<p>Kolar: Citing poor student enrollment, Bengaluru North University has announced the closure of its postgraduate course in Journalism and Mass Communication starting from the 2025–26 academic year.</p><p>Consequently, the university will not be accepting applications for the course in the current academic year. Guest lecturers appointed to the department will also not be retained.</p><p>Confirming the decision, Vice-Chancellor Niranjana Vanalli told DH that the move was approved during a committee meeting comprising members of the Syndicate and the Academic Council.</p><p>In recent years, the Journalism and English Departments at the university’s Mangasandra Postgraduate Centre have seen a sharp decline in applications. A committee, led by PG Centre Director Prof D Kumuda, was constituted to review the situation and recommend the way forward. Other members included Syndicate members Jaideep and Seesandra Gopalagowda, Academic Council members Rageeta Rajendra and R Shobhita Shanthakumari, and administrative co-ordinator Shivakumar M C.</p><p>The committee analysed the admission and exam data from 2021 to 2024, noting a consistent drop in student numbers. According to 2024–25 data, the English department has only 10 students in the fourth semester and eight in the second semester. The Journalism department fares worse, with just one student in the fourth semester and two in the second.</p><p>Given the poor enrollment, the committee recommended discontinuing the Journalism course from the academic year 2025-26. It suggested inviting applications for the English course one final time before a decision is made on its future.</p><p>As per the university policy, any postgraduate department with fewer than 10 enrolled students may be closed. The Registrar stated that the English Department could also face closure if enrollment does not improve.</p><p>University Vice-chancellor Niranjana Vanalli also confirmed that the Journalism Department is being closed this academic year as there are fewer than 10 students. The low enrollment has placed a financial burden on the university.</p><p><strong>Annual expenditure of Rs 30L</strong></p><p>Despite having very few students, Bengaluru North University is incurring an annual expenditure of Rs 30 lakh to run the Journalism and Mass Communication Department at the Mangasandra PG Centre— mainly toward salaries for five guest lecturers and other maintenance costs.</p><p>Sources from the university said that auditors have questioned why classes were being conducted despite the department failing to meet the inimum requirement of ten students.</p><p><strong>Objections raised</strong></p><p>Meanwhile, several students and lecturers have raised objections to the decision to shut down the Journalism Department.</p><p>They questioned why the department was closed even before the admission process for the current academic year concluded.</p><p>“Applications for various PG courses were only recently invited, with the deadline set for August 18. Why close the department before seeing how many students would apply? If there were no applicants, action could have been taken later,” some have argued.</p><p>Journalism is offered as a subject in undergraduate programmes at several colleges in parts of Bengaluru City, Chikkaballapur, and Kolar districts. Hundreds of students are currently studying Journalism at the undergraduate level in these regions. Where should students go if they wish to pursue a postgraduate degree in Journalism, they questioned.</p><p>This has also triggered a broader debate in academic circles about the declining interest among students in Journalism courses and the possible reasons behind it.</p><p><strong>English Dept may also face closure</strong></p><p>The committee comprising the members of the Syndicate and the Academic Council has decided that the Postgraduate Department in English at Bengaluru North University may also be shut down if fewer than 10 students enroll for the 2025–26 academic year. In an official statement, the Registrar announced that the deadline to apply for various PG courses through the UUCMS online portal is August 18.</p>
<p>Kolar: Citing poor student enrollment, Bengaluru North University has announced the closure of its postgraduate course in Journalism and Mass Communication starting from the 2025–26 academic year.</p><p>Consequently, the university will not be accepting applications for the course in the current academic year. Guest lecturers appointed to the department will also not be retained.</p><p>Confirming the decision, Vice-Chancellor Niranjana Vanalli told DH that the move was approved during a committee meeting comprising members of the Syndicate and the Academic Council.</p><p>In recent years, the Journalism and English Departments at the university’s Mangasandra Postgraduate Centre have seen a sharp decline in applications. A committee, led by PG Centre Director Prof D Kumuda, was constituted to review the situation and recommend the way forward. Other members included Syndicate members Jaideep and Seesandra Gopalagowda, Academic Council members Rageeta Rajendra and R Shobhita Shanthakumari, and administrative co-ordinator Shivakumar M C.</p><p>The committee analysed the admission and exam data from 2021 to 2024, noting a consistent drop in student numbers. According to 2024–25 data, the English department has only 10 students in the fourth semester and eight in the second semester. The Journalism department fares worse, with just one student in the fourth semester and two in the second.</p><p>Given the poor enrollment, the committee recommended discontinuing the Journalism course from the academic year 2025-26. It suggested inviting applications for the English course one final time before a decision is made on its future.</p><p>As per the university policy, any postgraduate department with fewer than 10 enrolled students may be closed. The Registrar stated that the English Department could also face closure if enrollment does not improve.</p><p>University Vice-chancellor Niranjana Vanalli also confirmed that the Journalism Department is being closed this academic year as there are fewer than 10 students. The low enrollment has placed a financial burden on the university.</p><p><strong>Annual expenditure of Rs 30L</strong></p><p>Despite having very few students, Bengaluru North University is incurring an annual expenditure of Rs 30 lakh to run the Journalism and Mass Communication Department at the Mangasandra PG Centre— mainly toward salaries for five guest lecturers and other maintenance costs.</p><p>Sources from the university said that auditors have questioned why classes were being conducted despite the department failing to meet the inimum requirement of ten students.</p><p><strong>Objections raised</strong></p><p>Meanwhile, several students and lecturers have raised objections to the decision to shut down the Journalism Department.</p><p>They questioned why the department was closed even before the admission process for the current academic year concluded.</p><p>“Applications for various PG courses were only recently invited, with the deadline set for August 18. Why close the department before seeing how many students would apply? If there were no applicants, action could have been taken later,” some have argued.</p><p>Journalism is offered as a subject in undergraduate programmes at several colleges in parts of Bengaluru City, Chikkaballapur, and Kolar districts. Hundreds of students are currently studying Journalism at the undergraduate level in these regions. Where should students go if they wish to pursue a postgraduate degree in Journalism, they questioned.</p><p>This has also triggered a broader debate in academic circles about the declining interest among students in Journalism courses and the possible reasons behind it.</p><p><strong>English Dept may also face closure</strong></p><p>The committee comprising the members of the Syndicate and the Academic Council has decided that the Postgraduate Department in English at Bengaluru North University may also be shut down if fewer than 10 students enroll for the 2025–26 academic year. In an official statement, the Registrar announced that the deadline to apply for various PG courses through the UUCMS online portal is August 18.</p>