Journalism Courses After 12th: Exams, Colleges & Career Scope

If you are someone who has a passion for writing & storytelling then pursuing a career in Journalism can be a great option for you. 

As a journalist, you have the license to ask questions and bring awareness among the people. Your voice reaches millions, influencing their lives and bringing meaningful change in society.

Before we begin to explore the best journalism courses after 12th, let’s understand  “Journalism” in simple words.

Journalism is a means of communication between news and the public. Journalism works on the principles of truth, editorial independence, and transparency. As the world is growing through media and technology, people are getting connected through the internet, television, social media, and radio, thanks to the efforts of the mass media.

Why Choose a Career in Journalism after 12th?

If you’re a not sure about the career scope and opportunities in journalism, there’s no need to worry.

A career in journalism after 12th opens up a whole world of opportunities for students. This could be one of the best professions for those passionate about storytelling and communication.

Let’s find out the benefits of pursuing a career in Journalism after 12th 2024-25:

Platform for creativity & expression

As a journalist, one can express their creativity & skills through writing, reporting and anchoring. This is one of best platform to show your talent to millions of the people.

Impact & Influence

As a journalist, you can inform people about important issues in the country and the world at the same time voicing public opinion to the government authorities.

Diverse Career Opportunities

In Journalism one can choose any specialization like Politics, Sports, Finance. There is tremendous career opportunities in the country as well as globally.

Travelling & Work

Journalism is one of such career where work and travelling go hand in hand. As a journalist you get a chance to explore different places and meeting new peoples & cultures.

Popular Journalism Courses

If you have completed your 10+2 and aspire to become a journalist, there are various courses available to kickstart your journey.  Lets discuss some of the popular journalism courses after 12th:

• Bachelor’s Courses in Journalism
• Diploma Courses in Journalism
• Short Term or Certificate Courses in Journalism

Bachelor’s Courses in Journalism

The Bachelor degree course in Journalism and mass communication is of 3 year’s duration. Candidates completed their 12th standard are eligible for these courses. 

The bachelor degree courses in Journalism are always recommended to the candidates as they provide strong foundation in journalistic principles, techniques, and ethics. These programs equip students with essential skills in writing, reporting, editing, and multimedia production, preparing them for various roles in the media industry.

Also Read About – Arts & Humanities Courses After 12th

Diploma Courses in Journalism

Diploma courses in journalism are generally shorter in duration. Candidates completed 12th are eligible for diploma courses which are typically of 1-2 years.

Diploma journalism courses are also suitable for those students who already have bachelor’s degree in any other discipline and wants to make career in this field. So instead of pursuing a full degree course, they can go for diploma course and kickstart their career.

Some of the trending diploma courses in journalism are:

“After completing a UG course in this field, candidates can also opt for PG degree course in Journalism and Mass Communication programme”.

Short Term or Certificate Courses in Journalism

Certificate courses in Journalism are also very popular these days as they quite useful in skill enhancement. Candidates who are pursuing UG or diploma courses can also go for certificate courses in Journalism.

Candidates who passed 10+2, are eligible for certificate courses. The course duration in these courses is generally 3-6 months and focuses on important skills and specific areas of journalism, so that the candidates can quickly enter the industry having a particular skillset.

Some of the popular Certificate courses in Journalism include:

• Certificate in Photojournalism
• Certificate in Sports Journalism
• Certificate in Media Writing
• Certificate in News Reporting
• Certificate in Public Relations
• Certificate in Journalism and Mass Communication
• Certificate in Digital Journalism
• Certificate in Broadcast Journalism
• Certificate in Investigative Journalism
• Certificate in Media Ethics and Law

Learn More About – Distance Learning Courses in India

Top Journalism Colleges & Institutes in India

In India, several Indian universities and college offers the graduate degree courses in journalism and mass media.

Some private institution also offers the diploma courses in journalism. These are professional courses and can be pursued after the completion of 12th class.

Government Institutes in Journalism

Some of the top government journalism institutes in India are:

• Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), New Delhi
• Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi
• IGNOU
• Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU)
• University of Mumbai
• Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi
• University of Delhi (DU), New Delhi
• Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), New Delhi
• Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC), Pune
• Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune
• Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication (MCNUJC), Bhopal
• Pondicherry University, Puducherry
• Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Aligarh

Private Institutes in Journalism

Some of the top privates journalism institutes in India are:

• Xavier Institute of Communications (XIC), Mumbai
• The Media School at the International School of Business and Media (ISBM), Pune
• Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication (SIMC), Pune
• Amity School of Communication, Noida
• Institute of Media Studies (IMS), Kolkata
• Manipal Institute of Communication, Manipal
• B. M. College of Communication, Mumbai
• Indian Institute of Mass Communication and Journalism (IIMCJ), Ahmedabad

Journalism Entrance Exams & Admission

For admission in journalism courses after 12th, candidates must be qualified with any group of subjects in 10+2.

The top colleges & universities in India admit students on the basis of national level entrance exams. Some of the popular Entrance exams for getting admission in top colleges are:

Journalism Entrance Exams in India

Some of the popular entrance exams which students must appear for admission to the premier journalism colleges are listed below:

• CUET 2025
• Indian institute of mass communication (IIMC 2025)
• SET 2025
• XIC OET
• SIMC MA (MC) Entrance Exam

These are some entrance exams conducted by some top universities for admission to their diploma, degree and PG level journalism courses in India.

The Indian institute of mass communication (IIMC Entrance Exam 2025) is a government institute under Ministry of information and broadcasting (MIC) conducts entrance exam for diploma and PG diploma courses.

Skill Required for a Career in Journalism

A career in journalism demands a wide range of skillset, the job of a journalist can be challenging and one has to cope up with that.

Apart from working under strict deadlines and tough geographical location one has to be proactive and have a good presence of mind to engage with the viewers or ask tough questions during a press conference. Some of the core skill set that candidates has to develop are given below.

• Good Communication Skills
• Proficiency in the language
• Good Writing Skills
• Confidence & Bold Nature
• Research skills
• Good Knowledge of of culture and current affairs
• Presence of mind

Career in Journalism After 12th

After completing a degree or diploma course in journalism, students have wide range of career opportunities in the media industry. Candidates can work with media houses, magazines publisher or can also work as a freelancer journalist.

The career options in the field of journalism are bifurcated into two divisions which are as follows:

• Print journalism
• Electronic journalism

The print journalism involves the newspaper, magazines, journals, weekly digests and print media agencies. The electronic media involves journalism through TV, internet and radio.

The web journalism is one of the fastest growing divisions of journalism and is very effective that connects the world in a real time.

The career opportunities in journalism are expanding with technological innovations. In the last 10-15 years, the world of journalism has changed significantly with the rise of social media and internet connectivity reaching even the remotest places. This has increased jobs and career opportunities for the aspiring candidates who wants to join this noble profession.

Some of the popular Job profiles in the field of journalism are as the following:

• Writer
• Associate Editor
• Sub-editor
• Editor
• Proof Reader
• Reporter
• Correspondent/Special reporter
• Feature writer
• Columnist
• Critic
• Photojournalist
• Researchers
• Production Workers
• Transmission Executives
• Sound technicians
• Camera workers
• Presenters

Salary in Journalism

After completing a course in journalism, candidates can start their career with a salary of INR 3-4 lakhs per annum.

After getting few years of experience candidates can earn around INR 4-8 lakhs per annum. The salary of a journalist depends on a lot of factor like employer, job profile, experience and location of the job.

Below is the salary description in the field of journalism & mass communication.

In the senior level position, an editor or a senior journalist working in a renowned media houses can earn anywhere between INR 15 to 50 lakhs per annum.

Top Recruiters

Some of the top recruiters in the media industry are:

• NDTV Network
• Hindustan Times Group of Publication
• Zee TV Network
• Viacom
• Times of India Publication Group
• BBC
• Big Entertainment
• Sun TV
• Dainik Jagran Group
• TV 18 Groups

Books & Study Materials

Choosing right books for studies can help a lot in your education. Students can read these journalism books written by eminent authors to expand their knowledge of the subject.

Here we have listed some of the best books which can be very helpful to study journalism and its facts:

• The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters, Volume II (2000) By George Orwell
• The Associated Press Stylebook and Briefing on Media Law by Associated Press
• The New New Journalism by Robert S. Boynton
• The Elements of Journalism by Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel
• The News about the News by Leonard Downie, Jr. and Robert G. Kaiser
• How to Write Articles for Newspapers & Magazines by Arco
• The Newspaper Designer’s Handbook by Tim Harrower

Journalism Courses After 12th FAQ’s

For any other queries about Journalism courses after 12th, you may leave your queries below in the comment box.