The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has awarded postgraduate degrees to trainee officers of the Indian Information Service (IIS) for the first time following its designation as a Deemed to be University. The milestone ceremony, held on 1 September 2026, honoured trainees from the 2009, 2023 and 2024 batches of this central government service under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The graduates received a Master of Arts degree in Public Communication and Governance after completing prescribed academic and professional requirements. This new postgraduate programme strengthens the formal educational component of IIS training by combining the study of public communication, media systems and governance into a structured degree.
What the Programme Covers
The MA in Public Communication and Governance represents a formal integration of academic study with professional training for IIS officers. The degree combines classroom learning with practical requirements that officers must fulfil as part of their service training.
Speaking at the ceremony, Chanchal Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, outlined the modern challenges facing government communicators. He highlighted that officers must understand artificial intelligence and its implications, while also remaining vigilant against misinformation, deepfakes and synthetic media. He stressed that communication must work both ways: government must listen to public feedback to improve policies and their delivery.
Kumar emphasised that while speed matters in communication, accuracy and credibility cannot be compromised since government messages carry institutional authority. Officers should also prepare themselves to take on responsibilities beyond communication within the broader governance system.
The Secretary underscored that the poorest sections of society must remain central to all government communication efforts. Officers should continuously assess whether their work genuinely helps citizens, and if not, reconsider their approach with compassion for public concerns.
What This Means for You
If you aspire to join the Indian Information Service through the civil service examination, you now know that your training will include a formal postgraduate degree rather than only on-the-job preparation. The emphasis on two-way communication and citizen feedback means government messaging is becoming more responsive to public needs. The focus on accuracy and credibility in an age of artificial intelligence and misinformation suggests the service is preparing officers to handle increasingly complex communication challenges.