IIMC rejects demand to allow Devanagari in Urdu Journalism entrance exam

The Indian Institute of Mass Communication has told the Delhi High Court that it has the academic authority to conduct the entrance examination for its Urdu Journalism program only in Urdu script and is not bound by historical practices, literary traditions, or industry trends.

In an affidavit filed before the court, IIMC defended its revised admission policy after a petition challenged the decision to make Urdu script mandatory for the entrance test.

The case was filed by Jharkhand-based graduate Upasana Kumari and other petitioners, who argued that Urdu has historically been written and studied in both Urdu and Devanagari scripts.

Rejecting the argument, the institute said decisions regarding examination standards and admission processes fall within its academic autonomy.

IIMC told the court that literary traditions, media practices, and the views of leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Ram Manohar Lohia could not override institutional decisions on academic matters.

The institute maintained that it is not obligated to allow candidates to write the entrance examination in Devanagari script.

In its response, IIMC also dismissed comparisons with the Urdu program at Maulana Azad National Urdu University, arguing that the structure and nature of the two courses are different.

The institute further argued that the use of Devanagari in Urdu books, newspapers, digital platforms such as Rekhta, and broadcasting platforms does not determine its examination policy.

According to IIMC, neither constitutional provisions nor the National Education Policy requires the institute to alter its admission process.

The institute has asked the Delhi High Court to dismiss the petition, recover litigation costs from the petitioners, and refrain from issuing directions that would modify the revised examination pattern.

The dispute began after IIMC issued an admission notification on May 27, 2026, stating that candidates for the Urdu Journalism entrance examination could write the test in either Urdu or Devanagari script.

Several students unfamiliar with Urdu script reportedly applied for the course after the notification was published.

However, the institute later withdrew the notice and issued a revised advertisement making Urdu script compulsory for the examination.

IIMC told the court that the earlier mention of Devanagari was a departmental error that was corrected after it came to notice.

The petitioners have challenged this explanation and argued that previous admission notifications did not make Urdu script mandatory.

They also claimed that students had earlier been permitted to use Devanagari in examinations, assignments, journals, and other academic work related to the course.

While IIMC denied those claims, the petitioners submitted documents before the court to support their arguments.

The Delhi High Court will now decide whether the institute’s decision is protected under academic autonomy or whether the concerns raised by the petitioners require judicial intervention.