लिखित के साथ-साथ इंटरव्यू भी जरूरी

नेहा केशरी हिन्दी पत्रकारिता विभाग के 2008-09 बैच की छात्रा रही हैं. इस समय TV9  में संवाददाता के तौर पर दिल्ली में कार्यरत हैं.
नेहा आईआईएमसी एलुम्नाई एसोसिएशन की केंद्रीय समिति सदस्य हैं.

मेरी समझ में भारतीय जनसंचार संस्थान (IIMC) में दाखिले के लिए लिखना और पढना दोनों ही बहुत जरूरी है. और ऐसा भी नहीं है कि आपको परीक्षा के नजदीक आते ही जम कर पढाई करनी होगी. रोजाना अखबार पढ़ना और अपनी बात को सही तरीके से अभिव्यक्त करना ही आपके लिए IIMC के रास्ते खोल सकता है.

जितने भी सम-सामयिक विषय हैं, उनकी जानकारी जरूर होनी चाहिए. जानकारी ही काफी नहीं है, उसे आप किस तरह लिखते हैं, यह भी महत्वपूर्ण है. ये बात हुई लिखित परीक्षा की.

लिखित पास करने से आप एक सीढ़ी ऊपर जरूर जाते हैं पर इंटरव्यू को हल्के में लेना खतरनाक साबित हो सकता है. होता ये है कि इंटरव्यू में एक सीट के लिए तीन लोग बुलाए जाते हैं. तो मान लीजिए कि 70 सीट के लिए 210 लोग बुलाए गए हों तो इसमें सबसे ज्यादा नंबर लाने वाले और सबसे कम नंबर लाने वाले के बीच फासला कोई 15-20 का नहीं होता है. टॉप पर अगर एक है तो ठीक उससे कम वाला नंबर 5 लोगों को और उसके नीचे का नंबर 20 लोगों को आया होता है. इसलिए 15 नंबर का इंटरव्यू आपको बढ़त बनाए रखने में मदद भी कर सकता है या आपकी बढ़त को खा भी सकता है.

इंटरव्यू में देश, दुनिया, साहित्य, समाज, आपके शहर, राज्य, गांव से जुड़े कई और किसी भी तरह के सवाल पूछे जा सकते हैं. आपसे आपकी अभिरुचि पूछी जाएगी, जिसका जवाब सच्चाई से दीजिए क्योंकि आगे के सवाल इसी से जुड़े होंगे. और यकीन मानिये ये सवाल बहुत आसान नहीं होंगे लेकिन अगर आप आंख-कान खुले रखते हैं तो ये सवाल बहुत परेशान भी नहीं करेंगे.

मुझे ऐसा लगता है की IIMC की परीक्षा के लिए बहुत ज्यादा किताबें अब इस समय पढ़ने से कुछ नहीं होगा. आपको खबरों की दुनिया में रहना है और सभी मुद्दों से वाकिफ रहना है. लिखित में और इंटरव्यू में भी.

आप सबको अग्रिम शुभकामनायें

"The countdown begins..."

Hi! this is Vishakha. I am from 2012-13 batch of AD/PR.Currently, interning with IFFCO in the PR Department, I keep keen interest in arts-music, literature & theatre.

Countdown starts! Few more days and IIMC entrance exam will be here. There must be some mental pressure about how to study for exam and from where to study. But I tell you what, mugging up things won’t help you here, because in examination hall you will do only two things – think and write…So, to think you should know about the current happenings and to write you need to know how to move your pen to make impressive sentences. It is important to mind what you say but in AD/PR it is more important to learn the art of “how you say”. It’s great if you have good and creative ideas but you should also know how to put things in a better, presentable and convincing manner.

Keep yourself updated. Read newspapers like The Hindu, Economic Times, Indian Express for news and Times of India for advertisements, magazines like Open and Caravan. Watch television, understand the advertising trend and something that will give you extra points is when you will analyze ads and make your own opinion if you find it convincing enough or not. Digital media is again very important to look at. I think that won’t be a tough part as we are already using digital media so much. But to be specific, have a good knowledge about social media from marketing perspective, go through the blogs related to brands and media and other stuff.

Sorry, but I have something sad for people like me who are non Mathematicians! This time you’ll have to face real maths problems which will be more than just mean, median, mode that came in last year’s question paper. Be prepared for some good mathematics questions.

So, for the entrance exam :-
• Read newspaper and magazines
• Watch television
• Surf internet
• Get your brains to work
• Think “out of the box”
• Do some maths
• Eat well and sleep well (most important)!

Rest assured, if you enter IIMC, you will love the place and will have fun. So go for it and give your best.

My best wishes!

Newspaper matters !!

Hi, am Debarati Mukherjee, pass-out of EJ 2008-09 batch. My first job was with Deutsche Welle in Bonn, Germany. Presently am working with Idyllic Software as a Communications Specialist. Am passionate about journalism and freelance with many news media along with my full time job. Debarati is President of Pune Sub Chapter of IIMC Alumni Association.

“If you can dream it you can do it”- Walt Disney

It all basically started as a dream. When I was in Class Eighth I had a dream that I was interviewing the ace cricket skipper Saurav Ganguly in his residence. Being an ardent devotee of Saurav, I still could never imagine what powerful effect it had on me! It was from that day onwards, I started aiming to be a journalist. My love for journalism slowly and steadily made me take up media writing as a serious subject. From class Nine onwards, I joined journalism as a Tiger reporter with India’s best children’s newspaper The Telegraph In Schools (TTIS). With TTIS, I eventually got a chance to explore my dreams and fantasies one by one- from interviewing my idol Saurav Ganguly to Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Dravid to Aishwarya Rai and many more such celebrities who were idols of many teenagers like me.

As I kept growing up, the passion to join journalism full time grasped me. From children’s newspaper I gradually moved to main newspapers, contributed as a freelancer and started aiming to become a real journalist one day! With this dream and zest I filled in my form to get my career kick started with an IIMC diploma. When I filled in the form I never knew what I should study. All I knew was it was a very competitive exam and only 80 seats were there for thousands students appearing! I was never a very bright student in academics, somehow managed all my life with a presentable academic record.

Like most of you, I too wondered how to study, what to study and how to excel in this game! One of my college professors told me, “Remember newspaper is the best book for a journalism student.” Believe me or not, her words became my Bible! I regularly made it a point to track newspapers for 6 months; although I only had 3 months left for the exam to happen. From day one, I made a notebook and regularly penned down all the major events of the day datewise, took a note of the regular political developments, made a separate name list of all the ministers heading different departments of the states as well as center. You can say in simple words, I made my own Manorama year book with all the details.

Finally, before the day of the written test I was able to have all facts of the last six months ready with me. Because I used to read the newspaper, make notes out of it everyday, I never had to memorise anything, be it details or even names! It just automatically happened. On the examination day, I still remember, my father was stunned to see that all other applicants were busy studying outside the Calcutta University main hall while I kept chatting with him.

Honestly, I never had a chance to see the last few years IIMC entrance test papers because I was not aware that an alumni association portal was there who were kind enough to offer previous years paper. I got an access to this Pandora’s Box only before the interview, so in bold words I will suggest all of you to take the newspaper seriously and make it your holy grail!

All the best!!

Of Midnight Oil and Daytime toils

Deepti Gahrotra is from the ADPR batch of 2011-2012. After a brief stint with 20: 20 MSL she is currently the Communications Manager at Score Foundation in New Delhi, and happy to be using her PR skills in a domain she loves.

IIMC was one of the best years of my life so far. It is one of those experiences I will cherish forever. I laughed, I cried, I made others cry, and well finally I found my little place beneath the sun. Which is why when I was approached to write this article I was overjoyed to be talking about one of the few places I call home, it truly is my Alma Mater. Mind you however, this despite the fact that I had never heard of this blog before last week! Unlike one of my successors who professes to having "religiously" followed this blog for months on end before the exam, I'm now somewhat embarrassed to say I had no idea it existed.

But that in no way discounts the fact that I DID study at IIMC, so I guess I'm trying to say at some level it takes more than all the preparation in the world to make it to IIMC, it takes a knack for words, a clear and sound thinking process, and opinions... lots and lots of opinions. You need to be really opinionated to be heard among 6000 people who apply and then the 75 students in your class. This of course pertains more to ADPR than to other courses, simply because I am not an authority on the others.

This post in particular deals with how one can prepare for the written exam, however, in case any of you want to, I have also written a couple of blogposts (yes by a couple I mean exactly 2) about my time at IIMC on my own blog. If any of you are in two minds about going to IIMC or any other institute, I would like to think at least one of the posts might help you.

http://imjinxd.blogspot.in/2013/01/the-first-day-of-rest-of-my-life.html

http://imjinxd.blogspot.in/2012/06/you-see-i-did-my-post-graduation-in.html

Coming back to how you should prepare I'll answer this in two parts. Back when I sat for the entrance exam I sat for all three exams ADPR, EJ and RTV. Yes I know what your are thinking, "fickle ain't she?" but having a bachelors in Journalism and Mass Comm I was not sure at the time which of the three I wanted to do. Coming back, I cleared the written for all three. So I guess I am as a good an authority as anyone to talk about at least the entrance for all three.

For the EJ and RTV exams keep abreast of current issues. Read alot. A lot of different perspectives on an issue will help you form your own opinion and that is all they will ask you for in the exam, YOUR opinion.

Suggested reading includes: the online version of The Economist, the editorial of The Hindu and The Economic Times as well as The Indian Express. A helpful tip is to read the Sunday edition of the ET religiously. It is a tabloid sized "magazine" as they call it, and super overpriced if the accounts administrator at my office is to believed, but I promise it is worth the paper it is printed on. This should keep you set.

Personally did not read all of these. I used to read a general daily and get a hang of news. I would then Google the topic and read any editorial I found on it. Now that I'm a whole year older and wiser, to simplify the process for you I suggest reading the above.

Apart from this be sure to read one general daily everyday, you know TOI, HT, The Hindu that kind. Just pick one and ruffle through it to be sure you know whats going on in the world. In an earlier post someone suggested reading Brand Wagon which I admit is pretty useful, however since I did not start reading it till after I passed out of IIMC I guess you can get through without reading it.

Apart from this, you need to have a knack for writing. All the preparation in the world will fall flat if you can't adequately and coherently express yourself. This is something that takes time to inculcate. However if you are dedicated, try and write as much as possible. Get people to read it and give you their honest opinions. There is no other way around it.

Now lets come to ADPR. I looked at the last 5 year entrance exam papers when I was preparing for mine and let me tell you they were a BIG help.

They helped me establish a pattern. Apart from one question which is always a curve ball and meant to stump you, the rest of the question patterns are quite predictable. While reading this please bear in mind I did not look at last years exam paper so this business with maths is alien territory to me, but I'm willing to bet that the rest of the paper was pretty standard.

So rule 1, dont worry about the curve ball. Attempt it at the end if possible so that it doesnt cause you any undue stress. You can’t prepare for it so rely on instinct and prior knowledge to answer it to the best of your capabilities.

The first question generally has to do with statements. You will be given 4 or 5 statements and you will need to describe any 2 or 3 of them in 100 words. The statements could be as follows,

* "brevity is the soul of wit".

* "A sword is useless in the hands of a coward".

In essence you are to explain the meaning of the statement in no more than 100 words. Remember this requires skill and clear thinking. If you think 100 words is a lot well then be prepared to be surprised. Think about this one, it requires a certain degree of mindful thinking and a way with words.

The next question will ask you to deconstruct an advertising campaign. List out its merits and demerits. There will be a choice between a social and brand campaign and you are asked your thoughts on the campaign and how you could make it better. For this purpose it is important to also watch a lot of ad campaigns. I found www.afaqs.com very useful. It will help you find information on the latest campaigns and also some perspectives. YouTubing latest Indian ad campaigns is a good idea. See them and try to form an opinion. The campaign they ask you to work on is generally fairly widely known so the risk of you not knowing the campaign is slim. Another question might ask you to deconstruct a social campaign of your choice, and well the above should help you with that as well.

Apart from this there is bound to be one or two questions on current affairs. They generally give you a list of 10 people to describe. These people are diverse but will have all been in the news in the past one year. You will be required to give a brief profile of any 5.

If all goes well 2 hours is more than enough to finish the paper. Allot fixed time for each of the questions and work systematically. Take at least 2 pens you are comfortable writing with and a pencil. The exam is long and if you can’t write fast this might be an area you might want to work on.

But over and above everything just have fun with the exam. A certain amount of wit and cockiness, I find goes a long way. So please don’t be nervous I've known the best of them to stumble under pressure and it cost them a seat. So be calm, if you have worked hard and you are confident of your capabilities, you should be able to hopefully crack it.

निरंतर मेहनत , लगनशीलता और समय प्रबंधन से दाखिला संभव है

प्रभात उपाध्याय, हिंदी पत्रकारिता (2012-13) , जनसत्ता, गाँव कनेक्शन जैसे अखबारों में स्वतंत्र लेखन और 'शिराज-ए-हिंद' नाम से ब्लॉग का संचालन. कैम्पस प्लेसमेंट से 'हिन्दुस्तान'  में.

दोस्तों,

ग्रेजुएशन के अंतिम वर्ष की परीक्षा की भागदौड़ के बीच हम सभी की आंखों में एक सपना पल रहा होता है. वह सपना भारतीय जनसंचार संस्थान (IIMC) में दाखिले का होता है. इस बात से आप भी वाकिफ़ होंगे कि आईआईएमसी पत्रकारिता की पढ़ाई के लिए अग्रणी संस्थानों में से एक है. चूंकि यहां सीटें कम हैं, इसलिए हालत कुछ-कुछ 'एक अनार सौ बीमार' जैसी ही है. बहरहाल, निरंतर मेहनत, लगनशीलता  और समय प्रबंधन से इस 'अनार' पर आपका कब्ज़ा यानी यहां आपका दाखिला संभव है.

आईआईएमसी की दाखिला परीक्षा में किस तरह के सवाला पूछे जाते हैं, इसका भी अंदाजा आपको पिछले सालों के पेपर से मिल ही गया होगा. बेहतर समय प्रबंधन और सटीक तैयारी के नजरिए से आईआईएमसी की दाखिला परीक्षा को हम 'पढ़ाई और लिखाई' दो भागों में बांट सकते हैं. इस दौरान जिन विषयों पर पढ़ाई और लिखाई करनी है उनकी एक सूची बना लीजिए. इस सूची के हिसाब से प्रतिदिन तीन से चार विषय के गहन अध्ययन के साथ-साथ निश्चित शब्द सीमा (यह 100 से 150 शब्द के बीच हो सकता है) के भीतर लेखन का निरंतर अभ्यास करिए. याद रखिए 'लेखन' जितना ज्यादा करेंगे वह आपके लिए हितकर साबित होगा.

विषयों के अध्ययन के लिए मेनस्ट्रीम वीकली, तहलका, शुक्रवार और न्यूज एंड इवेंट्स जैसी पत्रिकाएं मददगार साबित होंगी. हां, एक बात और.. दाखिला परीक्षा में अब कुछ ही दिन रह गए हैं इसलिए कई अखबारों को उलटने-पुलटने' से बेहतर है कि सिर्फ एक अखबार पढ़ें और कहीं से 'दृष्टिकोण मंथन' (इसमें तमाम अखबारों के लेख का संकलन होता है ) का जुगाड़ हो जाए तो बेहतर है.

इस परीक्षा में 'पर्सन, प्लेस या इवेंट' से सम्बंधित कुछ सवाल होते हैं, जिनका आपको दो या तीन वाक्यों में जवाब देना होता है. इसके लिए सबसे आसान विकल्प है कि रोजाना अखबार पढ़ने के दौरान अपनी डायरी/पैड में जो भी पांच-सात पर्सन-प्लेस आपको जरूरी  लगें उसको नोट करते रहें.

फ़िलहाल इस वर्ष के लिए मेरी समझ से कुछ संभावित विषय जिन पर परीक्षा में सवाल पूछे जा सकते हैं- 

• राहुल गांधी
• नरेन्द्र मोदी 
• कोल स्कैम 
• रंजीत सिन्हा
• पवन कुमार बंसल
• विजय सिंघला
• महेश कुमार
• जस्टिस वर्मा समिति
• भूमि अधिग्रहण बिल 
• खाद्य सुरक्षा विधेयक 
• कर्नाटक विधानसभा चुनाव 
• हिंदी सिनेमा के सौ वर्ष 
• डीसीटी (डायरेक्ट कैश ट्रान्सफर स्कीम )
• भारत-पाक संबंध
• भारत-चीन संबंध 
• सोशल मीडिया 
• एफडीआई इन रिटेल
• एफडीआई इन एविएशन सेक्टर 
• मनरेगा (सीएजी की हालिया रिपोर्ट के संदर्भ में )
• बजट 2013-14 (शिक्षा, स्वास्थ्य, कृषि से)
• ब्रिक्स संगठन (ब्रिक्स बैंक बनाने के सन्दर्भ में )
• पकिस्तान का आम चुनाव 

तो लग जाइए जम कर परीक्षा की तैयारी में. याद रखिए -
     इस पथ का उद्देश्य नहीं है शांत भवन में टिक जाना,
     किन्तु पहुंचना उस सीमा तक जिसके आगे राह नहीं
                                                       - जयशंकर प्रसाद

अग्रिम शुभकामनाएं

Get, Set and Go…

Somesh Jha, a 2012-13 batch student from IIMC, Dhenkanal, has completed his internship with The Hindu and got placed with Business Standard.

Hello IIMC aspirants,

Before telling you what you need to do and needn’t do to crack the IIMC entrance, I would like to familiarize you with the life that lies ahead once you successfully pass this hurdle. For me and for most of my batchmates, they had the time of their lives all these 9 months. This would completely change your life and would nourish the journalist within you for sure. IIMCians, as far I have observed, are very well respected in the industry and are considered the best. Wherever you go, whichever company you join, you are sure to find an IIMCian either holding a top post else working top class.

Don’t worry too much about placements from now on. Things like where will I be placed, whether will I be placed or not could conquer your mind too often but do not lay your emphasis on that part. Once you are through, just give your best, go with a mindset to “learn” and there you go! But to reach there, you have to work up a sweat.

So, now the big question – HOW TO CRACK THE IIMC ENTRANCE…?

For this, I will run a few FAQ’s which will probably clear all your doubts

Q 1. I am from a non-journalistic background, is it so that a person from journalism background will get a preference over me or will be able to fair better than me in the exam?

Answer – A big NO. It doesn’t really matter guys if you are from journalistic background or not. You can be a lawyer and then pursue this or even a manager and then go on to be an accomplished journalist. Believe me. I have done Marketing Management and Retail Business from Delhi University. Neither of those terms has got anything to do with journalism at all. Infact, it can work in your favour in a few cases as well, the reason being you will have knowledge in a specific domain before entering into this stream. And in journalism, you should be the jack of all trades but the master of one. Honestly, there is no preference given to a person from journalistic background and it all depends on your competence my friend!

Q 2. I am going to give entrance for a journalism school. So, does it mean I need to master the knowledge of all the fields – sports, politics, business, etc.?

Answer – NO. Just stay abreast of the latest happenings. Scan through the newspapers daily and go through the editorials of atleast 3-4 newspapers (one of them should definitely be The Hindu). You needn’t know who the President of Slovenia is but yes, if that President is elected a month back then yes, you should know that.

Q 3. Do I need to go through each and every page of the yearly GK books such as Manorama?

Answer – Not at all. Not for the written test atleast! Can’t say about the interview though as anything can be asked over there. But there is a trick for that as well. You need to take the interview in your way or direction so that questions are asked according to your comfort levels.

Like, you should have knowledge about the political scenarios of your birth place as this can certainly be asked in your interview. Infact, the interview round is something, not even the experts can give you an appropriate advice as it all depend upon your confidence level and the way you handle questions. If you do not know something, be straight forward and confident (as well as polite) enough to say “No Sir I do not now this”. The interviewers won’t eat you up believe me. Just be yourself there.

And for the written test, what worked for me is, I went through the newspapers thoroughly last 3 months before the exam. If you missed out on that, take the Pratiyogita Darpan or even take the help of the internet and look for names which are in the headlines since last few months. Do make a note of that.

You will get a question where you will be given 10 names and you will have to write short notes on them for 20 marks. Those are the scoring areas of the examination. All the awardees, achievers, any celebrity’s demise, etc are the common areas from which the questions do come.

For this, I would suggest you to observe the pattern of the last few years’ question paper carefully. You will observe that no name is asked out of the blue and those names had been in news a few months prior to the examination.

Q 4. I am done with the preparation. What about the written test now? Do we need a rocket science to crack it as the best among the best would be appearing for the same? Or do I write flowery language to catch the examiner’s appeal?

Answer – First congratulations that you are done with your preparation but this is only the half task done! Now, wait for the D-day and fight the battle with full force. You do not need a flowery language at all while writing the exam, it is good to have sound vocabulary but that does not matter much. If you can simply convey your thought, form an opinion and stick to it, you will be through. What won’t be tolerated is weak grammar. Do not make silly mistakes and do not forget to revise. Most important – STICK TO THE WORD LIMIT! It is not the quantity but the quality which matters the most.

Moreover, try to give as much balanced view as possible. Measure both the sides of the equations in your answer. You needn’t bring a political angle in all of your answers. Moreover, try to bring in facts as well. There should be a fair balance between facts and opinions.

Just try finding out the scoring areas in the exam and make sure you hit the bull’s eye. The most scoring area of the examination would be GRAMMAR. DO NOT ANSWER anything on an issue you are unsure of. As it is rightly said, half knowledge is always dangerous.

Q 5. I have cracked the IIMC entrance test. Have I won the battle already? Do I sit back and relax? How do I brace myself for the interview now?

Answer – There will always be lull before the storm arrives. To prepare yourself for the “interview storm”, just brace yourself well in these hours of lull. I know you would be on seventh heaven after cracking the written test (I also was) but then, ground yourself first. You have to now run an extra mile to reach your dream destination.

For interviews, as already mentioned above, confidence is the key. It is how you drive the interview and the more you drive it your way, the better it is. There will be times and infact most of the times, during this round, when the interviewers would try to knock you down completely, could become unjustifiably rude on you and even try to dominate upon your opinion but you have to make sure that you keep standing firm in these times of storm. Do not be rude on them. Present yourself and your thoughts well. Do not try to be oversmart as they are experienced enough to judge a person within minutes.

If you the confidence in you, suitable attitude and can give justice to your views then nobody can stop you. Be honest to yourself and do not utter things which can lead you to a maze, from where coming back becomes difficult.

Again, do read about the recent happenings and deeply research on each and every burning issue because they can ask you anything and will further, try to dig deep into your answers. Do your homework well and be ready for basic questions such as Why Journalism, Strengths, Weaknesses, etc. and just hope for the best.

Q 6. My name came in the list but I didn’t make it to IIMC, Delhi. Oh God! The names of these places I haven’t even heard in my entire life! Shall I still go ahead with the other branches of IIMC?

Answer – From my personal experience, I can tell you I got to learn a lot being in IIMC, Dhenkanal. Being born in Delhi, I still didn’t limit myself from securing my dream. Things would look all rosy from the aerial view when one would think of IIMC, Delhi but believe me I had a few friends over there who told me that they are not quite satisfied with their experience and do not even know their batchmates well enough(at that time they were almost done with their second semester exams). And tell me, wouldn’t it be exciting to explore a new place and report in those areas of the country you are completely unfamiliar of?

Learning is a process which is entirely dependant on you. If you want to learn and are ambitious enough to be a part of the IIMC family, you should not pre-occupy yourselves with such thoughts.

Anyways, journalism is a profession in which you will probably have to go to remote areas, war zones and even Maoist-affected areas to report and there you won’t be given any choice. Better to start your journey by not constraining yourself just to remain in the hustle and bustle.

Moreover, the examination is already centralised and placements, I believe from the next year, will also be. So, there would be an equal opportunity for all!

You wouldn’t even realise when you will come at the far end of this beautiful journey which will take you on a roller-coaster ride leaving you with nostalgia, good memories, great friends and inturn, making you a person who you always wanted to be – A CAPABLE JOURNALIST…

So, just go ahead and realise your dream! A dream called the I.I.M.C…

For further queries, you can reach me at somi91@gmail.com

मुद्दों की गहराई में उतरें, अपनी समझ विकसित करें

केंद्रीय विद्यालय, मेरठ से 12वीं करने के बाद दिल्ली यूनिवर्सिटी से जर्नलिज्म में स्नातक और 2011-12 में आईआईएमसी पहुंची नेहा झा अपने सत्र की टॉपर हैं. एक साल तक हिन्दुस्तान, पटना में क्राइम रिपोर्टिंग करने के बाद अब हिन्दुस्तान, दिल्ली के लिए काम कर रही हैं.

पत्रकार बनने की चाह रखने वाले लोगों से उम्मीद की जाती है की उन्हें हर विषय की जानकारी हो. जरुरी नहीं की आपको हर विषय पर बोलने और लिखने में महारत हासिल हो लेकिन इतनी जानकारी हो कि आप उस विषय पर किसी से बातचीत कर सकें. किसी खास विषय पर आपकी पकड़ मजबूत हो और बाकी की थोड़ी-थोड़ी जानकारी भी हो तो काफी है. प्रवेश परीक्षा में सफल होने के लिए कोई खून-पसीना बहाना जरुरी नहीं है और न किसी कोचिंग की जरुरत है और न ही किसी विशेषज्ञ की राय की. आसपास मौजूद मुद्दों में आपकी दिलचस्पी हो और उन पर सोचने का सामर्थ्य. आप मुद्दों पर बहस कर सकते हों या कोई समाधान सुझा सकते हों.

लिखित परीक्षा में पास होने के लिए जरुरी है कि आप हाल-फिलहाल में चर्चा में रहे मुद्दों और विषयों से लगातार जुड़े रहे हों. आपका लेखन कौशल अच्छा हो ताकि अपने विचार को कागज पर कम समय में  उतारने में आप सहज हों. दिए गए विषय पर उतना ही लिखें जितना परीक्षक को प्रभावित करने के लिए काफी हो. अपना सार ज्ञान उड़ेल देने की गलती न करें. समय और शब्द सीमा का ध्यान रखें. एक बार चयन हो जाए तो कक्षा में इसके लिए आपको काफी समय मिलेगा. हर विषय पर अच्छी समझ बनाने के लिए जरुरी है की आप पत्रिकाओं, सम्पादकीय, ब्लॉग और सोशल नेटवर्किंग साइट्स के संपर्क में रहें. इन जगहों से आपको एक ही विषय पर कई नजरिया मिल जायेंगे.

पत्रकारिता का शौक और जुनून रखने वाले लोग ये काम जरूर करते होंगे इसलिए इसमें कोई मशक्कत नहीं करनी पड़ेगी. हां हिंदी पत्रकार बनने आये लोगों का हाथ अगर अंग्रेजी में तंग है तो यहां उन्हें थोड़ी ज्यादा मेहनत करनी पड़ेगी. कुछ दिनों तक हिंदी से अंग्रेजी और अंग्रेजी से हिंदी अनुवाद करने की आदत डाल लें. लेखन शैली मजबूत करें. वर्तनी शुद्ध करें. अंग्रेजी से गुरेज न रखें. भाषा पर अपनी पकड़ मजबूत बनाएं और सबसे अहम बात, तनाव को परे रखकर ये सब काम करें.

IIMC: Another Happy Accident ! !! !!!

Neha Dave: Before IIMC, I studied Business Management in my bachelors and English Literature (for pure pleasure); right now I work with Dalal Street Investment Journal as Digital Product Manager. Neha is Organisation Secretary of Pune Sub-Chapter of IIMC Alumni Association. 

As I look back the times when I was still as anxious as you guys (applicants) will be right now, I can feel semblance of smiles everywhere. What I am today is because of a series of happy accidents of which I was either too smart or stupid enough to take advantage. I thought I had a plan, a strategy but outcomes were unexpected and that’s the beauty of life.

I aspired to study English Journalism from IIMC, prepared for it by reading and gleaning one regional (Rajasthan Patrika) and one national daily (The Hindu) along with last 4-5 issues of Pratiyogita Darpan. I applied for Advertising and PR too, because it sounded like one amusing course to me. But on the name of preparations for it; I did nothing but stopped browsing through channels between the breaks and cajoled myself to watch whatever commercials came.

After I wrote the exam papers, I felt that I am sure going to top the EJ entrance and stand no chance for Ad & PR, and ironically I couldn’t even make it to EJ interview but cleared written for Ad & PR. (lol)
And so I went for the interview owing to my love for Delhi and JNU Campus (couple of friends studied their). Interview happened, they asked me trivial (I felt) questions about Rajasthan Government, Obama, Google, my past job experience and my favorite play. In the end, they asked me as to why I want to study Advertising from IIMC, I candidly replied, it was English Journalism which I wanted to do (like a Boss :B). They paused, saw each other (3 of them) and then said Thank You.

In wildest of my dreams, I didn’t expect that they’ll take me in, but they did, and I joined in (for the love of campus and Delhi).

Turns out I just had to be ready and willing to take chances, look at what life has to offer and put my heart and soul into it. All that anxiety and fear and planning didn’t help, nor did it fuel anything useful.

Therefore my advice to you all is – Be easy on your sweet self, keep your minds open, stay true to at least yourself and most importantly have fun because LIFE and WORLD are eternally doped and are never fair or logical

IIMC is not end of the life, it’s just another college.

PS - hell of a good one ;)

Cheerz !!!

Probable Set for Short Notes

Sandeep Kumar is topper of Hindi Journalism, 2005-06 batch & General Secretary of Jharkhand Chapter of IIMC Alumni Association.

Why following were in news recently? Write in 30 words only.

1. Bal Thackrey
2. Uddhav Thackrey
3. Rajnath Singh
4. Narendra Modi
5. PC Chako
6. Omprakash Chautala
7. Mukesh Ambani
8. Justice JS Verma
9. Viren J Shah
10. Ajmal Amir Kasab
11. Afzal Guru
12. Sarabjit Singh
13. Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar
14. Mirza Himayat Baig
15. Malala Yusufzai
16. Sunmeet Kaur Sawhney
17. Yash Chopra
18. Pran
19. Sanjay Dutt
20. Irrfan Khan
21. Shamshad Begum
22. Pandit Ravi Shanker
23. Harmanpreet Kaur
24. Chris Gyle
25. Fauja Singh
26. VS Ramadevi
27. Zia Ul Haq
28. Shakuntala Devi
29. Shailendra Nath Roy
30. Sudipto Sen
31. Raghuraj Pratap Singh (Raja Bhaiya)
32. Subrat Roy Sahara
33. Jorge Mario Bergoglio (Pope Francis)
34. Hugo Chavez
35. Nicolas Maduro
36. Giulio Terzi
37. Zillur Rahman
38. Margaret Thatcher
39. Barack Obama
40. John Kerry
41. David Cameron
42. General Pervez Musharaf
43. Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck
44. AAP
45. DCT (Direct Cash Transfer)
46. AADHAR
47. DBO (Daulat Beg Oldy)

Be Updated. That's It.

Hi this is Krishna passout of EJ 2010-11. Always wanted to be a journalist. So if you are not serious – please don’t occupy a seat of other deserving candidate who might not be as lucky as you. Currently working with Business Standard and based in Mumbai. Krishna is heading Membership Drive of IIMC Alumni Association in Maharashtra Chapter.

A newspaper a day lands you in IIMC right away. I would describe this as a mantra which brought me to Indian Institute of Mass Communication.

People in the media fraternity might criticise Times of India tooth and nail but I owe my admission in IIMC to ToI. No no... please don't interpret this as if I'm a great ToI fan but the point I want to make is even if you read one newspaper a day carefully, there are bright chances of you securing admission in IIMC or say at least cracking the first hurdle -- written test.

I didn’t study a single book apart from reading the newspaper daily, anytimein my preparation for IIMC. You might wonder how’s that possible? But definitely it is possible. You must be very well aware with the question paper pattern by now (Question Paper 2005 | Question Paper 2006 | Question Paper 2007 | Question Paper 2008 | Question Paper 2009 | Question Paper 2010 | Question Paper 2011 | Question Paper 2012). Paper pattern isn’t intended to test your academic knowledge but precisely your knowledge about your surroundings. Reading a newspaper will give you the fair idea about that.  And it will also help you to opine you in the questions where you have to take positions (first two questions).

But one thing is very clear. You should be able to defend the position you take and that will come from your knowledge about the topic. Attempt the topic which you know. And yes be careful about the word limit as there is no extra sheet provided. Roughly one line of the answer sheet can accommodate 10 words, so for 150 words 15-16 lines should be the maximum limit of your answer.

If you are attempting for English journalism, grammar is an important part, therefore I would advise you if to brush up that part if you are not strong here. Even I wasn’t strong here (I’m not still) and didn’t pay attention to this part, I believe that I lost few marks in this section.          

Most of you must also be attempting RTV exam. The basic premise of that exam is not much different from that of journalism. It's easy to crack both the exams on the common preparation.

I won’t go much beyond this, as in journalism, it’s very important to be simple, precise and to the point. All the best folks. Will come back for the interview tips.

P.S: I’ve a fantastic interview experience to share.  Wait for it.

IIMC Entrance Exam is a Cakewalk

Debalina Dey, 2nd Topper of RTV Department, 2012-13, got placed with PTI.

When I say that, I mean it. Yes, the entrance exam of one of India’s premier media institute is actually a cakewalk. Trust me! People will scare you and tell you lots of crazy stuffs like “Oh! IIMC, its tough dude”, “Arey wahan sirf Delhi walon ko hi milta hai”, etc etc. But these are all crap. The only thing you have to do is read Newspapers. That’s it!! Nothing more. Make a habit of reading newspapers everyday and if possible write on a topic which you think is important. That will help you a lot. The entrance exam gives primary focus on your writing skills. So writing daily, will give you confidence and will also brush up your writing skills.

Take a note of all the important events that have happened in the past six months. List them out and then try to analyse those events critically. Form your opinion and back it up with logic. That is how good journalists are made. Do that regularly and nobody can stopyou from cracking the exam. Read The Hindu, The Indian Express, Frontline or Tehelka. Watch news and enjoy!!!

In both the English journalism written test and radio and TV journalism test, the main focus is on current affairs. Also, keep a tab on important personalities who were in the news in the last six months. In both print and RTV exams, short notes on these personalities will come and short notes will fetch you more marks.

Lastly, all I want to say is do not panic, take it easy. Just be focussed and dedicated.

One thing I would like to repeat: READ NEWSPAPERS. That’s all you need to do and yes do not stop reading newspapers once you get through IIMC. If you seriously want to pursue your career in journalism, you have to continue reading newspapers till you die.

All the best.

यह दिमाग की नहीं, दिल की लड़ाई है

हिमांशु सिंह- इलेक्ट्रिकल इंजीनियरिंग में स्नातक करने के बाद 2010-11 में हिंदी पत्रकारिता पहुंचे, दो साल तक भाषा में सेवा के बाद अब भारतीय सूचना सेवा में अधिकारी.

अंशु सचदेवा- 2010-11 में हिंदी पत्रकारिता के बाद राजस्थान के ग्रामीण इलाकों में शिक्षा के क्षेत्र में सक्रिय. समाज सेवा के अलावा स्वतंत्र लेखन के जरिए विकास पत्रकारिता में मौजूदगी.

पत्रकार बनने का सपना पूरा करने के लिए आई.आई.एम.सी. में आने की तमन्ना रखने वालों की संख्या हजारों में है पर यहां दाखिला पाने वालों की संख्या तो निश्चित ही है. एक-दो महीने की योजनाबद्ध तैयारी, समय प्रबंधन और विभिन्न मुद्दों पर जानकारी आपको पहली श्रेणी वाले लोगों में से दूसरी श्रेणी में ला सकती है.

कुछ प्रतिभागी इस संस्थान की प्रवेश परीक्षा के लिए कोचिंग आदि का सहारा लेते हैं जिसकी कतई जरूरत नहीं है. पिछले सालों के प्रश्नपत्र इस ब्लॉग पर उपलब्ध हैं. उनको देखकर आप आसानी से परीक्षा के स्वरुप का अंदाजा लगा सकते हैं.

खास तौर पर पत्रकारिता के पाठ्यक्रम में प्रवेश पाने की इच्छा रखने वालों को कम समय में ज्यादा लिखने की आदत डाल लेनी चाहिए. शुरुआती प्रश्नों में प्रमुख मुद्दों पर टिप्पणी या लेख लिखने संबंधी सवाल पूछे जाते हैं. इसके लिए आपको परीक्षा की तिथि से पांच-छह महीने पहले के प्रमुख मुद्दों पर अपनी जानकारी दुरुस्त रखनी चाहिए. साथ ही साथ यह भी जरूरी है कि उन मुद्दों पर आप स्पष्ट राय रखते हों.

हमारे समय में “महिला आरक्षण”, “बी.टी. बैंगन”, “आई.पी.एल.” जैसे मुद्दों पर टिप्पणी मांगी गई थी. अपने जवाब में तर्कों के माध्यम से राय रखें जिसके लिए जरूरी है कि आप प्रमुख घटनाओं के संबंध में टीवी पर टॉक शो, पत्र-पत्रिकाओं में छप रहे लेखों पर नज़र रखें. हिंदी पत्रकारिता के छात्रों के लिए जनसत्ता के संपादकीय बेहद उपयोगी सिद्ध हो सकते हैं.

टिप्पणी वाले सवालों के बाद बारी आती है ऐसे सवालों की जिसमें आपके सामान्य ज्ञान की जांच की जाती है. इसमें करीब 10 शख्सियत, स्थान या संस्थानों के नाम पूछे जाते हैं और आपको बताना होता है कि पिछले कुछ दिनों में वे क्यों खबरों में रहे? इसके लिए भी गुरुमंत्र यही है कि टीवी और अखबारों में चल रही खबरों पर नज़र बनाये रखें.

इस सवाल के बाद वह हिस्सा जो हिंदी पत्रकारिता के छात्रों के लिए सबसे अहम माना जाता है- अनुवाद. इसमें अंग्रेजी में लिखे एक पैराग्राफ का अनुवाद हिंदी में करना होता है. अनुवाद में आपसे अपेक्षा यह रखी जाती है कि आप शब्द दर शब्द अनुवाद न कर अंग्रेजी में दी गई सामग्री को भाव रूप में हिन्दी में लिखें.

इतने सवालों के बाद प्रतियोगी का भाषा ज्ञान जांचने के लिए आखिरी सवाल पूछा जाता है जिसमें भाषा की त्रुटियों को अंकित कर उन्हें सही रूप में लिखना होता है. उदाहरण के तौर पर– “बाघों की जनसंख्या कम होती जा रही है. इस वाक्य को सही रूप में लिखने को कहा जा सकता है.

परीक्षा के स्वरुप को जानने के बावजूद कुछ प्रतिभागी परीक्षा उत्तीर्ण नहीं कर पाते. कारण है खराब समय प्रबंधन. पिछले प्रश्न पत्रों को निश्चित अवधि और निर्धारित शब्द सीमा में हल करने का अभ्यास करें और करते रहें. टिप्पणी और लेख संबंधी सवालों में अपनी दिल की बात रखें. वैसे भी कुछ लड़ाइयां दिमाग से नहीं दिल से जीती जाती हैं..यह परीक्षा भी उनमें से ही एक है.

शुभकामनाएं.

Words of wisdom on the ADPR Entrance Test

Indrani is 7th topper of Ad-PR 2012-2013 and is currently working in HCL as an Account Manager(Client Servicing). She loves music and theatre.

I wish I could tell you to read the following topics and you are through the entrance exam. It does not work that way.  Ad-PR by its very nature is not about mugging up some facts and spewing them out. So my first piece of wise advice would be start thinking creative, start thinking smart. There is no fixed syllabus in the exam but it would probably be a good idea to start reading newspapers, as well as cover the main headlines of the last couple of months.

This is a test not only to check your awareness of public affairs but about the world of brands as well. Start following websites such as afaqs and exchange4media. Read Brand Equity the Wednesday supplement of Economic Times, as well as business magazines. Be aware of what is happening in the ad and brand world. Also the questions asked are not just limited to trending topics. Last year we had to write a paragraph on issues such as malnutrition and globalisation. Seems easy, but it depends on how well you present the answers (if it’s easy for you, it’s easy for everyone else as well). For example, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to write something about your favourite global brand in globalisation (hey! Louis Vuitton is valued as much here in India as elsewhere!).

Digital media is always a hot topic. But the good part is most of us are well versed with that particular medium already as we use it a lot. We understand how it functions, but read on the topic, on innovations within the digital space, on trends on the internet, on advertising in digital spaces etc.
Last year, the mathematics section was a surprise, but it is very basic maths. Maths is not my strong point and even I could do it, so you probably should not be very worried. You could probably practice some basic profit & Loss, mean, median etc.

There will always be a question testing your creative skills. You should just enjoy this question and have fun. Think absurd, think big, think smart.

Honestly it is just about being sharp and quick. After a certain point everyone knows the basics so it is how well you put your thought and apply your understanding of the topic and subject to each question. If your aim is to become one of them, start thinking like them. Also for recreational purposes start watching Mad Men (it is a TV Show). Not only is it fun, but you’ll understand the ad world way better as well.

A word of caution, do try and finish every single question. The paper is only for 2 hours. Divide your time well, and make sure the time you spend on the questions correspond with the marks they carry. I heard people complaining last year about the fact that they did not get time to finish the last question (which carried some 20 marks). Time yourself well.

The written is crucial, as the interview is just 10 or 15 marks, so do well in this exam. All the best, and hope the deserving ones make it through IIMC.

अपडेट रहें, कोई एलियन सा सवाल नहीं पूछते

आदर्श शुक्ला हिंदी पत्रकारिता विभाग के 2012-13 के छात्र रहे हैं. कैंपस चयन के रास्ते इस समय जयपुर में रेड एफएम को सेवा दे रहे हैं.

आईआईएमसी की प्रवेश परीक्षा नजदीक आ गयी हैं. आप आईआईएमसी की वेबसाइट खंगाल ही चुके होगें. सवाल किस पैटर्न पर पूछे जाएगें इसका एक बुनियादी अंदाजा आपको हो चुका होगा. सबसे पहले तो यह बात समझ लें कि अगर अखबारों से आपका साबका पड़ता रहता है, देश-दुनिया से आप वाकिफ हैं तो इन्ट्रेंस में कोई सवाल आपके लिए एलियन नहीं होगा. इस परीक्षा में चुनौती जानकारी से ज्यादा समझ की है. आप पत्रकारिता करने आ रहे है, विभिन्न विषयों पर आप क्या सोचते हैं, सवाल यह परखने के लिए किए जाते हैं. आपसे यह अपेक्षा होती है कि जवाब का तार्किक आधार भी आप प्रस्तुत करें.

10 सवाल हाल ही में चर्चा में रहे लोगों, घटनाओं के बारे मे पूछे जाते हैं। इसका जवाब 20 से 25 शब्दों मे देना होता है. जाहिर है इतने कम शब्दों में आप केवल उनके चर्चा में रहने का कारण ही बता सकते हैं. शब्द सीमा का ध्यान रखें. अगर तय शब्दों में आप अपनी बात नही कह पा रहे हैं तो इसका प्रभाव गलत पड़ता है. इन सवालों की तैयारी के लिए अख़बार, पत्रिकाओं के अलावा इंटरनेट का सहारा लें.

जागरण जोश, यूपीएससी या एसएससी की तैयारी के लिए पाठ्य सामग्री मुहैया कराने वाली साइट्स पर हर महीने चर्चा में रहे लोगों और घटनाओं के बारे में जानकारी मिल जाएगी. पिछले साल के मई से अब तक का देख लेना ठीक होगा. इसके अलावा कुछ सवाल ऐसे होंगे जिनका जवाब आपको 200 से 250 शब्दों में देना होगा. ध्यान रखें कि ये प्रश्न ऐसे होंगे जिन पर आपसे आपकी राय मांगी जायेगी. बेवजह भूमिका बांधने से बचें. कम शब्दों में ज्यादा कहने की कला यहां काम आएगी. इसके लिए हर विषय पर लगातार लिखने की कोशिश करिए. जवाब देते वक्त ये जरुर ध्यान रखें कि आप पत्रकारिता की परीक्षा दे रहे हैं. आपके उत्तर में सरोकार की झलक होनी चाहिए.

इसके अलावा अनुवाद का अभ्यास करना शुरू कर दीजिये. एक प्रश्न अनुवाद का भी होगा. भाषा के स्तर पर मेरी सलाह होगी कि भाषाई चमत्कार के मोह में कतई न पड़ें. भाषा साधारण और सुलझी होनी चाहिए. राजनीतिक, आर्थिक और अंतरराष्ट्रीय या भारत से जुड़े विदेशी मामलों पर विशेष नज़र रखिये. अखबार, पत्रिका, इन्टरनेट जो मिले, खंगाल डालिए. देश-दुनिया की हर वो बात जो महत्वपूर्ण है, आपको मालूम रहे तो कोई आपका हाथ नहीं पकड़ सकता. इन सबसे ऊपर खुद पर भरोसा रखिये. आत्मविश्वाश और ईमानदारी आपको कामयाबी जरुर दिलाएगी. आईआईएमसी पत्रकारिता के प्रशिक्षण के लिए बेहतरीन जगह है. 

उम्मीद है कि आपमें से बहुत सारे लोगों से कैंपस में मिलने का मौका मिलेगा.

How to Get in to Ad-PR & Never Get Out

I am Saurabh Yadav. I passed out in 2005. And then when i woke up i was an intern in Grey Worldwide. It was a good start as starts go. I got to work with some of the people I would continue to work with in different agencies over the next 8 years.    I have caused ulcers to servicing in Saatchi, TBWA, Meridian (a chhotu agency of Ogilvy) and now i am with August Communications. I love anything that comes with an internal combustion engine and can handle corners. But I prefer bikes. " 

Greetings earhtlings.

The first time i came to know about IIMC was in a class where they were trying to prepare us for CAT. I knew i had to join advertising. Clearly the teacher there shook her head and told me to prepare for IIMC instead. 

I knew i had to be in advertising because writing stuff that ends in real time LOL came naturally to me. That and making fun of people. Wasn't too bad with wit too. 

Not to mention an ad that i saw in Reader's Digest made me realise there was something cool about this profession. It was an ad for Mahindra Classic. And it said : "Admit it, you have always been crazy about topless models." 

So the first thing to remember about getting through AD&PR at IIMC is whether you want to join advertising. If yes, why? Do you have that one ad that gave you the giggles and made you want to be the one who could spread H1N1goosebumps. 

If you know why you want to get through, it is easy to convince someone else too. The folks who will interview you are looking for that. 

The second reason i wanted to get into advertising was because i always believed if you are an MBA you have to wear formal clothes. I hated formal clothes. And I had read somewhere that the only workplace cool enough to allow shorts and chappals was advertising.

Have your quirky reason to join advetising. People who don't know anything about you always want to hear about your quirks. The interesting your quirks the more chances you have of holding their attention. 

And then there is luck. I have always been a luky son of a gun. I think i am more lucky than i am talented. Or almost as talented as i am lucky. Never discount luck but don't put all your eggs in luck basket. Luck is like a helmet, it saves you when you fall. But your talent will prevent you from falling. Know your talent. And luck. Don't be overconfident about any of them. Or anything for that matter.

Lastly don't go ballistic at the GD. Put your point. But get a point first. Start if you are confident about the topic. But always, always listen to what others are saying. Even if they are just yapping horse dung. Because the more the others yap the more chances you have if you say something half intelligent. While i admit in real life people who yap a lot succeed but the ones who speak less but say more are always respected a lot. Earn the panel's respect.

Then again, don't believe in these tips and tricks. While they are pointers there is no sure shot way to get into IIMC. Do whatever works best for you or has worked for you. Try to stay sharp, knowledge about why Germans are bailing out Cyprus and how data mining helped change the war in Afghanistan and Iraq might not be important but wouldn't hurt your chances. 

That's that then. Good luck with the rest of the jigsaw. If you don't get through, remember IIMC does not get you the best paying jobs. If you get through, remember MBAs get mails at 3 o clock in the morning, you won't be able to count the number of beers you have downed, let alone read the message at that time.

Cheers.

Facts are sacred and opinion is free

Mani Sharma, 5th topper of 2012-13 batch of Radio & Television Department, selected by Red FM for Indore in Campus Selection.

The course offered by Indian Institute of mass communication: Radio and television is a holistic course wherein one gets to learn the integrities of the e field. With adequate infrastructure and updated library one can abreast oneself with the working of both television and radio industry. With a working community radio in place, one gets the ‘On AIR’ experience as well!

Keeping oneself updated with latest happenings and current affairs , is the only key to crack the exam. There are two parts of the exam written and piece to camera. I know that must have sounded like alien to you! But in simple terms it means audition which carries a weight age of 15 marks! So even if you are not very good at facing the camera (as it comes with time). You can still crack it if your written was good!  For that read newspapers including their editorials, I know that might bore you at first, but dude no pain no gain right! Read political /sports magazines like Tehelka, India Today, Pratiyogita Darpan will surely come handy. Also I would urge you to work on your strengths rather than beating about the bush because that will make you jack of all traits and master of none! Eventually that will land you no where!

So its necessary that you read a lot plus watch shows like ‘Devils Advocate’, ‘News Hour’ and ‘We The People’ as it will help you widen your perspective about issues and give you better insights.. Apart form this also watch online  shows ‘ News Laundry’ by Madhu Trehan as she grills the media big shots and  mirrors their shortcomings.

Important Topics that might help:

• Ashish Nandy Case
• Honey Sigh controversy
• Sri Lanka CJI
• Kasab
• Sarabjit
• Afzal Guru
• Section 66
• Gujarat elections
• Us presidential elections
• Malala
• New pope
• China  new president and PM
• Chopper deal
• IOA
• North Korea
• Zee controversy
• GAAR
• Food security
• GMR issue
• Italian Marines
• Beheading of Indian  soldiers
• IPL 2013
• Vijendra Singh issue

Just keep clam and write the paper with confidence.  Facts are sacred and opinion is free! So be good with your facts and definite about your opinions and cracking IIMC entrance will be a cake walk.

How to Prepare for Oriya Journalism

Jyoti Prakash is a writer and journalist, who has also worked in Development Communication sector.  He is an alumni of IIMC, Dhenkanal and General Secretary of Odisha Chapter of IIMC Alumni Association.

Schedule of Entrance Examination for PGD Courses: 2013-14

Question EJ/ HJ 2012/ JPEG File

Question RTV 2012/ JPEG File

Question OJ 2012/ JPEG File

Question ADPR 2012/ JPEG File

Ad-PR: Grabbing The Goal- IIMC

Manisha Dash is student of Ad-PR current batch and doing her internship in PR Department of IFFCO.

So this is the prequel!  The written test of the IIMC entrance examination. And before you really land up with your dream role in the Register rolls of IIMC, you need to give certain points a hit, and lest you miss it, let’s put them in bullets that strike your mind, neat.

Now that we are talking of getting into Advertising, creativity is no doubt a pre-requisite, at least in the entrance exam! Get the most out of your experiences. Recall the ads that struck you and analyse what made them click. And ask yourself how would you have approached the same, had you made it. Last year’s question paper carries a question on reframing the taglines of certain brands or products and giving valid explanations for the same.

Again, if you thought the Ad world was filled with creatives alone, welcome to reality. There is much more that goes  into making ads than just writing punchlines. (You will realize this as soon as you enter IIMC!) This year’s question paper is going to check your aptitude as well, with basic mathematics. Last year’s paper carried certain problems on mean, median and mode and basic statistics. Please expect a paper with a strict approach on numericals this year. Getting hold of RS Aggarwal Quantitative Aptitude book and just solving at max,five to six problems from each chapter would definitely give you a boost.(It was my Bible during the placement process of B.Tech!)

Even though ADPR paper varies greatly from EJ, HJ and RTV, a person is deemed selection worthy only if he/she is abreast of current  news. After all Public relation requires knowledge of the public! Nothing to panic if you haven’t been up-to-date all through the year. Get going now! Catch hold of any online newspaper site.(My personal favourite ‘The Hindu’.)And browse through its archives. The editorials give a fair  idea of the news and also help formulate opinions. (And should I let you a secret-I simply went through the Wikipedia  on India the night before the exam and the links provided in the bibliography ; it summed up the main events of the year ! However, jotting down  the important news at least a month in advance helps! )

ADPR requires not just news but brand news. To understand ,please refer the following:

I. Brand equity on ET( Wednesday supplement of Economuic Times)

II. Storyboard(CNBC)

III. Magazines like Business World, Business Today, Outlook Business.

IV. HT Sunday

V. Sites like www.afaqs.com, www.exchange4media.com

VI. Face off (by Vir Sanghvi) and Sunday Sentiments (by Karan Thappar J)

The information gathered from the sources mentioned above lend a meaningful insight to the way things work in the corporate, business and advertising world.

Going by the current trends, Digital media is sure to make some space in the question paper. Last year’s question paper carried a question on the role of social media in influencing consumer behavior. So, the sooner the better, you start observing digital market trends and read  certain articles or blogs on the impact that digital media is creating in the business world.

I believe the aforementioned bullets will suffice to hit the bull’s eye.

Just remember, "If at first, the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it.”

                                                                      -Albert Einstein

So, be your best. Implement your unique sense of writing and analysing. Rest assured, the sequel shall follow- “Life in IIMC”. All the best, IIMC aspirants!

P.S: I followed www.iimccounselling.blogspot.in sincerely for at least two months prior to the Entrance exam and I can’t thank  my seniors enough, whose blogs gave a direction to the preparation process and helped realise a dream called IIMC.

IMP: Guide IIMC Next Gen, Entrance Test Counselling

Dear IIMCians,

IIMC Alumni Association would like to request all esteemed alumni to spare some time to write a piece which may help aspirants appearing in entrance test of the institute this year. IIMCAA is running a blog to guide appearing candidates since 2008 where you may find previous blogs.

http://www.iimccounselling.blogspot.in

In first phase, we shall publish blogs dealing with written test only. You may prepare a model set of questions, a model set of long-short answer questions or write a general copy covering all possible topics which may figure in question papers. You may like to suggest best ways to perform well while answering those questions and balancing the views.

Kindly send you articles with a postcard size photograph and a brief introduction about yourself at alumni.iimc@gmail.com

Thanks & Regards,

Ritesh Verma

Moderator, IIMC Alumni Association Online Activities