IGNOU launched a new academic programme — Post Graduate Diploma in Development Communication (PGDDC) — for the session 2021-22. Developed by IGNOU’s School of Journalism and New Media Studies, PGDDC aims to encourage reportage on policymaking, planning and the development sector, says Ramesh Yadav, coordinator, PGDDC, IGNOU.

“The idea behind the course is to make information regarding the development sector accessible to people through communication tools such as radio, TV, digital and print media, and help students evolve an understanding of the core issues of the development sector,” explains Yadav.

The course includes details on how development planning is done and know-how about sectors that need to be developed, such as health, education and water management. “We want it to be a bridge between the government and the people. We have four target groups: the NGO sector which plans, researches and executes, the government sector agencies that are involved with planning, and policymaking, global agencies such as UN, UNDP, UNESCO, and the students who wish to make a career in this direction,” says Yadav, informing that IGNOU will soon launch a detailed programme guide in digital format for interested candidates. The duration of the programme is one year and a bachelor’s degree is a must for eligibility. The fee is estimated to be Rs 5,000 for the entire year.

Sharing knowledge and opinions

Development Communication helps in fostering a culture of advocacy, planning and creating a dialogue between stakeholders. “It isnecessary to get the essential commitment from political leaders and the wider public. It supports sustainable change by engaging key stakeholders to establish a two-way participatory flow of information to share knowledge, opinions and perceptions,” says Ramya K Prasad, chairperson and associate professor, Department of Visual Communication, Amrita School of Arts and Sciences, Mysuru, suggesting that in socio-development initiatives, the inclusion of dialogic development communication often results in the reduction of political risks, improvements in the project design and performance, increased transparency and enhanced people participation.

This help students develop an understanding of processes including intervention and its applications, socioeconomic and political factors, she adds.

It may also help students identify priorities, assess risks and opportunities and enable them to empower people by overcoming technological barriers, strengthening institutions, and promoting social change within complex cultural and political environments through the implementation of an effective communication strategy.

“The technical knowhow required to excel in all forms of communication ranging from grassroots to use of video cameras to that of web tools of instant connect, serves to produce an efficient communicator,” says Prasad. “One can also work as a researcher, extension worker or as a development practitioner to deal with development problems and experimenting and implementing appropriate solutions with active participation of communities,” she adds.

Building mutual trust

The course can equip candidates to bridge the gap between communities, governments and NGOs. “The biggest gap found between the idea’s formation and implementation of the developmental model lies in poorly communicated ideas/schemes and lack of awareness followed by corruption. Keeping such a background in mind, it is imperative to educate people about ideas and intentions of development,” says Swaranjeet Arora, professor, NorthCap University, Gurugram.

Candidates can expect a decent remuneration and exciting job opportunities that empower them to be changemakers. “Remuneration in the development sector depends on various factors such as qualification, expertise in a particular field, the budget of the project, the implementation agency, the donor, the length of the assignment and the urgency of the project. Some employers like United Nations Agencies and USAID follow set rules governing the pay for certain assignments.

The salaries of International Development bodies are generally tax-free and they also offer high incentives,” informs Prasad, highlighting that development communication largely deals with building relationships, and developing collaborative mechanisms, facilitating and nurturing the exchange of information and knowledge, negotiating roles and responsibilities, and most importantly, building mutual trust. She says that a systematic and strategic communicator, preferably an extrovert and tech-savvy person may suit most job profiles.