You can try for a postgraduate diploma in journalism. There are many institutes offering PG level courses in mass communication/journalism. These include the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi; the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavans in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore; Xavier Institute of Communication, Narsee Monjee Institute, and Sophia College in Mumbai, and Symbiosis Institute of Journalism and Communication, Pune. There are others, such as the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai, which offer specific courses in broadcast and print journalism. Also, universities including the University of Mumbai, University of Calcutta, Banaras Hindu University and Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism, Bhopal, provide MA programmes in the discipline. Most programmes are offered to graduates in any discipline. Selection for most programmes is through an entrance test that mainly checks your language and communication skills. In most cases, the entrance test is followed by group discussion and an interview. Most courses commence in July/ August. Entrance tests are held in the months of May/June and application forms are issued in February. Postgraduate diploma or certificate courses in journalism / mass communication are available at several open universities too. Prominent among these are Indira Gandhi National Open University, Kurukshetra University, Guru Jambheshwar University (Hisar, Haryana), Madurai Kamaraj University, and Panjab University. However, before jumping into a course in journalism, keep in mind that the field is concerned with news gathering and reporting. And you should be interested in current affairs both social and political and be aware of the world around you. Other than good writing skills, you must have curiosity, wide-ranging interests; an instinct for a story’s newsworthiness; resourcefulness, ability to sift relevant facts from irrelevant information and great stamina to become a journalist. With writing skills, you can also look at careers related to public relations or corporate communications, publishing, as well as content development for websites. If you plan to study further, with an M.Sc degree in maths, this last option may be a good alternative. Web writers are normally subject specialists with a flair for writing, who can develop concise content. Usha Albuquerque

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