Bhubaneswar, Sept 11: There was a time when students would line up in large numbers to secure admission to the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) in Dhenkanal. Aspirants would prepare for years to crack the entrance examination and secure a seat in the prestigious institution.
However, the scenario has changed significantly. Several journalism and mass communication courses across Odisha are now struggling to attract students, with a large number of seats remaining vacant.
At IIMC Dhenkanal, the situation is particularly noticeable in the Odia Journalism and Mass Communication course. Against a total of 30 seats, only six students have enrolled this year, leaving around 80% of the seats vacant.
The English Journalism course has also witnessed vacancies. Of its 65 seats, 17 remain unfilled.
The situation is not limited to IIMC. According to admission data, journalism courses at several prominent higher education institutions in Odisha have recorded substantial vacancies.
At Utkal University, 26 of the 32 seats have been filled. At Ravenshaw University, only 11 of the 40 seats have been occupied, leaving 29 vacant. Similarly, Berhampur University has filled 23 of its 50 journalism seats.
At Fakir Mohan University, only eight of the 32 seats have been filled, leaving 24 vacant. The situation is even more striking at Rourkela Government Autonomous College, where only three students have enrolled against 32 seats.
At Rama Devi Women's University, 11 of the 32 postgraduate journalism seats have been filled. The university also introduced a journalism course at the undergraduate level this year, with 37 students enrolling against 48 seats.
The situation at MPC Autonomous College in Baripada is more concerning, as none of the 32 available seats have been filled this year.
Similarly, Samrat Degree College in Berhampur has 120 journalism seats, but not a single student has enrolled so far.
Why are students turning away from journalism?
A professor from the journalism department attributed the declining interest partly to limited employment opportunities and inadequate remuneration in the sector.
According to the professor, students completing journalism courses often do not find attractive career opportunities, particularly in Odisha. Low starting salaries and limited prospects for professional growth are making journalism less appealing to the younger generation.
The professor said that students earlier entered journalism driven by passion and a strong interest in the profession. However, the current generation is increasingly looking at journalism primarily as a career option, and financial considerations are playing a major role in their decision.
Another emerging trend is that many students who pursue journalism are primarily interested in using the course as a stepping stone for competitive examinations, particularly civil services and other administrative service examinations.
Among those who complete journalism courses, many are reportedly showing greater interest in corporate journalism, communication and related fields, rather than traditional newsroom careers.
At the same time, the rise of digital media has opened another avenue. Several aspiring content creators are choosing to launch YouTube channels and produce digital content independently, rather than pursuing conventional journalism careers.
The growing vacancies across journalism programmes raise questions about the changing career aspirations of Odisha's younger generation and the future of traditional journalism education in the state.
Once considered a sought-after professional course, journalism now appears to be facing a serious challenge in attracting the next generation of students.
