MICA seeks alliance with UP govt

Institute already associated with Gujarat and Delhi governments for development communication

Ahmedabad-based Mudra Institute of Communications (MICA) has offered to work with the Uttar Pradesh government in the field of development communication.

“We would like to bring our expertise in communication about health and education issues to the state,” MICA president and director Nagesh Rao told Business Standard .

He said the Institute was already associated with the Gujarat and Delhi governments for development communication.

“We would formally offer our expertise and services to the UP government, although I have also held a brief informal chat with the state chief secretary Jawed Usmani during my recent visit to Lucknow,” Rao informed.

He said the percentage of out-of-school children in UP was quite high and as such was a cause of concern, leaving aside the quality of education.

UP was the first state in India to have initiated efforts to implement Right to Education Act 2009, that called for free and compulsory primary education to children in the age group of 6 to 14.

“The gap between male literacy (79.24 per cent) and female literacy (59.26 per cent) in UP is also quite significant,” he lamented.

He said despite 122 colleges in UP offering Post Graduate Diploma in Management (PGDM) courses, there is still dearth of communications oriented education.

“Development communication is a subtle issue, which needs to incorporate the local cultural values before finalising any communication strategy. It requires certain degree of experience and understanding about the targeted community apart from the tools of communication,” Rao explained.