Tel: (0) (0562) 21 51 318, 25 26 397 (P),
Fax (0): 21 53 939, Grms: Cathedral, 
Mobile: 09 83 70 56 223  
E-mail: abpossie@sancharnet.in

Director
Fr Jude Botelho 
A-2, Sector I, Vaishali
GHAZIABAD - 201 012.
UTTAR PRADESH.

Tel: (0120) 27 73 200, 27 73 206, 27 73 326 (O), 27 73 535 (P)
Fax: 27 76 896
E-mail: niscort@vsnl.com 
Website: niscort.com

A Brief History

The Catholic Church in India began its dynamic involvement in the field of mass media in the mid-sixties. The Church’s association with the international media bodies like UNDA and OCIC (SIGNIS) helped it make some headway in the area of media skills and training. Today there are over 150 communication or mass media centres run by the Catholic Church and these are deeply involved in the cultural as well as the electronic media. In spite of these varied activities and programmes, there is much to be done in several areas.
 
Besides, the various media or communication centres at the regional or local level have their constraints, because of the location of these centres, because of their pre-occupation with the local needs, because of the linguistic differences from region to region and also because of the lack of sufficiently qualified personnel to be able to take on issues and programmes that will be relevant and useful to the whole nation.
 
In the context of this situation, a discussion was initiated in 1994 on the feasibility and desirability of launching a national media training and research centre. This matter was further discussed on different occasions and several consultations and discussions were held between 1994 and 1995. The Standing Committee of the CBCI also discussed this matter on more than one occasion. Finally, on February 18, 1996, the General Body Meeting of the CBCI, held in Trivandrum, took up this matter for consideration and unanimously decided to launch a National Media Training and Research Institute. It was also decided to establish this Institute in or around Delhi, as it was felt that such an Institute of national importance should be located in the Capital of the nation, as this would enable the Institute to have access to the policy-makers as well as to the major media centres of the country. Further, it directed the CBCI Media Commission to initiate the necessary steps towards its realization.
 
Accordingly, a new Society was registered in September 1997 under the legal title: “CBCI Society for Social Communications, Research and Training”, while the Institute itself was christened as: “NISCORT” (National Institute of Social Communications, Research and Training). From that time onwards, the NISCORT team operated from the Archbishop's House, New Delhi. From 1999 onwards, the Institute began to take shape: in February the Institute was set up temporarily at Palam Vihar, Gurgaon (Haryana), in July 1999, Fr. Sebasti L. Raj, SJ took over as the first Director of NISCORT and a few more new staff members also joined the Institute in 1999 and in the following years.  
 
In early 2001, NISCORT purchased a four-acre plot of land from the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA), at Vaishali, at the Delhi-UP border, situated about 16 Kms. away from the CBCI Centre. On August 5, 2001, the foundation was laid for the first building of the new campus. When this first building (the hostel building) was completed after about a year, the Institute was shifted to its permanent campus on September 10, 2002. The second building (academic building) was completed in August 2003. The formal inauguration of the permanent campus of NISCORT and the blessing of the academic block took place on August 17, 2003. Along with the construction of these two buildings, the entire campus has been developed adequately and attractively.

The Vision

The vision of NISCORT is to serve as an effective communication think-tank and as a centre for advanced learning, training and research in matters related to the communication revolution, which is sweeping practically every aspect of the life of the people of India, and give to the mass media of the nation, a specific thrust, which will promote and uphold the cherished media values and morality.
 
The Goals and Objectives of NISCORT

In order to realize this vision, the following are the goals and objectives of NISCORT:

1. To create and support a movement for promoting and upholding national and democratic values, so that a high respect is given to the democratic and secular aspects and on the right of the citizens to get the correct information from the mass media;

2. To change the tone of the mass media in India and restore respect for tolerance and diversity, thus ensuring peace and harmony among different communities and groups, which is absolutely essential for economic prosperity;

3. To produce committed media persons of high calibre, who are ready to take the risk to act responsibly and with conviction;

4. To support mainstream journalism and provide a counterweight to sensationalism;

5. To integrate the skills and techniques of mass media and communications with social action, education, health care, etc. in order to promote a sustainable development of society;

6. To serve as a counter to the mushroom growth of communication institutes that are grossly business and profit oriented, by discouraging actively the craze for excessive profit so that the mass media can really serve and promote the common good of the nation.

THE STRATEGIES

To pursue these goals and objectives, NISCORT:

1. Provides training to all eligible candidates, irrespective of caste or faith, in order to bring in objective communication skills into the secular media;

2. Develops and offers courses that will equip those in different fields of human services – health care, education, spiritual ministries, social action, etc. -- with appropriate techniques and skills of effective communication;

3. Offers courses in different languages and in different regions, so that the regional and linguistic differences receive adequate attention and adaptation in the mass media, taking into account the diversity of cultures and languages;

4. Places a high premium on the practical and experiential aspects of training by offering about 50% of the course-time for practical and field exposures and makes the maximum effort to secure suitable placements to those who pass out of the Institute;

5. Provides financial support to those who are economically weak, through scholarships or subsidies;

6. Undertakes and publishes research projects on various issues related to the mass media and communications in the Indian society in order to contribute to media policy and public opinion;

7. Engages in active and creative dialogue with the centres of mass media and the Government on issues of fairness, accuracy, tolerance, harmony, peace, security of life, human rights, and media policy;

8. Facilitates public discussion and dialogue on vital communication and media issues through seminars, forums, websites, e-paper, etc.;

9. Creates a data bank on media related topics and events and makes these accessible to others, including online access;

10. Produces educational materials on mass media and communications for use by families, groups, institutions and the service sectors.

DIFFERENT COURSES:

From 1999 onwards, NISCORT has been offering Postgraduate Diploma Courses in Print Journalism, Electronic Journalism and Pastoral Communication. It has also been offering a three-month Certificate Course in Communication Sciences.
 
However, from the academic year 2005-06 onwards, NISCORT is offering University Recognized Degree/Diploma Courses: MA in Print Journalism, M.A. in Broadcast Journalism, PG Diploma in Video Production and PG Diploma in Media. NISCORT has been accepted as a Study Institute of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism, Bhopal and the Degree/Diploma for these Courses are awarded by this University. In addition, NISCORT also offers a one-year Diploma Course in Pastoral Communication.
 
THE FUTURE DIRECTION

In course of time, NISCORT hopes to introduce a few more M.A. Degree as well as PG Diploma Courses. It also hopes to offer M.Phil and Ph.D. programmes. Further, the task of data bank building on media related topics, the production of education materials on mass media and communications, undertaking research and evolving training modules for courses in different fields of human services, etc. will commence during the academic year 2005-06 and further intensified in the subsequent years.