With the media world expanding faster than ever in India, Mass Communication has become one of the most exciting and popular career options after Class 12. From journalism and advertising to digital content and filmmaking, the opportunities in this field are endless.
If you’re someone who dreams of working in the media industry, then the CUET Mass Media and Mass Communication exam is the perfect starting point. This exam helps students get admission into top universities through a common entrance process.
Before you begin your preparation, it’s important to understand what CUET is, what the exam pattern looks like, and what topics are covered in the syllabus. The CUET Mass Media and Mass Communication exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
What is the CUET?
The CUET (Common University Entrance Test) is a national level entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency for admission into undergraduate programs across and many other universities in India.
What is the CUET Mass Media and Mass Communication Exam?
The CUET Mass Media and Mass Communication is the entrance path for students applying to media-related undergraduate programs. The courses include
- BA in Journalism and mass communication
- BA in mass media
- BA in media studies
- BA honors in Mass Communication and Video production
- Certificate/Diploma in Mass Media
Some universities accept CUET, while private universities may conduct separate entrance tests, a few universities are listed below:
- Delhi University
- Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi)
- Banaras Hindu University
- Indian Institute of Mass Communications
- University of Hyderabad
- Manipal Institute of Communication
- Amity University
- Apeejay Stya University
- Symbiosis International University
- National School of Drama
Who Should Take This Exam?
This exam is ideal for students who are interested in:
- News reporting and journalism
- Social media and digital content creation
- Advertising and branding
- Film and television production
- Radio and podcasting
- Public relations and corporate communication
- Photography and visual storytelling
If you enjoy writing, speaking, storytelling, creativity, or current affairs, this field can be a strong career option. Mass Communication is also not just about studying media, but also about building skills like critical thinking, strong written and oral communication, creativity and storytelling, confidence and public speaking and being aware of important news matters that are happening in the society and
How to Prepare for Mass Communication Entrance Exam
The CUET Mass Media and Mass Communication consists of online exams. It consists of objective MCQs, where students are given 50 questions and must attempt 40 within 45 minutes. The total paper carries 250 marks. The exam is based on topics like journalism, communication, advertising, public relations and media laws. The marking scheme for the exam is +5 for correct answers and -1 for incorrect answers. (Pro tip: Note that the 45-minute time limit is quite tight for 40 questions; speed is as important as knowledge)
The CUET Mass Media and Mass Communication Exam syllabus is divided into 8 key units. That is:
1. Communication
(i) Understanding Communication – Levels of communication, models of communication
(ii) Culture and Communication – What is culture? Relationship between culture and mass media; communication in the cultural context; media as a vehicle of cultural transmission; representation and stereotyping in Mass Media.
(iii) Communication and Social Change – Social change: meaning; media as a catalyst for social change (with examples of various social movements).
(iv) Evolution of the Media – History of Newspapers, Radio & Television in India and New Media
2. Journalism
(i) Understanding news – Definition, news values, components of news
(ii) Qualities of a good Journalist – An understanding of the following: a nose for news, inquisitiveness, language skills, trustworthiness and empathy,
(iv) Reporting and Editing techniques – Inverted Pyramid, 5W’s &1 H, Headlines, Copy editing
(v) Photo Journalism – Importance of photos, captions, visual depiction, photo essays
(vi) Media Laws & Ethical Issues in Journalism – A brief understanding of each of the following with examples: sensationalism, fake news, paid news, plagiarism, advertorials, partisan reporting, and sting operations, defamation, freedom of speech and expression, law and the media
3. Advertising and Public Relations
Advertising
(i) Advertising concepts & process,
(ii) Functions of Advertising,
(iii) Types of Advertising (Cross promotions, Merchandise, Convert Advertising),
(iv) Forms of Advertising
(v) Advertising campaigns
Public Relations
(i) Understanding PR and media management
(ii) Building Brand Image a
(iii) Tools and Steps in PR; PR campaigns
(iv) Crisis Management
(v) Responsibility of a PRO
4. TV Production
(i) Pre-production, Production, Post-production Stage.
(ii) Programs, Formats, Audiences
5. Radio
(i) Writing for Radio – Characteristics of a Radio Script: conversational language, active voice, simple sentences, avoidance of technical jargons, and capability of creating imageries
(ii) Radio Recording – Brief understanding of the radio studio and transmission equipment: types of microphones; amplifier, sound mixer, speakers; audio recording.
6. Cinema
(i) History of Cinema – A brief understanding of the early experiments done by the following: Lumiere Brothers, John Grierson, Robert Flaharty and Dada Saheb Phalke.
(ii) Production process and Cinema Genres – Production process and stages in films and documentary making. Defining genre theory; an understanding of the various types of genres (with suitable
examples): action, westerns, comedy, crime, drama, fantasy/sci-fi, historical, animation,
romance and musical.
(iii) Cinema and Social Change – Parallel Cinema movement in India: Issues depicted and low budget production process (with reference to examples such as Shyam Benegal’s Manthan).
7. Social Media
a. Definition of social media.
b. Types of social media platforms, social networking, blogging, photo and video sharing
c. Role of social media in a democracy- Role of social media in creating collective identities with reference to sharing of information;
cyber activism (with suitable examples)
d. Cyber Crime – An understanding of online bullying; stalking; trolling; online frauds.
e. Netiquettes – Meaning and importance of netiquettes; an understanding of netiquettes such as:
identification of oneself; respect for others’ privacy, use of appropriate language and
imagery; do not spam.
8. New Media
(i) Internet as the meeting point of all the mass media.
(ii) Broadcasting
(iii) Mass communication model of a few transmitting to a vast number of receivers.
(iv) Gigantic organization.
(v) Huge technical infra-structure
(vi) Large scale revenue
(vii) The changed paradigm due to the Internet.
(viii) Empowering an individual to post data on the Internet
(ix) Information, message in one medium triggering off activity in the others
(x) Many sources of the same information.
(xi) Distribution of the information between individuals on an unprecedented global scale.
(xii) Rapidity of opinion generation on a local, national and global scale
(xiii) The socio-political implications of the new information order.
(xiv) The Strengthening of democracy.
(xv) Emerging trends in Mass Communication
(xvi) Media convergence
Steps to prepare for the CUET Mass Media and Mass Communications Exam
Create a study plan:
The National Testing Agency (NTA) bases 90% of the questions on the NCERT Class 12 Mass Media Studies textbook.
- Terminologies: Be thorough with terms like Inverted Pyramid, 5Ws and 1H, Yellow Journalism, and Citizen Journalism.
- Theories: Understand communication models (Aristotle, Lasswell, Shannon-Weaver) and theories like the Magic Bullet or Agenda Setting.
- Stages of Production: Memorize the specific tasks in Pre-production, Production, and Post-production for TV, Radio, and Film.
Create a “Media History” Timeline
History is a significant part of the “Evolution of Media” unit. Create a chronological chart for:
- Print: Hicky’s Bengal Gazette (1780), the role of the press in the Indian Freedom Struggle.
- Radio: From the Radio Club of Bombay (1923) to AIR and the arrival of Private FM.
- Cinema: Lumiere Brothers (1895), Raja Harishchandra (1913), the Parallel Cinema movement (Manthan, Pather Panchali).
Track Current Industry Trends
Unlike other subjects, Mass Communication is “living.” You must stay updated on:
- Media Ethics: Recent cases of fake news, deepfakes, and discussions on the IT Act 2000.
- Mergers & Acquisitions: High-profile media deals (e.g., Disney-Reliance or Sony-Zee updates).
- Awards: Winners of the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Oscars, and major Journalism awards like the Pulitzer or Ramnath Goenka Awards.
Strategy for Advertising & PR
- Slogans & Brands: Match the following questions often ask you to link a brand to its slogan (e.g., ONGC: “Making tomorrow brighter”).
- PR Tools: Distinguish between a Press Release, a Press Kit, and a Press Conference.
- Campaigns: Study famous social campaigns like Polio Eradication or Swachh Bharat.
Familiarize yourself with the CUET Mass Media and Mass Communications syllabus. You can take the CUET mock tests online through the official National Testing Agency website to understand yourself with the Computer based test (CBT) format. Focus on ethics and current affairs. Even if your school didn’t offer “Mass Media Studies,” the NCERT Class 12 Mass Media Studies textbook is the primary source for the exam questions.
Eligibility Criteria:
To appear for CUET UG you are required to pass 12th grade or be appearing from a recognized board. There is no age limit for CUET. The exam itself does not set a fixed minimum percentage, as eligibility and required marks vary by university. For PG programs, most colleges generally require at least 50% marks in graduation.
Thus to conclude, the CUET Mass Media and Mass Communication exam is the gateway for students who wish to enter the exciting world of journalism, advertising, filmmaking, PR, and digital media. With the right preparation, strong current affairs knowledge, and NCERT-based study, students can easily crack the exam and secure admission into top universities.
