Be calm and positive, and there you are

Arunoday Prakash is a English Journalism alumni of 2003-04 batch. He is Deputy Producer in STAR NEWS. After IIMC and Before STAR NEWS, He was associated with ANI, DD News and HT Mint.

Indian Institute of Mass communication, a fun run of nine months, put in your best and you can have the best time of your life during the period. The only thing the institute and the profession demands from you is being calm and positive, apart from the other traits of a worldly wise person.

First of all be sure about what you are going to enter into, and don’t think I am dissuading you from entering into this parallel world of “news”. Yes it’s a parallel world. Once you are sure that it’s your passion and not just another job, things will be quite easy for you.First things first, A general know how, awareness, from what’s happening in your vicinity to the reasons of the IPL Gate to the Volcanic eruption which stalled the air traffic and passengers in several parts of the world. That’s not a big task, only one newspaper read everyday religiously can do the needful.

Secondly, one should have writing skills through which he/she could express/communicate with the audiences in as few words as he/she can.

The written exam is a test of your general abilities, presence of mind and a test of how you express things & analyze them. Although the pattern of the question paper keeps changing, but the overall focus is the same.

There would be some questions where you would be asked to write short notes, questions can range from the IPL Row, Sania–Shoaib Marriage vis-à-vis media coverage, the Naxal menace, US in Afghanistan, Paid News, Nithyanand Sex Scandal, the new breed of politicians, Indo-Pak relations, 3 G Spectrum etc. Here you would be tested for your knowledge and writing skills. I would suggest you to be straight, be fair in your analysis and don’t put in your own views too much, a critical analysis – both sides of the story would be the best effort from you.

Then there can be a match the following or one liners for some personalities. A basic knowledge of some personalities in news would be required; here you can score the most, try to solve them at the start, with a fresh mind.

Give at least two days before the paper to get to know the Indian media personalities: From the Editors of the prominent news channels, to some of the prominent columnists/journalists.As far as I remember the major weightage in the entrance is given to the written part, so be geared up to score the most, that will make things easy for you in the GD/PI.

Once you are through the written you will have to appear in the Group Discussion and Personal Interview. Confidence plays the biggest role here, but don’t be overconfident. Be original, what you are. Speak only when you are confident, you have answers to the questions branching out of what you going to speak. But that doesn't mean that you keep silent, try to turn the discussion/interview, mold it your way, that’s where you score, make others speak what you want them to. That is what a journalist all about. Speaking is not the only thing in journalism, it’s only a part, making people speak is the trait of a winner here. I will be through should be the attitude, help yourself and you will be through.

Best of luck friends and welcome to the world of IIMC





Cheers,
Arunoday Prakash