MAM
IIMC takes the PhD plunge after six decades of playing it safe
NEW DELHI: After 60 years of churning out journalists, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication has had a lightbulb moment: why not let people research the it properly?
The deemed university formally launched its PhD programme on 1 January, opening applications for full-time and part-time candidates until 30 January. Those clutching UGC-NET certificates can waltz straight into personal interactions, whilst the less fortunate part-timers must sit an entrance exam on 19 February.
IIMC vice chancellor Pragya Paliwal Gaur, speaking at the launch, served up the usual academic rhetoric about “genuinely contributing towards research for resurgent India” and thinking “out-of-the-box.”
The programme promises a smorgasbord of research areas: journalism, digital media, strategic communication, film studies, political communication, and that perennial favourite, advertising and public relations. Scholars can expect rigorous academics, interdisciplinary scholarship, and—if they’re lucky—something resembling an answer to why media keeps changing faster than academics can study it.
The selected candidates list drops on 23 February, interviews kick off on 9 March, and the whole process wraps by 27 March. Coursework begins April 1st—no joke.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI: Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
