PR/17/2012-2013 13th March, 2013
Press Note/ Order
In addition and modification to the order passed by me yesterday (12th March, 2013) constituting a Committee for recommending qualifications for journalists, I pass the following order:-
1) A large number of institutions and departments of journalism have mushroomed in our country, many of which are wholly unsatisfactory, neither having proper teaching staff nor proper infrastructure etc. Hence there is dire and pressing need for supervision and regulation of these institutions and departments.
Section 13 of the Press Council Act states that it is the duty of the Press Council of India to maintain and improve standards of journalism. In my opinion this broad power would include power in the Press Council to supervise and regulate institutions and departments of journalisms in the country.
Hence the Committee constituted by me yesterday shall, in addition to its mandate of recommending qualifications for journalists, shall also recommend in what manner the Press Council can supervise and regulate the functioning of the institutions and departments of journalism in India so that high standards of imparting knowledge in journalism are maintained.
2) Apart from the members of the Committee appointed by me yesterday, Shri Gurinder Singh, Member, Press Council of India, Shri Rajeev Ranjan Nag, Member, Press Council of India and Shri Sunit Tandon, Director General , IIMC are also appointed as members of the Committee. The convenor Shri Shravan Kumar Garg is authorised to co-opt such other persons as members of the Committee as he deems necessary.
All authorities and persons concerned are requested to extend all support and help to the Committee which it may require.
(Justice Markandey Katju)
Chairman
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1) Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting
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