Itanagar: The Rajiv Gandhi University Research Scholars’ Forum (RGURSF), in a memorandum, on Tuesday urged Arunachal Pradesh Education Minister Taba Tedir to introduce subjects like Mass Communication and Journalism, and Psychology as an undergraduate degree course in government colleges of the state, by highlighting the importance and usage of these subjects in the education system.
A delegation of RGURSF who met the minister at the civil secretariat here on Tuesday said they have informed him about the need to include Mass Communication and Psychology as a subject in the state’s higher education curriculum.
“All over the world, there is a growing need for media education and accordingly, the same need is being felt in our state as well. Today, a child is born in a multi-media culture. One does not just rely on old means of communication for information but has access to the contemporary media as well. It is important for colleges to educate students to critically analyse the way media represents reality, so students are better prepared to build their own images, representations, and opinions,” the forum said.
As a part of ‘informational society’, there is a need to guide and empower our youth to become ethically aware and equip themselves with new media technologies responsibly for a better tomorrow,” it said.
The RGURSF memorandum said, postgraduate courses of both these subjects are already available in Rajiv Gandhi University and that there are sufficient MA, Ph.D, and University Grants Commission-NET holders who are qualified to teach in these colleges.
Citing the example of neighbouring states like Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram which offers Mass Communication and Journalism as a subject in their government-run colleges, the forum said, “In today’s digital age, media literacy is very crucial for the development of citizenship skills needed to promote a thriving democracy which our neighbouring states have realized. Introducing Mass Communication will not only help in creating a body of responsible trained media professionals who will contribute to the state’s growth but also offer separate posts of teachers to the hundreds of qualified degree holders who can teach in these courses.”
Also urging government to start Psychology subject in colleges, the forum said that Psychology is already a part of the Arunachal Pradesh Public Service Combined Competition Exam (APPSCCE), adding, the subject at the UG level will help create awareness on preventing social issues like substance abuse addiction and suicide etc.
The RGURSF said the Minister who showed optimism to the memorandum has referred the matter to be taken up with the Commissioner Education and Directorate of Higher and Technical Education.
