Sikkim University mass communication enrolment falls to three, Prof Mahendra P Lama flags ‘institutional decay’

Sikkim University’s Department of Mass Communication has recorded just three admissions for the 2026 batch against a sanctioned intake of 22, prompting concern from Professor Mahendra P Lama, who was instrumental in establishing the department.

“How sad. This was one of the most vibrant mass communication centres in the country,” Lama said in response to a report in a local Sikkim newspaper highlighting the department’s steep decline in student enrolment.

Recalling the department’s early years, Lama said considerable effort had gone into building it from the ground up, including setting up modern laboratory infrastructure, involving experts from India and abroad in designing courses suited to mountain and border regions, and bringing eight faculty posts at one go.

He also highlighted the integration of Sikkimese media professionals into the department and collaborations with institutions such as Doordarshan, NDTV and the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune.

According to Lama, the department had once attracted students from across the country. “This is how institutional decay sets in,” he said.

Departmental data cited in the newspaper report show that enrolment has declined steadily over the years, from 19 students in 2020 to 16 in 2021, 12 in 2022 and 11 in 2023.

The decline became more pronounced after the introduction of the Common University Entrance Test (CUET). In 2024, nine students initially joined the department, but some subsequently moved to other central universities through CUET, leaving a final strength of five. In 2025, 11 students joined through regular admission and counselling, while only three enrolled in 2026.

The latest enrolment is significantly lower than several other departments at the university. The 2026 batch has 19 students in Economics, 21 in Psychology, 20 in Geography, 21 in Political Science and 21 in Commerce, according to the figures cited in the report.

A former Sikkim University PhD scholar, quoted in the report, attributed part of the decline to CUET, saying the common entrance system allows students to compare and choose among multiple central universities, unlike the university’s earlier standalone entrance examination.

Lama, however, suggested that the enrolment crisis reflects a deeper institutional problem rather than merely a change in the admission system. His remarks point to what he described as the erosion of faculty strength, infrastructure and national academic and industry partnerships that had once helped establish the department as a competitive centre for mass communication education.

The sharp fall in admissions has therefore raised questions about both the impact of CUET-driven student choices and the institutional factors influencing the department’s ability to attract and retain students.