Bhopal, Feb 8 (PTI) A degree or diploma in journalism should be an essential qualification for becoming a journalist, participants at meetings held by a Press Council of India (PCI) sub-committee have said.

Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Hits Back at Opposition, Says 'I Wear 140 Crore Indians' Trust As Protective Shield, Lies Can't Breach It'.

The panel met various journalism stake-holders and educators on the campus of the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication near here for two days since Tuesday.

Also Read | Supreme Court Quashes NCDRC Order Awarding Rs 2 Crore Compensation to Woman for Bad Haircut at a Five-Star Hotel in Delhi.

The PCI set up the sub-committee to consider the issue of essential qualifications for print media correspondents or journalists after the Supreme Court issued certain directions to the government, said senior journalist Prakash Dubey, a panel member.

The committee is led by former National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) director J S Rajput and its other members include Prakash Dubey, Group Editor, Dainik Bhaskar; Suman Gupta, Editor, Janmorcha, Lucknow and Shyam Singh Panwar representing small and medium newspapers.

Stakeholders suggested that a degree or diploma in journalism should be prescribed as an essential qualification, Dubey said.

Makhanlal Chaturvedi varsity's vice chancellor K G Suresh said that as in the case of doctors and engineers, a course in journalism is a must for a journalist.

After the meetings got over on Wednesday, Suresh along with PCI panel members met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Chouhan expressed confidence that suggestions received by the sub-committee in Bhopal would prove helpful.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)