In our final interview (in a series of 3), we interview Prof. Deepak Kumar Tiwari, the co-ordinator of BMM at Thakur College. He shares his thoughts on the course, on what sets BMM apart and how withing 3 years, Thakur BMM has managed to gain a strong foothold.

Prof. Deepak Kumar Tiwari

1. What according to you sets BMM apart from other graduation courses?

I think BMM is a versatile course. We have leadership and management skills being taught which gradually develops the student’s innate ability to excel. With the variety of subjects you can call it the ‘Master of All’.  It is also an extremely flexible course.  Also, it opens a number of options for the students to choose from.

2. What skill sets must a student have if he/she wishes to take up BMM after 12^th?

Good communication skills. He/she should have reading habits. Good command over languages is a must. One should be interested in consuming media as much as possible. He/she has to be an extrovert and must be able to convince people, because at the end of the day they will have to work for an audience.

3. How do BMM students seeking entry into the professional media world benefit from this course?

BMM, being a combination of all the subjects, enables the students to explore their potential to be future media professionals. Subjects ranging from Public Relations to Creative Writing help the students to understand what they’re good at.

4. How much weightage would you place on fests, extra curriculars and academics in the BMM course structure?

This course was started with a belief of it being a practical as well as a theoretical course. One should be enthusiastic about the extra-curricular activites as well because just studying won’t take any BMM student anywhere. This is because we are trying to develop certain skill sets. And skill sets cannot be mugged.

5. Some BMM myths you would like to break?

You don’t have to study. It becomes very easy for other departments to state so, at times. But it’s absolutely false. Coping up with 36 subjects in 3 years is not an easy deal.

6. What sets BMM as offered by Thakur College apart from BMM as offered by other colleges?

Keeping in mind that we are just three years old, I think the level of interaction and understanding between the students and the faculty is extremely strong. And in these 3 years we have been successful enough to pull off an international short film festival. Plus we are soon going to have our own editing studio!

I always encourage my students to put themselves at the fore front as I feel being a confident person is extremely important in this field. I wish and hope all my students get enough opportunities to showcase their talents and thus excel.

Enjoyed reading Prof. Tiwari’s views? If you’d like us to interview your college co-ordinator and highlight the efforts of the BMM department of your college on BMMBox.com, then drop us an email at connect@bmmbox.com. Do mention the following details in the email: Co-ordinator’s Name, College, Subject taught, Co-ordinator’s email address/mobile number.

In our second faculty (BMM co-ordinators) interview in a series of three, we conversed with the direct and stern, Mr. Sudhakar, co-ordinator of Wilson BMM. Known as the man who seldom smiles and who mentors his students with unmatched dedication, in this interview he sheds light on the things that set BMM apart from other courses and tell us how academics go beyond books. Read on!

Mr. Sudhakar

1. What according to you sets BMM apart from other graduation courses?

The one thing that sets BMM apart is the quality and quantity of projects that students are required to undertake and the range of subjects they study. Right from psychology to marketing to sociology and television even, students are introduced to and required to study these varied subject. Also, the kind of projects and the interpretations they are required to draw from what they learn sets BMM apart.

2. What skill sets must a student have if he/she wishes to take up BMM after standard 12?

Any student interested in BMM must be open to possibilities, to ideas. What happens many times is that we become creatures of habit. So much so, that we ignore ideas. This is something that must be avoided at all costs. Students, individuals must be open and curious, they must be willing to observe, learn and harbour a different kind of attitude.

3. How do BMM students who seek entry into the professional media world benefit from this course?

I think the varied subjects, a thorough understanding of them and the resultant strong theoretical base is what helps BMM students in the professional world. However, it is imperative that they are taught these subjects well and that they learn these with utmost attention.

4. How much weightage would you place on fests and academics in the BMM course structure?

Ultimately, it is all about balance. A thorough academic and theoretical understanding of the subject is a must, though. Also, theory is not just about syllabus. Attending lectures, participating in discussions, sharing your point-of-views, raising issues is a great way to learn.

5. What sets Wilson BMM apart from BMM as offered by other colleges?

We have a rigorous course structure. We don’t simply stick to the syllabus designed by the university. We use material from Harvard Business Review (HBR), The Economist, etc. to get a holistic view of the current events/trends. The projects are rigorous too and they demand much of the students.

Enjoyed reading Prof. Sudhakar’s views? If you’d like us to interview your college co-ordinator and highlight the efforts of the BMM department of your college on BMMBox.com, then drop us an email at connect@bmmbox.com. Do mention the following details in the email: Co-ordinator’s Name, College, Subject taught, Co-ordinator’s email address/mobile number.

Manjula Ma'am

In our first faculty interview (BMM co-ordinators) in a series of 3, we touched base with Ms. Manjula – Co-ordinator, KCBMM. This soft-spoken lady kindly spoke to us about the importance of the BMM course, what sets it apart from the rest and told us why KCBMM is different from BMM offered in other colleges.

Excerpts from the interview

1. What according to you sets BMM apart from other graduation courses?

Other graduation courses are theoretical, whereas, BMM has practical components that set it apart from the rest. The structure of this course is such that a student will get hands-on experiences that will help him/her in his/her academic + professional life.

2. What skill sets must a student have if he/she wishes to take up BMM after standard 12?

I think this question is not valid in the present context because Mumbai University does not allow colleges to admit students on basis of an entrance exam. As per norms we are required to admit students on basis of merit alone. If you ask me ‘what kind of students should take this course up’ then I’d say that those who are good at writing, those who excel in various forms of communications and are good with creativity – in terms of designing, writing, presenting something in an interesting manner, should take this course up.

3. How do BMM students who seek entry into the professional media world benefit from this course?

According to me, assignments for all 36 papers that cover all genres like photography, creative writing, marketing, management, understanding cinema, and so on give students a thorough understanding of various aspects of the media world.  Further on, choosing the right specialisation in the third year and interning at a company of choice between the second year and third year break helps students understand what they are good at and what kind of work they enjoy.

4. How much weightage would you place on fests and academics in the BMM course structure?

70:30. But then again, one has to theoretically sound to apply all the knowledge practically. And for this one must be thorough in the syllabus and must excel at each module by the end of the term.

5. Some BMM myths you’d like to break?

One BMM myth I’d like to break is that fests are not life. They are an integral part of BMM as students learn a lot – people skills, management of finance, they get a chance to network and so on, but all this does not help beyond a point.

I think students need to focus on projects more and while theories might be redundant because the University has not updated the syllabus, students can make projects keeping in mind today’s requirements, changes, etc.

6. What sets KCBMM apart from BMM as offered by other colleges?

I’d say that KCBMM has stability. For one, our department and most of our faculty has not changed in 13 years. This proves to be a strong base for the course.

Additionally, I have made program difficult by incorporating essential extra components like a Certificate Course, a Program on Contemporary Issues that has been running since 8-9 years now and has been well accepted by professionals. The fact that KC students must take up compulsory internships has proved greatly beneficial too. Our two newspapers – Scribe (serious) and Slubberdigulligan (chit-chatty) gives students a platform to showcase their talents.

I don’t believe in just theoretical knowledge. I believe in challenging my students by giving them challenging projects that they are required to submit within strict deadlines and it is this that pushes them to excel.

Image Courtesy | Coolage.in

Enjoyed reading Prof. Manjula’s views? If you’d like us to interview your college co-ordinator and highlight the efforts of the BMM department of your college on BMMBox.com, then drop us an email at connect@bmmbox.com. Do mention the following details in the email: Co-ordinator’s Name, College, Subject taught, Co-ordinator’s email address/mobile number.