Work Opportunities (MSC)

This part deals with some areas of employment which come out from the course content and the syllabi taught to and experiences gained by the students of social communication and journalism. An attempt has also been made to indicate the relevant posts and the designations in which the trained social communicators and Journalists can be fitted into. The job descriptions of the corresponding posts also has been given in detail, so that it would facilitate the potential employer to recruit and deploy them in their organisations.  We have evolved a system of campus recruitment and have set up a cell for social marketing of our products. A summary of the areas, posts and designations as well as job descriptions are given below. It must be noted that these are given by way of illustration only and by no means are exhaustive.

1. News Reporting, Editing & Desk Management:

Area: Reporting of news, features writing, story filing, editing and news paper management.
Posts/Designations: Reporters, Sub-editors, Asst. News Editors, Asst. Bureau Chiefs, Correspondents, Information officers, Asst. Information officers, Information Assistants, Managers in Print Media, Press Managers.
Job Description: The Social Communicators and Journalists are required to collect reports from different sites and of different kinds like Crime, Science, Sports, Films, Development, Parliamentary and Investigative - for different kinds of media both Print and Electronic. They can also  manage Press Conferences, Press Tours and Write Press Notes, Press Releases etc.

2. Field Publicity and Government Information System :

Area : Publicity campaigns, News collection, Press Release, hand outs, Information dissemination.
Post / Designations : Field Publicity Officers, Information Officers, Spokesman/Spokesperson.
Job Description : The Social Communication, here plays the role of information disseminator, both at the Government sector, as well as the non-government sector. They disseminate information through out all the levels of the society. They can also be employed as spokesman/spokespersons by different agencies/organisations. They organise press conferences.
They involve themselves in wide range of activities like - publicity campaigns, interactive forums through the use of Mass Media channels like television, films etc. They also plan and implement publicity measures like, pamplet, posters, street-plays and press release and press handouts.

3.Social Communication Research :

Area : All fields of Social Sciences including Social Work, Social Communication, Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology, Social Psychology, Philosophy, Management, Demography and Population Studies, History and Environment.
Posts / Designations : Investigators, Assistant Investigators, Investigating Officers, Technical Assistants, Technical Officers, Research Assistants, Research Officers, Evaluation Officers, Research Fellows, Documentation Assistants, Documentation Officers, Documentalists.
Job Description : Supervision and collection of data from field, processing and compilation of data, making reports in both Government and Non- Government sectors.

4.Social Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations :

Area : Advertising planning, advertising collection, opening of advertising agencies, making of social advertising, market research, opening of market research agencies, networking of people for any social action and public relation.
Posts / Descriptions : Creative Directors, Editors, Creative Editors and Advertising Executives in Advertising agencies, Market Research Executives, Market Research Assistants, Research Officers in Market Research Agencies, Public Relations Officers, Public Relations Executives, Assistant Directors in PR Departments of Government, Non-Government and Advertising Agencies. Publicity & Publication Officers, Receptionists.
Job Description : All kinds of jobs related to Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing in the Print and Electronic Media, Media Agencies, Public Sectors, Private Sectors and Market Research Organisations.

5.Social Communication, Rural and Tribal Communication :

Area : Production, Compilation and Documentation of Communication materials, Project Reports, Application of Extension methods and Publicity Techniques, Project Support Communication and Management of Non-Governmental Organisations.
Posts / Designations : Social Communicators, Copy Writers, Documentation Assistants, Publicity Officers, Project Officers, Project Coordinators, Extension Officers, Information Officers, Field Publicity Officers, Communication Consultants, Tribal Coordinators, Development Officers, Assistant Development Officers, Welfare Officers, Social Organisers, Social Animators.
Job Description : The Social Communicators and Journalists can be associated with Non- Governmental agencies to write leaflets, newsletters, and other reports. They can also be appointed in the rural areas by the Government to take the farm technologies to people. They can also manage projects linked with the welfare of tribal and rural mass. They can also set up local press and media organisations to disseminate the social  development messages among weaker sections.

6. Audio - Visual Communication : 

Area : Television and Video recording, Editing, Anchoring, Making of Television and Radio Programmes, Video Recording, Photography.
Posts / Designations : Programmer, Anchor Person, Assistant. Editors, Editors of Television & Video Production, Recording Assistants, Photographers, Photo-Journalists, Floor Managers, Lighting Assistants, Producers, Assistant Producers, Directors, Assistant Directors, Audio-Visual Assistants.
Job Description : If associated with modern media, the Social Communicators  and Journalists can bring about change in the making of programmes with innovative ideas for Radio, Television and Video. They can also man in different Audio-Visual agencies in different capacities.

7. Innovative Teaching in Social Communication and Social Education :

Area : Adult Education, Non-Formal Education, Functional Literacy both for men and women, teaching Social Communication at the University Post- Graduate, or Government Colleges and  institutions teaching Grassroots Communication courses.
Posts / Designations : Trainers, Education Officers, Teachers, Training Officers, Communicators, Barefoot Communicators, Non-Formal Education Teachers, Professors and Readers. 
Job Description : They can train and educate the rural adults, children at the grass- roots level. They can train the educators and teachers both in the urban as well as rural areas.

8.Social Action and Community Organisation :

Area : The fields are open to bring in change in the status of institutions and individuals as well as the entire society.
Posts / Designations : Social Workers, Animators, Activists, Social Communicators, Social Reformers, Social Educators.
Job Description : The Social Communicators and Journalists work for social and institutional change by taking support from the community. They can organise people for any community action through social associations and social groups. They can be associated with NGOs for charity and action, as well as with NABARD, NIRD etc.

9.Social Development Programmes for Scheduled Castes, the Tribes, Backward Classes and Minorities :

Area : Planning, implementing and monitoring of all development programmes meant for SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities, Disabled, etc.
Post / Designation : Development Officers, Welfare Officers, Area Development Officers, Planning Officers, Programme Officers, Programme Managers.
Job Description : The Social Communicators and Journalists can be entrusted with the responsibilities with regard to the development of weaker sections as they are adequately trained for that. They can also better plan, coordinate and implement the displacement and rehabilitation programmes of both Government and Non-Government Sector.

10. Social Communication and Information Technology :


Area : Web Journalism, Web Publishing, Web Content Creation and Graphic Designing.
Post / Designation : Web Journalist, Web Content Writer, Web & Graphic Designing.
Job Description : The social Communicator will be assigned the task of content creation of web sites. She/he will be asked to write news stories, features, update the news websites and at times translation is also required.
The job involves basic knowledge in computers, which is mostly provided in the form of on-job-training.

11.Self Employment Avenues :

Area : A Social Communicator is a professional, and thus can take up several independent projects and assignments in the field of Communication Consultancy, Freelance Journalism, Syndicate News Agencies.
Post / Designation : Communication Consultant, Freelance Journalist, Syndicates, Media Advisor.
Job Description : A Social Communicator can work independently as a consultant, She/he can formulate communication projects for Government and Non-Government sector, and help in planning and execution of various communication schemes.
Besides, he can become an Media Advisor to various Government and NGO sector organisations.
As a freelance journalist She/he can write daily or weekly columns for News papers, Magazines and Internet Websites.   

WORK opportunities

All the offered programmes are object oriented and special measures have been in order to ensure that candidates find these programmes pragmatic and can implement their knowledge at work. The job descriptions of the corresponding posts also has been given in detail, so that, it would not be difficult for the potential employer to recruit and deploy them in their organisations.

1. Action Research in Social and Behavioural Sciences:

Area: All fields of social sciences including social work, applied sociology, social anthropology, social psychology, applied economics, political science, public administration, social management, social philosophy, human and social development, social demography, environment and social history.

Posts/Designations: Social Scientists, Research Associates, Research Assistants, Research Investigators, Research Fellows, Demographers etc.
     
Job Description: Conducting surveys in the field and also research from the secondary sources, analysis of data, report writing, formulation of research proposals and management of research programmes as they are specially trained in applied and participatory research and can organise research cells or run research centres or projects.
2.Participatory Training in Human Resource Development:
     
Area: Manpower development, improvement of personality, leadership roles, group dynamics, motivation generation, skill formation, socialisation process, conscientization, social games, use of audio-visual aids, participatory communication and the art of implementation and training bare foot self- employed social workers.
     
Posts/Designations: Directors, Training Officers, Trainers, Master Trainers.
     
Job Description: Government functionaries, development workers of voluntary agencies and other private bodies. They can impart training to middle level functionaries and grass root workers at vocational and para professional as also extension levels.
3. Innovative Teaching in Social Work and Social Education:
     
Area: Adult education, non-formal education, functional literacy both for men and women, teaching social work at the post-graduate and under-graduate colleges and grass root level institutions.

4.Social Action and Community Organisation:
     
Area: The fields are wide enough to include social reform, social change and modernisation, working for the disadvantaged and the deprived.
     
Posts/Designations: Social workers, Animators, Activists as also Development Workers, Community Organisers, Group Organisers.

Job Description: Working for social and institutional change with community support and public co-operation. The Social Workers can engage himself also in social advocacy and public appeals for the poor, the weak and other victims of social discrimination or economic deprivation, initiating or organising community leadership and working for and with such population.
5. Child Care, Youth Involvement and Women’s Development and Family Welfare Programmes:
     
Area: Youth welfare and development under the Universities, government and non-government bodies including Nehru Yuvak Kendras, ICDS projects, nutrition improvement schemes, women welfare and family welfare programmes.
     
Posts/Designations: Youth Development Officers, N.S.S. Co-ordinators, Secretaries of YMCAs and YWCAs and other Working Women’s Hostels, Supervisors or Superintendents of Youth Hostels, Sponsorship Officers, Family Welfare Officers and Mukhya Sevikas.

Job Description: The Social Workers besides holding the post and running the programmes mentioned above which are self explanatory, can run orphanages and day care centres, manage sponsorship or adoption programmes and look after child welfare, child development and rehabilitation centres/schemes, youth clubs and mahila mandals, maternity centres, night shelters, dormitories etc. They can also run family welfare programmes. 

6.Medical and Psychiatric Social Work and Community Health Services :

Area: Planning and execution of Health Programmes, dealing with psychiatric and unadjusted cases.

Posts/Designations: Medical and Psychiatric Social Workers, Health Educators, School Social Workers, Counsellors in Child Guidance Clinics, Health Visitors and Family Planning Educators or Motivators and Marriage Counsellors, Anti- Drug Counsellors.

Job Description: The Social Workers can effectively handle various services and health related activities in the medical colleges, directorates of health and family welfare and district hospitals and other hospitals and community health centres, drug-de-addiction centres, etc.

7.Social Defence, Probation Services and Prison Reforms Programmes.

Area: Social Defence including rehabilitation and reformation of adult offenders, correction of juvenile delinquency and probation services and administration of criminal justice.

Posts/Designations: District Probation Officers, Prison Welfare Officers (both men and women), Social Defence Officers and Rehabilitation Officers.

Job Description: The Social Workers can be entrusted with the responsibilities of research, training and actual programme implementation in all the areas and activities mentioned above.

8.Handicapped Welfare and Rehabilitation of Leprosy Affected People including Disability Prevention :

Area: All public assistance programmes meant for the handicapped including institutional or individual care.

Posts/Designations: Leprosy Rehabilitation Officers/Counsellors in institutions of the Deaf, Dumb and Blind, Directors of Vocational Rehabilitation Centres for the Physically and Mentally Handicapped and Managers of Homes for the Aged.

Job Description: Prevention and rehabilitation of the physically and mentally handicapped including rehabilitation and curative measures of leprosy affected persons, rehabilitation of disabled destitutes, can manage vocational rehabilitation centres or infirmaries.

9.Social Communication, Development Communication, Public Relations and Communicative Action :

Area: Production and management of communication materials, application of extension methods and publicity techniques, organisations of social marketing programmes and support communications and networking of NGOs.

Posts/Designations: Public Relation Officers, Communication Officers, Media Managers, News Reporters and Correspondents, Information Officers, Publicity Officers and Social Communicators, Directors of Communication Centres, Net - working Officers.

Job Description: Writing news bulletins, holding conferences, conducting meetings and face-to-face discussions, use of modern or traditional media through which information can be disseminated.

10. Disaster Preparedness, Disaster Management and Relief Management, other Voluntary Services and Welfare Programmes :

Area: Planning and organising social services, resource mobilization and implementation of social security, community welfare and disaster management programmes, organising relief operations in case of man-made or natural calamities.

Posts/Designations: Volunteers, Relief Officers, Emergency Workers, Disaster Managers, Project Officers, Welfare Officers both under Government and non- Government organisations including Central and State Social Welfare Boards and other institutions.

Job Description: The work and efforts in this regard can cover the entire community with special emphasis on the women, children, handicapped and the aged. The social worker can also be entrusted with management of relief during natural calamities like famine, drought, floods, cyclones, hurricanes or looking after essential services during the normal or abnormal situations.

11.Social Forestry and Environment Development :

Area: Social and commercial plantations, prevention of environment pollution, energy resource development, water and sanitation development etc.

Post Designations : Forest Extension Officers, Social Forestry Supervisors, Social Forestry Technical Assistants, Social Scientists in charge of survey, research and monitoring in the field of social forestry and environment improvement, Water and Sanitation Project Officers.

12. Rural Development, Rural Management and Urban Services especially in Slums :

 Area: Slum clearance, slum improvement, housing and neighbourhood settlement, rural work programmes like agriculture, horticulture soil conservation, dairy development and animal husbandry, fisheries including panchayat raj and village panchayats.

Posts/Designations: Block Development Officers, Community Development Officers, Asst. Project Officers of DRDAs, Rural Managers, Social Planners, Junior Executives, Urban Development Officers, Officers of Panchayat Raj and Gram Panchayats.

Job Description: All Rural and Urban Development Programmes that concern social or human development in terms of research, action, extension, monitoring and evaluation comprising the responsibilities that can be discharged by the Social Workers.

13. Upliftment and Development of Scheduled Castes, the Tribes, Backward Classes, Minorities and all other Dalits :

Area: The Task of planning, monitoring and execution of all Tribal and Scheduled Caste development programmes both in Scheduled and Sub-plan areas and on the Dalit concentrated basis or among the minority communities.

Post/Designations: Tribal Development Officers or Harijan Welfare Officers like senior Welfare Extension Officers, Assistant District Welfare Officers, Social Scientists, Ethnographers. Micro-Mada Project Officers, Hill/Backward Development Officers, Special Area Development Officers, Regional Planners of Special Scheme/Programme managers and Intensive Tribal Development Officers.

Job Description: Besides the tasks that can be entrusted in the areas indicated above, the social worker can look after programmes dealing with rehabilitation of displaced tribals, tribal education, regulating shifting cultivation, exploitation of  forest produce and removal of untouchability among the Dalits working for communal harmony and conflict resolution. Coaching of all weaker sections can also be handled by them.

14. Staff Administration, Personnel Management and Labour Welfare:

Area: Labour legislation, industrial relations, minimum wages, management of personnel, staff welfare, shramik vidyapeeth, etc.

Posts/Designations: Planning and execution of personnel policies and looking after social insurance programmes including unemployed persons and industrial workers. They can also initiate legislative and non-Legislative action in various areas mentioned above.

15. Popularisation of Science, Scientific Outlook and Appropriate Technology:

Area: The services cover areas of promotion of improved agricultural implements, propagation of smokeless chullahs, bio-gas solar cookers or solar pumps, windmills and various other renewable or non-renewable energy programmes.

Posts/Designations: Scientific Officers, Social Scientists, Energy Development Officers.

Job Description: The various posts for bringing technology to the people and acting as catalysts can be handled with competence by these candidates.

16. Legal Aid, Social Justice and Cultural Action Programmes

Area: Social Justice, legal aid to the poor, human rights, social change, moral rehabilitation etc.

Posts/Designations: Superintendents, Rehabilitation Officers or Legal Aid Officers, etc.

Job Descriptions: The social workers can be a link between the poor clients and the Legal Aid Advocates and are good at public interest litigation systems. They can act as Social Advocates for the social victims like destitutes or orphans, widows, divorcees or unmarried mothers, dowry victims, untouchables or otherwise exploited. They can run institutes meant for these groups of people. They can be drafted for various social services including building awareness, reorienting people’s perceptions conscientization and changing social consciousness, bringing about consumer’s awareness etc.

17. Development of Arts, Crafts and Other Local Skills and Resources.

Area: Rural industrialisation, resource management, development of self-help and self-employment, organisation of marketing and credit.

Posts/Designations: Industrial Promotion Officers, Rural Art/Craft Officers under District Industries Centres or the DRDAs, Credit or Marketing Officers.

Job Description: They can specially promote cottage industries, rural arts and crafts based on local skills and resources through self-employment schemes. They can organise social marketing linking the artisans to service organisations, marketing and credit institutions, like rural banks and co-operative organisations.

18. Organisation of Co-operatives, Voluntary Groups and Rural Poor :

Area: Promotion and establishment of social institution, co-operative organisations, voluntary groups and rural poor.

Posts/Designations: Co-operative Extension Officers, Managers of Co-operatives or Corporations, Community Participation and Community Mobilisation Officers, Group Organisers, Group Co-ordinators or Village Level Workers.

Job Description: They can organise co-operatives in the fields of agriculture, rural industries, fisheries, dairy and of other services. They could be drafted for various social engineering responsibilities and act as change agents and catalysts. They can organise and run voluntary groups of men, women and youth depending on the needs, awareness and local situations and ensure community involvement in Government and non-Government programmes. They are competent to design an ideal organisational and personnel structure, conduct fund raising campaigns or constitute advisory panels and act as front-line workers.

19. Formulation of Development Action Plans and Execution of Field Programmes:

Area: Formulation of area plans, designing of projects, consultancy in all social and economic planning and implementation.

Posts/Designations: Planning Officers, Project Officers, Field Officers and Supervisors of Government and non-Government agencies, Consultants, Evaluation Officers.

Job Description: The Social Workers can prepare District, Block and even Panchayat and Village Plans based both on area and function and render consultancy in the formulation and designing of projects or monitoring and evaluating day-to-day activities.

20. Family Counselling, Employment Counselling and Vocational Guidance :

Area: Employment counselling, vocational guidance, self-employment opportunities, career planning etc.

Posts/Designations: Employment/Placement Officers in the Employment Exchanges, Vocational Guidance Officers, Employment Bureau Chiefs, etc.

Job Description: The nature of responsibility would depend on the type of assignment undertaken by or entrusted to the social workers. Broadly, they can handle all employment related activities including auxiliary training and apprentice programmes, incentive schemes and act as links between degree holders and the relevant professions. Coaching to all pre-service employees can also be imparted by them.

The analysis presented above, thus, comprise in all twenty (20) categories of areas and activities which the NISWASS products can be fruitfully engaged. Even these by no means are exhaustive, and are only illustrative

For more information regarding career opportunities in social science, please feel free to contact us.