New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Mass Communication will have four more branches one each in Jammu & Kashmir, Mizoram as also one each in the Southern and Western India. The Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Smt Ambika Soni announced this at the 42nd Convocation function held at IIMC, New Delhi today. The Minister said that these Institutes would be set up in a phased manner and proposals will be firmed up soon in consultation with the concerned agencies and the State Governments.

The Minister also said that IIMC will be upgraded as an International Media University. The Ministry is working out the modalities to develop this Institute into a world class media education, training and research University. After up gradation to an International Media University, IIMC will be able to award degrees in addition to the Post Graduate Diplomas it currently awards. IIMC will also be able to start courses at the Under-Graduate and Post Graduate level and award M.Phil and Ph D degrees, Smt Soni elaborated.

The Guest of Honour, Sh Shekhar Gupta congratulated the class of 2009 and urged them to keep intact the essential skill of 'curiosity' to succeed in journalism. He also advised the budding journalists to ensure credibility in all their future assignments. The Chairman IIMC and Secretary I &B, Sh Raghu Menon conferred the Diplomas on 243 students of Post-graduate Diploma course in Advertising and Public Relations, English and Hindi Journalism, Radio & TV Journalism including the 58 students of English and Oriya Journalism of Dhenkanal Branch of IIMC, based on the reports of the respective course Directors.

The Director IIMC and Additional Secretary I & B Smt Stuti Kacker presented the Director's Report on the occasion of the 42nd convocation. The Director informed that most of the successful Diploma course graduates have already been absorbed by major media organizations despite the slowdown. The Minister Smt Ambika Soni presented the awards to the meritorious students.