Babar Rather
In the midst of renewed debate over “fake journalists” and the administration’s ongoing verification drive in Jammu and Kashmir, it is important to ask what truly qualifies someone to be called a journalist. I believe the time has come to define this profession not merely by access to a microphone or a press card, but by education, ethics, and professional discipline.
Journalism is no longer an unstructured craft that anyone with fluency and flair can claim. It is a profession with a direct impact on democracy, truth and public trust.
The recent order and subsequent verification drives by the Jammu and Kashmir administration directing district officers to verify the credentials of individuals posing as media personnel highlights an urgent issue: the misuse of journalistic identity. There have been documented reports of people presenting themselves as reporters to blackmail, extort or influence others. Several arrests have taken place, and every such case pushes genuine journalists further into suspicion.
When journalism’s credibility falters, democracy bleeds quietly. The argument that journalism should remain open to all without educational barriers might have made sense in its early days. Decades ago, before journalism schools existed, passionate communicators filled newsrooms and learned by experience.
But those were different times. Today’s information ecosystem is far more complex. It demands an understanding of media law, ethics, digital verification and public accountability — skills that are taught systematically in journalism schools. Just as an LLB is required to practise law and an MBBS to practise medicine, journalism too deserves its own basic qualification.
Across India, and particularly in Jammu and Kashmir, universities are producing thousands of journalism graduates each year. They study the principles of ethical reporting, news verification, story framing, conflict sensitivity and media law.
To deny these trained professionals their rightful recognition, while allowing untrained individuals to occupy the same space, is unjust. Journalism schools are not mere academic exercises; they prepare young professionals to handle the pressures and responsibilities of the newsroom. Their graduates know that accuracy, balance and fairness are not optional — they are the backbone of the profession.
In Kashmir’s delicate socio-political landscape, where every word carries weight and consequences, journalism is not a hobby. It is a responsibility. The spread of unverified content, misreporting and sensationalism by unqualified individuals has already damaged the reputation of local media. Public faith is eroding because many cannot differentiate between genuine reporters and self-styled ones. A degree alone will not guarantee integrity, but it establishes a foundation — a shared code, an understanding of the ethics and accountability that define professional journalism.
The crackdown on fake journalists should therefore not be seen as a gag on media freedom but as a cleansing step to protect those who uphold its true spirit. A journalist with formal education doesn’t require government validation; their work, truthfulness and consistency are recognition enough. What they do need, however, is a system that distinguishes them from impostors who exploit the title for personal gain. Regulation should not silence voices — it should amplify the credible ones.
To those who argue that degrees cannot measure honesty or skill, the answer is simple: no qualification can ensure character, but it can ensure competence. We don’t rely on character alone in medicine or law; we require both training and ethical responsibility.
The same logic applies here. A journalism degree ensures that those who enter the profession are aware of their duties, of the thin lines between freedom and defamation, between expression and manipulation.
If every other profession evolves with standards, why should journalism remain unstructured? It is time we stop romanticising the notion of the “born journalist” who needs no training. Journalism today is a disciplined profession that must stand on principles of education, verification and accountability.
The degree is not a barrier — it is a benchmark. It distinguishes informed reporting from reckless content creation and brings dignity back to a profession that has been battered by misinformation and imposture.
In Jammu and Kashmir, where truth often walks a fragile path, this distinction becomes vital. Making a journalism degree a prerequisite is not about excluding voices; it’s about ensuring those voices carry weight, purpose and responsibility. The public deserves journalists who are not just vocal but also trained, credible and committed to truth.
Ultimately, journalism is about service — to truth, to people, to democracy. When the profession demands as much integrity as the ideals it defends, it must embrace the very tools that uphold that integrity. And one of those tools, perhaps the most essential one today, is education.
A journalism degree will not only restore credibility but also protect the sanctity of an institution that still remains the conscience of our society. It is not a restriction. It is a return to order, to purpose and to pride in the word “journalist.”
(Babar Rather is a Kashmir based Journalist and can be reached at journobabar@gmail.com)
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