resilience, our curriculum ensures that students develop a nuanced perspective on the media’s role in society.

Moreover, we instill in our students the discipline to keep their habitus, biases, and perceptions in check while writing news. Ethical journalism requires a commitment to fairness, accuracy, and the courage to challenge misinformation and manipulation. Through a blend of theory and practice, our department aims to nurture media professionals who are not just storytellers, but truth-seekers and justice advocates. We believe that an informed and critically engaged journalist is essential to a more democratic and equitable society.