‘What matters is the faculty and the facilities’

The world of words and letters has fascinated Supriya Chaudhary ever since she was a child. In school, Supriya loved penning poems and writing scripts for the theatre club. For her undergraduate studies, the daughter of a teacher father and social worker mom recently enrolled for a Bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC), Apeejay Stya University (ASU). In an interview, her father Pradeep Kumar Chaudhary and she explain why they chose SJMC over other media schools. Edited excerpts:

Supriya, did you think you would pursue a career in journalism when you were younger?

Supriya: No, I am the first person in the family to foray into the world of journalism and mass communication. My father Pradeep Kumar Chaudhary is a Maths and Science teacher and my mother is a social worker. My father is a man of numbers and my mother Sneh Lata has a graduation in social work but I wanted to pursue writing. I love writing poetry and I have written scripts for theatre club as a student of Bluebells Public School, Sector 10, Gurugram.  I had secured a good rank in the IP University common entrance exam a well, but I decided to pursue a Bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication at SJMC, ASU.

Pradeep Chaudhary: Initially my wife and I wanted Supriya to pursue B.Tech. But she explained to us that she wants to pursue another altogether different discipline.  I had very little idea about the field of journalism. My knowledge was limited to what I’d read on the Internet. So, we wanted to meet the teachers and assess the quality of the faculty. After meeting the Dean, Mr Sanjay Ahirwal and Professor Sabiha Farhat Ma’am at SJMC, Supriya made up her mind to join the Bachelors in Journalism and Mass Communication. Having met Sanjay Sir, all my anxieties were dispelled.

Why did you select the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Apeejay Stya University?

Pradeep Chaudhary: After having met the Dean, Sabiha Ma’am took us along and showed us the state-of-the-art facilities at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. We also went to a classroom setting and were given a technical demo. She narrated the process of news gathering and anchoring on-camera to us. It was explained and simplified in a language that even a layman would understand. Overall it was a beautiful experience. Also, Supriya did very well in the demo class.

Supriya: I spoke to one of my family friends who works in the media and she told me the most important factor to focus on while deciding on a journalism college is the quality of teaching. What matters most is the quality of the faculty and the infrastructure of equipment and studios that they possess. I visited almost all the colleges offering journalism in Delhi University and IP University. Then I visited the SJMC premises at Apeejay Stya University. I came here, saw the campus and met the teachers and was impressed. On comparing SJMC with other colleges, I found it to be better in the quality of the faculty as well as the facilities. On this visit, I decided I’d enroll with them.

Which kind of journalism do you want to specialise in?

Supriya: Although I am still trying to explore different fields, at present I am interested in content writing for the online journalism sector that is growing quickly. At SJMC, we are already studying an eclectic variety of subjects such as Conflict Resolution, Journalism and Mass Communication, 50 years of Parallel Cinema and Photography, among others.

Would you want to be in front of the screen like a news anchor, or would you rather be behind the screen, creating content?

Supriya: In school I got extensive exposure to writing. I also did theatre and acted and danced in plays as well, but news anchoring is something new for me. As of now I want to pursue content writing.  I’ll see how my interest develops in other fields. With time, if I get the opportunity and feel like it, I may explore anchoring in a news channel.

What are your other interests beyond academics?
I have an interest in music, dancing and poetry. I’ve already enrolled in the Rotaract Club of the college. For social service, I am trying to link myself with other NGOs outside college.

How has your experience of online classes been?
I am really happy with the virtual learning experience. Within two weeks, we have learnt so much and the teachers are really supportive. We have a class every day with our Dean, Sanjay Ahirwal Sir. We discuss current affairs and news with him on a regular basis. We also analyse different news channels with him and multiple topics related to journalism. He is always insightful and we learn new things about the world at large in every class. Baisakhi Dalapati Ma’am teaches Conflict Resolution and Journalism and Mass Communication to us. Owing to the way she teaches, the class is always really interactive.

Mr Chaudhary, are you happy that your daughter is pursuing a career of her choice in an institute that she likes?
The important thing is that she is happy and she isn’t bored with what she is studying. She spends time on reading books on journalism and mass communication without feeling tired. As a teacher, I understand it is a beautiful feeling when you like a subject and don’t get tired studying it. I have also chanced upon a few online classes she has attended and my impression is that the teachers at Apeejay teach really well.  

“I spoke to one of my family friends who works in the media and she told me the most important factor to focus on while deciding on a journalism college is the quality of teaching and the infrastructure of equipment and studios that they possess. Upon comparing SJMC with other colleges, I found it to be better in the quality of the faculty as well as facilities. “

 -Supriya Chaudhary, student, School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Apeejay Stya University