Knowledge is power and the most important people are the ones who disseminate knowledge — media professionals. And it is the media professional of the future that the Take One School of Mass Communication (TOS) moulds. Not only does Take One teach them the tricks of the trade, it even advises them which branch of the media would suit them

“A lot of young people are attracted to the media, especially the electronic media, because of the glamour associated with it. They are not very clear about what they want to do. We study them carefully and then advise them on the media field that would suit them best,” says Limty Khare who teaches psychology and other subjects at Take One.

Two friends, Imran Zaheed and Captain Shailendra, set up the institute in 1999. Zaheed, a radio jockey, realised the need for a media institute when he saw the response to the two-week workshops for aspiring radio jockeys and news anchors that he used to hold. “Media is opening up in a big way but there is still a shortage of trained professionals,” says Zaheed, director (media), Take One School of Mass Communication. “Our students are trained to fill this vacuum.”

The institute offers a bachelors course in mass communication, a masters in mass communication and a one-year postgraduate diploma in the subject. Students are given basic training in all the branches of the media.

Strong basics

Take One believes in giving its students hands-on training. It has a video lab where students are taught to handle a video camera, an audio lab where students can learn to digitally record and mix sound, as well as a computer lab where students have uninterrupted access to the Internet. Take One also has an up-to-date editing lab where students are taught video editing as well as graphics and the mock-up of a news studio where aspiring news anchors practise facing the camera and reading the teleprompter.

The institute also has nearly two dozen visiting faculty, experts in the field of their choice, who give the students tips on how to incorporate their learning in their professional life as well as practical knowledge.

To check how much a student has learned, the institute grades them on the practical projects they submit at the end of the course. “The institute asks us for concepts for ad films, radio documentaries or short films according to the student’s area of specialisation. We then form teams and carry out the concept from start to finish,” says Jita Pritam Goswami, a masters student. The students do everything — from research to shooting to editing — themselves and the institute provides them the necessary infrastructural support. “Media is all about being up-to-date. We teach our students the latest technologies being used. Since these technologies, especially the editing software, keep changing regularly, we have to keep on updating our syllabus,” says Zaheed.

Take One has a very young full-time faculty and that is the secret of its continuously changing syllabus. The institute is affiliated with the Guru Jambeshwar University, Hissar, and has an A+ certification from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).

Theory is practical

The theory classes at Take One are also interesting because case studies are taught. “We teach our students how to relate the lessons they learn to everyday events,” says Khare. “We teach our students psychology (something that is not taught in any other media course, he claims) because in the media, you deal with people. It is very important to understand the psychology of the individual.”

Take One guarantees 100 per cent placement for its students. Media biggies like Zee TV, Sahara Samay, Times of India and a host of known advertising agencies regularly visit their campus. Most students are, in fact, absorbed by the organisations where they do their internship.

Most students who pass out from Take One continue to stay in touch with the faculty. Some, like Zakia Gulshan Zerin, even end up joining them. “I have always been very emotionally attached to Take One. So, it was nice to return to work for it,” says Zerin, who is now the institute’s PR person.

Paromita Sen

Vital Statistics

WHAT IS IT? A school of mass communication.

WHat does it offer? It offers a bachelors degree, a masters degree and a postgraduate diploma in mass communication.

With which UNiversity iS IT affiliated? Guru Jambeshwar University, Hissar.

WHO started the school? Imran Zaheed and Captain Shailendra.

where to stay? There are separate hostels for boys and girls.

WHere is it located? 198/26, Ramesh Market,Adjacent D-26, East of Kailash, New Delhi-110065. Website: www.takeoneschool.org