Delhi School of Communication

Ms. Rupanjali Lahiri is the Associate Director at The Delhi School of Communication. She is a versatile personality who believes in learning through practical ways. She encourages students to explore opportunities in every domain and make the best out of every opportunity. Read here what she has to say in her interview.

What is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

“I keep a collaborative approach”

I like to take my team along on crucial decisions. Leadership comes with responsibility and the spirit to be a change agent and eventually become the Change. In doing so, I am collaborative. Furthermore, in times of crisis, I believe a leader needs to have gumption and grit until difficulties are conquered. I would like to believe that at DSC, the top management, including myself, have shown the same resilience when most required. At the same time, given the nature of the industry (education), a leader needs to temper grit and gumption with sensitivity. 

How do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your school?

“The word of mouth is a key differentiator as our marketing strategy”

At DSC, we believe that word of mouth is the most critical factor in Marketing. When a student has obtained excellent mentorship, they will promote the institute wholeheartedly with conviction. Thus, word of mouth is a crucial aspect of the marketing strategy at DSC and a driving differentiator.

Furthermore, individual attention and focus is of prime importance. We endeavour to be a Gurukul and function as one. At DSC, we know each student by name, their place, the industry/career vertical they are interested in and their personality traits. Close mentorship is central to our way of functioning and our vision. 

Any significant challenge you faced as being the Director of the college?

“It is difficult to match with the pace of industrial trends”

Like all institutions, we struggle to keep pace with changing technological trends, especially those that students are excited about. Keeping them attentive due to declining attention spans is another challenge. However, we believe that in the end, content is king. And good content presented interactively will always engage students. 

“The curriculum of the Postgraduate programme at DSC makes it ahead of its time. Today more than 1000 Alumni from DSC are leading the Advertising, Public Relations, Media and Marketing organisations globally.”

What changes in trends have you seen for students enrolling in Mass Communication and Journalism courses over the years?

“Students are inclined and moving towards creating a mark in newer domains”

Students were earlier interested in Journalism to become news anchors/reporters. Today students are excited to join and make a mark in areas of Advertising, Public Relations, Digital, Media Planning and others. An awareness of other areas of Communication is the key in this regard, expansion in the entertainment industry with more systems in place. The explosion on the new medium and the corresponding regions are possible reasons for their increased awareness and acceptance of a broader option platform wrt their careers. 

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How do you guide your students to survive in such a competitive scenario?

“We make sure students undergo rigorous trainings to shine in the future”

DSC offers an intense two-year programme, which is the closest any student will get to work full time. Apprenticeships, which start from Semester 1 itself, see students working a half-day. Each semester has an intense internship programme at the end to help convert all theory into practice.

Furthermore, the upgradation of programmes happens timely to meet industry requirements. It incorporates areas which prepare students to deal effectively with the future. For instance, Digital Marketing has been a specialisation in the Post Graduation programme for more than ten years now. Rural Marketing was introduced five years ago, and today we have Data Analytics as well. 

What do you see as The Delhi School of Communication’s greatest strengths?

“We continue to impart of quality education to students”

DSC is a gurukul which seeks to help students become an outstanding professional and great human beings. The emphasis on individual attention, where even the Dean knows each student by name, background and characteristics makes DSC a truly unique institution. 

The intense theory-practice interface, which is also DSC’s pedagogy, reflects in every single academic activity that we undertake at DSC.