| |9 January 2017HIGHERReviewMedia education, which traces its roots back to 1920 s, has seen an implausible demand during last two decadesEducation being the prime parameter in the process of recruitment in this age where Industry- academia partnership is predominantly being talked, it is important to know if media education is going on par with the rate of industry growth. Media education, which traces its roots back to 1920s, has seen an implausible demand during last two decades. However, a feeling of penitence bothers when we critically analyze the curriculum content offered particularly by public institutions as a majority of the cross section of the society aspires to make life in media join these institutions. In private institutions too, except those who offer exclusive graduate programs in media, Journalism or Mass Communication or Media Studies bearing different nomenclature offers to teach practical oriented course in a theoretical way. Going by the general rulebook, the gap between academic and industry exists in all fields, but the educational experience that is offered along with the practical world in which people work in media is disturbingly wide. A majority of faculty members lack practical exposure in the related field as the rigidity of academics in India rarely stresses on the field exposure. The employers particularly in visual media fail to encourage and recognize students with media background who are not competitively trained by their teachers. The provision made for any person, with or without media education background, to enter the field poses a great threat to those aspiring to take media as elective in their higher education. Structuring a customized education model for visual media education, to empower the students with various specialized and skilled job profiles on creative, technical and management platform in media is the need of the hour. Also, National Skill Development Corporation has identified numerous courses in visual media vertical; the programs have not been initiated yet, as the eligibility criteria to enroll for these courses, the duration and the methodology have not been found convincing. If the arguments for media education continue to remain focused within the framework of designed curriculum and workload then an opportunity to prepare a communicator to suit the changing needs will be lost. Bringing the professionalism into media education largely rests at the will power of the academicians, thus throwing a huge responsibility on them. This is because a responsible educator will not ignore the developments, but will work alongside their students in understanding their abilities to make them prepared for the rapid development experienced by the industry.
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