An RSS-linked journalism institute in Kerala, which identifies itself as “India’s first JNU-affiliated journalism college,” has announced that JNU vice-chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit will attend its inaugural convocation on April 17, according to a report by The Indian Express.
While the report quoted JNU officials as distancing themselves from the institution, it said JNU’s own website lists the RSS-linked college as a “recognised research institution”. The website notes that JNU grants recognition and accreditation to several institutions across India, adding that faculty from these institutes often serve on JNU’s academic and statutory bodies.
The college in question, Mahatma Gandhi College of Mass Communication (MAGCOM), is located in Kozhikode and operates from Kesari Bhavan – the headquarters of Kesari, an RSS-affiliated publication. The editor-in-chief of Kesari, N R Madhu, serves as the official mentor of the college.
The JNU V-C did not respond to calls and messages seeking a comment.
MAGCOM director A K Anuraj told The Indian Express that the college’s PG Diploma in Mass Communication was granted JNU affiliation in 2024 after a year-long process.
However, senior officials at JNU reiterated that there is no formal recognition or affiliation with MAGCOM except for an MoU aimed at “academic collaboration”. “There is no recognition or affiliation of the institute with JNU. JNU only signed an MoU for PG Diploma courses. This is only limited to academic exchanges and sharing of expertise,” a source told the paper.
MAGCOM currently offers two PG Diploma programmes – in journalism, and in content and technical writing. The college plans to expand its offerings with the introduction of a postgraduate course in journalism.
According to N R Madhu, the institution was founded with the goal of promoting “nationalistic journalism”. “This is a time when several anti-national elements are at play in the media, and we want to nurture nationalistic journalism.”
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