Hi All, welcome to Brain Checker’s blog, in today’s article we will be talking about How to Become Journalist – Eligibility | Career. I am Keya Raje, a Counseling Psychologist and Co-Founder, Brain Checker, I have been working as a Career Counselor and Mental Health Professional for last 10+Years. In this article, we will be talking about How to Become Journalist – Eligibility | Career. So let’s begin.

A Journalist is a writer who investigates current events, issues, and trends, then generates a story surrounding uncovered facts and disseminates it to the public via print, broadcast, or online media. In generating a story, journalists attend live functions and conduct research, review their notes for relevant details, write story copy, and correct grammatical, punctuation, spelling, and content errors. They often work in a particular area or ‘beat,’ such as politics, entertainment, business, or sports.

(for general) or 45% marks (for reserved categories) to be eligible for a career in journalism. After 12th, they can pursue a major in English, BA Journalism or Communications, or a Diploma Course in Journalism. However, a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication (BJMC) is the most preferred course to become a journalist in India. Students can opt for Journalism Courses as well for an effective process towards becoming a Journalist.

To become a Journalist it is important to pursue Journalism programs or courses after 12th or after graduation.

Subject Combination: Students interested in becoming a journalist can do their 10+2 from any stream in school be it Science, Commerce, or Arts. The only prerequisite that is needed to pursue journalism is English as one of the major subjects in class 10+2.

Eligibility Criteria: 

The list of eligibility criteria for becoming a Journalist are listed below,

• Candidates must have passed their 10+2 with a minimum of 50% marks from any stream.
• Candidates from SC/ST or other reserved categories get a relaxation of 5% marks.
• The 10+2 should be passed from a recognized central/state board of education.
• Some colleges/universities have the criteria of English as a mandatory subject in 10+2.
• For a master’s degree, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a minimum of 50% marks.
• For PG Diploma programs, a candidate must have a minimum of 45% marks in graduation.
• Some of the universities/colleges also ask for a valid score in the entrance examination conducted by the respective university.

Entrance Exams: 

Many top and reputed universities conduct their own entrance examinations in order to give admission to eligible candidates. Some of the most common entrance examinations for UG & PG programs conducted are mentioned below.

• For UG Programs: DUET, IPU CET, JMIEEE, SET, MU OET
• For PG Programs: IIMC, XIC OET, ACJ Entrance Exam, IPU CET, JMIEEE, AUCET, MU-OET, AMUEE, MASCOM Entrance Exam

Journalism Eligibility Criteria & Skill

Educational Qualification: for a bachelor’s degree in journalism, generally the minimum eligibility is set at a 10+2 certificate and for Postgraduate degree courses, a graduate degree in journalism is required. Some institutes and private educational players also offer one-year certificate courses in journalism for which eligibility is 10+2.

There are also courses in specialized areas of journalism like sports, television, photo, press law, etc. One must keep in mind the fact that no course or training can claim to make somebody a qualified journalist.

The courses can only educate persons in the technical aspects. For this profession, one must have a nose for news in addition to an ability to write and produce news stories in a correct, concise, and appealing style.

Personal Attributes: one should have a curious mind, willpower, and aptitude for presenting information in a precise, concise and effective manner. He/she should also be able to arrange thoughts and express them clearly in both forms of communication- written as well as oral.

Moreover, a journalist has to be diplomatic, confident, and structured while interviewing the public and celebrities. Journalists must have the skill of filtering relevant facts from irrelevant ones. The capability of accepting criticism and keenness to do considerable rewriting are also crucial in this profession.

Journalism is largely divided into two categories – Print and Electronic. Journalism jobs in the print media revolve around newspapers, journals, magazines, digests, and news agencies. On the other hand, journalism through the electronic medium consists of television, radio, and the new media-internet.

Types of Journalism:

• Broadcast Journalism
• Communications
• Fashion Journalism
• Foreign Correspondent
• Freelance Writing
• Investigative Journalist
• Newspaper Reporter
• Photojournalism
• Social Media
• Sports Journalism

What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?

There are a number of other positions within the field of media that require applicants to hold a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field. Students may also want to consider becoming editors, whose responsibilities primarily include revising and preparing content for publication. Those who are more interested in the technical aspect of news reporting should look into becoming a film or video editor, whose job duties consist of managing, producing, and editing videos for telecommunication purposes. Another writing-related career that requires similar skills to journalism is becoming an author and writing creative fiction or nonfiction for books, magazines, or other publications.

one should have a curious mind, willpower, and aptitude for presenting information in a precise, concise, and effective manner. He/she should also be able to arrange thoughts and express them clearly in both forms of communication- written as well as oral.

Moreover, a journalist has to be diplomatic, confident, and structured while interviewing the public and celebrities. Journalists must have the skill of filtering relevant facts from irrelevant ones. The capability of accepting criticism and keenness to do considerable rewriting are also crucial in this profession.

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