With eye on future,CBSE introduces Mass Media Studies

Schools have been asked to apply for online affiliation to the subject,and students are also beginning to show interest. Rashi Dhingra,a Class X student from Apeejay School in Pitampura,said,“I won’t mind doing this course. Although no such announcement has been made in my school until now,it sounds interesting.”

A CBSE official said,“Mass Media Studies can be offered to students as one of the four elective subjects,and also as an additional elective subject at the Plus Two stage,in combination with any of the subjects that are already available in the Board’s scheme of studies.”

But in most senior secondary schools,Class X students have already submitted preferences for their electives in Class XI for the coming academic year. D K Bedi,Principal,Apeejay School,

Pitampura,said,“Students who are interested in opting for the subject can always change their preference after the Class X

results come out. We are currently searching for a teacher for the subject.”

Senior secondary schools across the Capital will start classwork for Class XI immediately after the Class X exams. For now,the admissions are provisional in nature. “We will announce it in the school after Class X students are done with their exams. Even though the classwork for Class XI will start from April 11,students can always go for the final selection of the subjects after the results are out,” Bedi said.

Speaking on the new course,the CBSE official said,“The salient features of the elective are introduction to a comprehensive understanding of the five principal mass media — film,television,print,radio and Internet; introduction to the evolution of mass media; an understanding of how the content of mass media shapes our thoughts,vision,ethics and action; analysis of

the ways in which content is created in media; and,an understanding of creative and technical processes involved in filmmaking,television production,newsprint,radio and the

Internet.”

Schools have to fulfill certain infrastructural requirements

before they can offer it as an

elective.

According to Board officials,they are currently focussing on introducing subjects that have “bright employment prospects”. They had earlier introduced Body Science,and are also in the process of introducing Sports Journalism as a course in schools.

In the third week of May,the Board will organise a five-day training programme for teachers from all schools opting for the Mass Media Studies elective.