ਪੰਜਾਬ ਐਗਰੀਕਲਚਰਲ ਯੂਨੀਵਰਸਿਟੀ
PUNJAB AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
62nd Year of Education & Service
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Faculty
Name : |
Dr Sumedha Bhandari |
Designation : |
Assistant Professor of English |
Office Phone : |
0161-2401960 Extn. 363 |
Mobile : |
+91 98788 66667 |
Email (Office) : |
sumedhabhandari@pau.edu |
Research Areas : |
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Researcher ID's : |
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College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Home
In India, where about 70% of the population depends on agriculture, the coverage of agriculture (including print and electronic media) is very less. The farm news, at present, mostly emphasizes empirical data wherein facts are presented as revealed by research findings. Also they limit themselves to one-way communication thereby missing the feedback from the beneficiaries.
Punjab Agricultural University has always been in the forefront of teaching, research and extension of modern agricultural know-how. As a part of PAU’s commitment to the facilitation of agricultural development in the state, training of agricultural journalists for a sensitive coverage of agriculture in the media stands significant for the university. In line with this goal, the university has the Department of Agricultural Journalism, Languages and Culture that runs a Postgraduate programme in Journalism and Mass Communication.
The accent of the Department is on demonstrating excellence by enhancing the academic advisement and teaching while adapting effective and efficient models that serve individual students. This, in turn, helps one search for new insights and understandings of relevant public issues. A special focus is laid on languages, particularly English, which is the medium of instruction and Punjabi, the prime vehicle for dialogue with the farmers. The Department also offers Certificate and Diploma courses in French. Besides this, the Department works on improving the overall personality of the students by way of a Certificate Course in Interactive Skills and Personality Enhancement. Classes are also held for preparation of IELTS and GRE.
The Department has a near-perfect placement record with most of its students securing coveted positions in media organizations of repute: Mr. Surinder Sud, the first Agricultural Editor, Business Standard; Mr. P.P.S. Gill, Former Bureau Chief, The Tribune and later retired as the State Information Commissioner; Mr. Ramesh Vinayak, Resident Editor, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh, Mr. Varinder Walia, Editor Punjabi Jagran are just to name a few.
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Head of Department
Name : Dr. Sarabjeet Singh
Address : Dept of Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture
Office : 0161-2401960 Extn.363, Ext-322
E-Mail : hodajlc@pau.edu
Brief Introduction
Dr Sarabjeet Singh did his master’s in Journalism and Mass Communication from PAU in 1989 and PhD from HP University, Shimla. He worked as the Principal Investigator, in a multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary project of National Agricultural Science Fund (ICAR) on farmer suicide prevention. He is the Ex-Secretary of St Stephen’s College Parents Association, Delhi; Youngest resource person of Human Resource Development Cell, PAU and Founder Honorary Director, Aas Kiran De-addiction Centre under Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Dr Singh has authored 16 books, one manual, 13 Research Papers and more than 300 popular articles. He was honored by the Government of Punjab on 550th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji and selected among 50 jewels of Ludhiana (included in Book ‘Ujjlae Moti’).
He fashioned and executed an innovative campaign to ensure drug free polls in Punjab in 2001; Worked as Site Investigator with United Nations International Drug Control Programme in a study - ‘Availability and Consumption of Drugs in Border Areas of India’. The Tribune carried a story, ‘Building a Drug-free Society’ (06-02-02) on op-ed page about his activities and later published an Editorial - Vote out drug peddlers’ (11-02-02). He always inculcated human values among students to face challenges in a more informed way and proactively involved them in nation building, counselled them in hours of distress.
He has visited UK, USA and Australia and attended several international seminars including by World Press Institute, USA; Thompson Foundation, EU, UNAIDS; University of Hawaii, East West Centre etc. He also served as Director, University Counselling and Placement Guidance Cell, PAU from February 2019-2023.
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Thrust Areas
The full-time MJMC course has the following thrust areas for research:
- Media Effects
- Content Analysis
- New Media
- Development Journalism
- Agricultural Communication
- Women and Media
- Print Media
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Faculty
Faculty
| S.No | Name & Designation | E-Mail/Telephone |
| 1. | Dr Ashoo Toor Assistant Professor of English |
ashootoor@pau.edu +91 98148 23816 |
| 2. | Ms Harpreet Kaur Bains Assistant Professor (Foreign Language) |
harpreetkaurbains@ymail.com@pau.edu +91 98148 21471 |
| 3. | Dr Jagdish Kaur Professor of Punjabi |
dishajogipau@yahoo.in@pau.edu +91 92564 46863 |
| 4. | Dr Narinder Pal Singh Professor (Punjabi) |
narinderrishma@gmail.com@pau.edu +91 98141 79010 |
| 5. | Dr Sarabjeet Singh Professor of Journalism |
singh.renukass@gmail.com@pau.edu +91 98146 12004 |
| 6. | Dr Sheetal Thapar Professor of Journalism |
sheetal.pau@gmail.com@pau.edu +91 98155 89217 |
| 7. | Dr Sumedha Bhandari Assistant Professor of English |
sumedhabhandari@pau.edu +91 98788 66667 |
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Faculty Distinctions
1. Padam Shri Award (2012) - Dr Surjit Patar, Professor of Punjabi (Retired)
2. Saraswati Samman (2009) - Dr Surjit Patar, Professor of Punjabi (Retired)
3. Award of Associate Fellows (2017-2022) by Indian University center (UGC), Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla - Dr Jagdish Kaur, Professor of Punjabi
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Important Achievements
The Department has a near-perfect placement record with most of its students securing coveted positions in media organizations of repute: Mr. Surinder Sud, the first Agricultural Editor, Business Standard; Mr. P.P.S. Gill, Former Bureau Chief, The Tribune and later retired as the State Information Commissioner; Mr. Ramesh Vinayak, Resident Editor, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh, Mr. Varinder Walia, Editor Punjabi Jagran are just to name a few.
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Current Projects
New Link
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Important Publications
Biographies:
| Sr. No. | Biographies | Author | Year |
| 1 | Dr A.S. Kahlon: Pride and Prestige of PAU | Ms.Harpreet Kaur Bains | 2016 |
| 2 | Messiah of Farmers: Dr Takhat Singh Sohal | Dr Ashoo Toor | 2016 |
| 3 | Path of the Legend: Saint-Scientist Dr Khem Singh Gill A Unique Persona | Dr Sarabjeet Singh and Mrs. Hina Goyal | 2017 |
| 4 | Dr Sardara Singh Johl: The Iconic Agricultural Economist | Dr Sheetal Thapar Dr Ashoo Toor | 2017 |
| 5 | Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat: A Quiet Hero of Indian Agriculture | Dr Sheetal Thapar | 2017 |
| 6 | Dr Dev Raj Bhumbla: The Pulse of Indian Agriculture | Dr Narinder Pal Singh Dr Ashoo Toor | 2018 |
| 7 | Dr Benjamin Peary Pal: A Visionary Harbinger of Green Revolution in India | Dr Ashoo Toor | 2018 |
| 8 | Scientist Par Excellance: Dr Narinder Singh Randhawa | Dr Sumedha Bhandari | 2020 |
| 9 | The Man & his Work: A Tribute to Dr Sohan Singh Parihar | Dr Sumedha Bhandari | 2020 |
| 10 | Dr KS Nandpuri (Horticulture) | Dr Jatinder Kaur |
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Academic Programs
MJMC (Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication): This is a two-year postgraduate degree programme in Journalism and Mass Communication that involves rigorous theory and practical work along with a research project. Graduate in any discipline/second class Master’s degree/second class graduate with Diploma in Journalism are eligible for entrance test in the subject. The number of seats is 7.
The minimum credit hours required for MJMC programme are:
| Sr. No. | Credits | |
| 1 | Core Courses | 20 |
| 2 | Minor Courses | 08 |
| 3 | Supporting Courses | 06 |
| 4 | Common Courses | 05 |
| 5 | Research and Training | 31 |
| Total | 70 | |
| Field of Specialization | Journalism & Mass Communication |
| Core Courses |
Jour-501, Jour-502, Jour-503, Jour -504, Jour-505, Jour-506 and at least one course from Jour-507 to Jour-509 |
| Minor Courses | Extension Education, Sociology or any other as approved by the Dean Postgraduate Studies |
| Supporting Courses | Courses from subject matter fields (other than Minor) relating to area of special interest and research problem |
| Common Courses | PGS-501, PGS-502, PGS-503, PGS-504,PGS-505 |
| Research and Training | Jour-591, Jour-595, Jour-600 |
PG COURSES OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT
| Sr. No. | Course No. | Course Title | Credit Hours | |
| JOURNALISM & MASS COMMUNICATION | ||||
| 1 | Jour-501 | Print Journalism | 1+2 | |
| 2 | Jour-502 | Online Journalism | 2+1 | |
| 3 | Jour-503 | Media Planning and Advertising | 2+1 | |
| 4 | Jour-504 | Agricultural and Development Journalism | 1+1 | |
| 5 | Jour-505 | Media Ethics and Press Laws | 3+0 | |
| 6 | Jour-506 | Communication Theories and Research Techniques | 2+1 | |
| 7 | Jour-507 | Corporate Communication and Public Relations | 2+1 | |
| 8 | Jour-508 | Photojournalism | 1+2 | |
| 9 | Jour-509 | Broadcast Journalism | 1+2 | |
| 10 | Jour-591 | Seminar | 1+0 | |
| 11 | Jour-595 | Training in Journalism | 0+15 (NC) | |
| 12 | Jour-600 | Project Research | 0+15 (NC) | |
| ENGLISH | ||||
| 1 | PGS-502 | Technical Writing and Communications Skills | 0+1 | |
| 2 | PGS-506 | English with Critical Analysis and Verbal Reasoning Skills | 0+1 | |
| 3 | Eng-501 | Advanced Comprehension and Composition | 2+1 | |
| 4 | Eng-502 | Contemporary Prose | 2+1 | |
| 5 | Eng-503 | Communication for Management and Business | 1+1 | |
| PUNJABI | ||||
| 1 | Pbi-501 | Punjabi Literature and Culture | 3+0 | |
| 2 | Pbi-502 | Punjabi Journalism | 2+1 | |
| FOREIGN LANGUAGES | ||||
| 1 | French-501 | Proficiency in French | 2+0 | |
| UG COURSES OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT | ||||
| Sr. No. | Course No. | Course Title | Credit Hours | |
| JOURNALISM & MASS COMMUNICATION | ||||
| 1 | Jour.302 | Agricultural Journalism | 2+1 | |
| ENGLISH | ||||
| 1 | Eng.91 | General Reading, Vocabulary Building and Translation | 2+1 | |
| 2 | Eng.92 | Reading, Comprehension, Paragraph Writing and Applied Grammar | 2+1 | |
| 3 | Eng.93 | Conversational Structure and Communicative Function | 2+1 | |
| 4 | Eng.94 | Discourse Patterns in Spoken English | 1+2 | |
| 5 | Eng.101 | General English | 1+1 | |
| 6 | Eng.201 | Communication Skills and Personality Development | 1+1 | |
| PUNJABI | ||||
| 1 | Pbi.101 | Basic Punjabi | 0+2 (NC) | |
| 2 | Pbi Cul. 101 | Punjabi Culture | 2+0 (NC) | |
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / Facilities & Services
The Department is committed to the development of professional skills, critical thinking and journalistic ethics. Our programs maintain a careful balance. We teach traditional skills of research, reporting, writing and editing. In a world where technology is driving the decentralization of news, we provide instruction in the practice and principles of digital and social media. And, we also emphasize an understanding of the role of journalism in today's global society. We prepare versatile journalists who are ably suited to enhance the profession.
Keeping in view the aforesaid objective, the department has set up a Media Lab as well as a Language Lab which are equipped with state-of-the-art gadgets like:
- Interactive boards
- LCD projectors
- Television
- Visualizer
- Digitizer
- Computers
- Heavy duty printers
- Scanners
- DVD Player
- Voice Recorders
- Digital Camera
- Handycam, etc.
College of Basic Sciences & Humanities / Agricultural Journalism, Languages & Culture / PG Students
| Sr. No. | Name of the Student | Admission No. | Major Advisor | Title of Project Research |
| 1 | Navraj Singh Brar | L-2020-BS-322-M | Dr Sarabjeet Singh | Coverage of Farm Law Protests : A Comparison of Three English Newspapers |
| 2 | Arun Kumar | (L-2015-BS-251-M) | Dr Sheetal Thapar | Social Media Use by Rural Youth: A Case Study of Village Abuwal. |
| 3 | Deepali | (L-2015-BS-252-M) | Dr Sheetal Thapar | Uses and Gratification of Social Media in Senior Secondary Students of Ludhiana and Dhandra: A Comparative Study. |
| 4 | Gursimar Kaur Middha | (L-2015-BS-254-M) | Dr Sarabjeet Singh | Agricultural Coverage in Media – Awareness of Farmwomen: A Case Study of Village Pakhowal. |
| 5 | Amarpal Singh | (L-2014-BS-283-M) | Dr Sheetal Thapar | Uses and Gratification of Online and Mobile Media Regarding Agriculture among Progressive Farmers of Punjab. |
| 6 | Harsimran Singh | (L-2013/14-BS-288-M) | Dr Sheetal Thapar | Newspaper Reading Habits of Rural Women – A Study of Ludhiana District. |
| 7 | Aashna Taneja | (L-2016-BS-272-M) | Dr Sheetal Thapar | Uses and Gratification of Agricultural Websites among Progressive Farmers of Punjab |
| 8 | Gurneet Kaur | (L-2016-BS-274-M) | Dr Sarabjeet Singh | Prevention of Suicides: Role of Media |
| 9 | Harjinder Singh | (L-2016-BS-275-M) | Dr Sarabjeet Singh | OPED Pages of The Hindu: A Case Study |
| 10 | Jyoti Juneja | (L-2016-BS-276-M) | Dr Sarabjeet Singh | Coverage of Marriages in Media: A Study |
| 11 | Sumedha Sehgal | (L-2016-BS-277-M) | Dr Sarabjeet Singh | Comparison of Front Pages of Nine Newspapers |
| 12 | Tahil Mehta | (L-2016-BS-278-M) | Dr Sarabjeet Singh | Advertisements in Print Media : A Comparison of Three Newspapers |