Training-INDIAN INFORMATION SERVICE

Hi everyone,

Through this article I wish to give you an idea about the training module of the Indian Information Service.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is the cadre controlling authority for the service i.e all the organisations under the Ministry are supervised by IIS Officers. The training academy for the probationers is the Indian Institute of Mass Communication(IIMC), a premier school of journalism in India, located in the New JNU Campus, New Delhi. A few steps away is the lush green campus of JNU to walk, jog, write, think, dream!

The training usually starts within a month of completion of the foundation course at Mussoorie. Attending the foundation course(FC) is not compulsory for this service. So, there is a good long window of holiday between the announcement of final results and start of training at IIMC, if you are not attending the Foundation course. To tell you more that if you are attempting the prelims you are not eligible to attend the FC. Coming to the training, it can be divided into two broad phases,


1) 9 MONTHS training at IIMC
2) 12 MONTHS ATTACHMENT IN MEDIA UNITS(2 months in each unit)

The training at IIMC consists of series of lectures and field attachments. Just like the training of other services the basic idea is to equip the probationers to understand the media domain. As media spans across a plethora of fields the theory classes cover aspects a few of which are,

• Communication-Audio, Visual, Inter personal, Development, Use of Social Media/New Media, Corporate, Crisis, Communicating for Defense etc.
• Media-Management, Interface with journalists, Role of Media agencies, Planning 
• Introduction to Photography-Camera handling, script writing for TV, Photo essays, appreciating photography...
• Series of Lectures on OFFICER LIKE QUALITIES, Body Language, Communicating Effectively verbally, non verbally, Communicating Officially-Individually... 
• RADIO-Speaking for Radio, Managing radio stations, Community Radio Writing for Radio
• CENTRAL GOVERNMENT RULES AND PROCEDURES-Seniority principles, leave rules, allowances, financial procedures in government etc.
• Overview of news agencies 
• Interaction with Senior journalists, ad agencies, media planners such as O&M, MeltWaters...
• Social Research project, survey, campaign designing, advertising...

Apart from the theory classes the more interesting phase is the field attachments. The field attachments are intermixed with the classroom lectures. Attachments for my batch have been as follows,

• Ministry of Finance for preparation of budget infographics, videos, FAQ on Budget, Economic Survey. IIS officers handle the social media accounts of the Finance Ministry among others.

• Attachment with Bureau of Parliamentary Studies & Training- 3 day Appreciation course in Parliamentary Processes & Procedures. Visit to Lok Sabha Session, Lectures by Parliamentarians.

• National Security Guards- The purpose of the visit was to know about the communication strategy of NSG. Adding to the learning was a demo by the bomb squad, shooting exercises in the NSG range.

• Assam Rifles-Visit for sensitization about the issues in North east. Understanding aspects of the art of perception management from the point of view of Assam Rifles. The visit also gave us a chance to see what hardships, sacrifices lie behind the official duties of an armed forces officer. The visit covered areas of Manipur including the town of MOREH, small exhibition of arms and ammunition used by the force, patrolling along the Indo Myanmar border and the attachment concluded with a visit to office of Director General Assam Rifles, Shillong. IIS officers are also posted as Public Relation Officers in Ministry of Defence.

• Visit to Kaziranga National Park-Understanding wildlife conservation and communication for the Environment, wildlife.

• Film & Television Institute, Pune-3 weeks certificate course on Basic Television Production Techniques & Film Appreciation. IIS officers are posted as Registrar, Director of the prestigious FTII.

• National Film Archives of India-Role is to supervise archiving of films. IIS officers are posted as in NFAI. Presently, IIS officer heads the execution of NATIONAL FILM HERITAGE MISSION.

• District Attachment-2 weeks attachment to a district preferably of probationers choice. Idea is to analyse government campaign for any programme say Mission Indradhanush and collate data with the help of field visits, interviews, meeting with district level officers about how communication has played a role in achieving the desired outcomes, progress in awareness levels of people regarding the issues etc. For example-How many people know the dates of immunisation? Source of information about immunisation? The learning outcomes aim to give an idea around which parameters the government campaign should be based depending upon the programme, area, demographics among others.

• Visit to Lalit Kala Akademy-For a better understanding on color schemes, appreciating different art forms. The understanding, apart from being a learning in aesthetics, develops an ability to use images for news production, advertising, appearance etc. Or just for the sake of admiring ART! 

• Bharat Darshan- 21 days attachment where the probationers visit different parts of India. Also, the probationers design the attachment itinerary. It is yet to begin for my batch.

Some glimpses of above attachments: 

At Indo-Myanmar Border. Attachment with Assam Rifles.

Attended a lecture by Naseeruddin Shah @ FTII

Post Budget party with Hon'ble MoF.

The captivating Kaziranga

Attachment with Bureau of Parliament.

Apart from these major attachments there are visits to the President's Office, Constitutional dignitaries and interaction with PRO's of various offices as and when the schedule permits.

The 12 months attachments with different Media Units are designed  to equip the Probationers with an understanding of the work environment. After the completion of training, Probationers are posted in different media units namely:

All India Radio, News Service Division
Doordarshan News
Press Information Bureau
Directorate of Field Publicity(DFP)
Directorate of Publications Division(DPD-Publishing YOJANA, KURUKSHETRA, INDIA YEAR BOOK, Employment News etc.)
Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity(DAVP)
Electronic Media Monitoring Centre (EMMC)

The first assignment is at the rank of ASSISTANT DIRECTOR.One is promoted to Deputy Director and so forth as the career advances.

I am attaching the whole syllabus of IIS training in the link below. It is available on the IIMC website. If you are still curious, sip a coffee, tea for me, go through it.

IIS OFFICERS GROUP -A Syllabus:

http://iimc.nic.in/WriteReadData/userfiles/file/17/iis/For%20IIS%20Group%20A%20Officers.pdf

I will write a separate article on the work profile in various media units, other service details, salary allowances etc. which might help you in taking an informed decision while giving service preference in DAF.

I hope it helps. Please feel free to ask any other questions. All the best.

For that one moment of Radiance, I walk through hundred dark nights.