I&B Ministry
Mass Comm courses in regional languages significant: Naidu
NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has stressed the vast need of skilled personnel in the media and entertainment sector in the country as the sector was expanding rapidly.
The Minister referred to the prominent role being played by the Government’s Skill India Initiative for upgrading skills under multiple disciplines. He added that the vision of this Government was to bring Transformational changes in all sectors.
Speaking about the changing paradigm in communication, the Minister said Social Media has broken the boundaries of time and space in communication. It is a pre-requisite for budding journalists to be social media savvy and to have a watchful eye about the public perception on issues of local and international importance.
He advised students aspiring to become journalists in future to ensure that news and views are not mixed and be objective. Every budding young journalist should have an open mind to acquire maximum knowledge to present the perspective in an objective manner. He urged students to keep abreast with the latest developments, new technology and new modes of communication and should inculcate a habit of reading to remain relevant and effective.
He also called upon the Indian Institute of Mass Communications to strive for journalism courses in all Indian languages to cater to the communication needs of the citizens all across the country.
The Minister was speaking after inaugurating the First PG Diploma course in Urdu Journalism, the 67th Diploma course in Development Journalism, and the launch of the IIMC Journal “Communicator” at Shastri Bhawan.
Emphasizing on the training methodology, Naidu said it was important in the current scenario to include Case studies and practical exposure as a part of curriculum for learning, practising and applying new concepts. He also stressed the need for imparting an outlook that is rooted in strong ethical values among budding journalists and communicators.
Naidu said Urdu journalism was an important and integral part of media and communication landscape of our country which had played an important role in the Freedom Struggle.
Inaugurating the 67th Development Journalism course, the Minister said India is today regaining the lost glory of being the Knowledge hub of the world. The Development Journalism course provided a great opportunity for understanding and appreciating each other’s culture, and developing bonds of friendship.
He added that journalist scholars from various Developing Countries were unofficial Ambassadors of India who shall provide a link of brotherhood among different cultures through their writings. The 67th batch of Development Journalism course at IIMC has 23 scholars (12 females and 11 males) from 19 different countries.
I&B Ministry
Chanchal Kumar appointed MIB secretary
1992-batch officer shifts from DoNER as Sanjay Jaju heads the north-east ministry
New Delhi: The government has rejigged its top bureaucracy, appointing Chanchal Kumar as secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, replacing Sanjay Kumar Jaju in a swift senior-level switch.
Kumar, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, moves from the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), where he had been serving as secretary. He steps into MIB as Jaju exits to take charge as secretary, DoNER.
Kumar is no stranger to handling multiple mandates. In December 2025, while at DoNER, he briefly held additional charge as secretary in the Department of Telecommunications during Neeraj Mittal’s leave from December 12 to December 21, ensuring continuity at a critical time.
Jaju, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Telangana cadre, had taken over as secretary, MIB in February 2024, succeeding Apurva Chandra, who moved to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. His tenure combined administrative continuity with a sharper policy pitch on trust in India’s fast-evolving media and advertising landscape.
Speaking at the AdTrust Summit 2026 organised by the Advertising Standards Council of India, Jaju warned that misleading promotions risk eroding public trust even as digital platforms expand reach for businesses, startups and creators. He flagged rising threats from financial scams, deceptive investment schemes and fraudulent job advertisements targeting vulnerable users.
While noting that commercial speech is protected under freedom of expression, Jaju argued that misleading advertising must face regulatory scrutiny. He pushed for a shift in industry priorities—from scale to credibility, authenticity and transparency—especially in disclosures and sponsored content. Truthfulness, accountability and safeguards for vulnerable audiences, he said, must anchor the ecosystem.
Jaju’s move to DoNER and Kumar’s arrival at MIB signal a calibrated reshuffle at the top—continuity in governance, but with a clear message: credibility is the new currency.
