Funds allotted for IIMC infra: Minister

Bhubaneswar: The government is committed to holistic development of Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Dhenkanal and requisite funds are allocated for the upgradation of its infrastructure. This was stated by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan while responding to an unstarred question of Dhenkanal MP Rudra Narayan Pany in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Pany sought to know about future development of IIMC, Dhenkanal and any proposal for opening Master’s Degree course and PhD. The minister said administrative sanction has been accorded for renovation of Audio and Video block, Administrative and Academic block and hostels at IIMC, Dhenkanal. A post-graduate Diploma programme in Corporate Communication and Brand Management was introduced in 2025-2026 in IIMC, Dhenkanal and the session has already commenced.

The IIMC has started Master’s Degree courses on some of its campuses. The IIMC-Delhi along with its five campuses Dhenkanal (Odisha), Kottayam (Kerala), Aizawl (Mizoram), Jammu (Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir) and Amravati (Maharashtra) was declared as Deemed to be University on January 31, 2024.

Talking to this paper, Pany said the government should provide more land adjacent to the existing IIMC campus in Dhenkanal, strengthen infrastructure, introduce Master’s Degree, PhD and other professional courses such as Advertising and PR.

There should be appointment of regular teachers instead of contractual ones, he said, adding that sports facilities too should be provided. No regular assistant professors and associate professors are posted here.