WBCHSE Journalism study plan
WBCHSE Journalism · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Introduction to Journalism and Mass Communication & News: Concepts, Values, and Reporting
Define journalism, mass communication, and the communication process (sender, message, channel, receiver, feedback, noise) in your own words and draw the model from memory
Distinguish the four functions of mass media (information, education, entertainment, persuasion) and give two West Bengal-relevant examples of each
Classify hard news versus soft news, and identify the news values (timeliness, proximity, prominence, consequence, novelty, human interest, conflict) in five headlines you collect from a Bengali or English daily
Explain the difference between reporting, editing, and opinion writing, and state which news values dominate each
Your checkpoint
A one-page handwritten glossary of 20 core terms from Domains 1 and 3, each with a one-sentence definition and one example, photographed or scanned for your revision file
News: Concepts, Values, and Reporting & Writing and Editing for Print Media
Draft a 250-word hard-news report from a real local event using the inverted pyramid, ensuring the 5W1H appears in the first two paragraphs
Write three alternative headlines for that report and justify which is strongest using news-value and clarity criteria
Rewrite a passive, jargon-heavy paragraph into active, plain news prose of under 60 words
Identify and correct five common copy errors (redundancy, dangling modifier, inconsistent tense, unattributed claim, numeral style) in a passage you compose yourself
Your checkpoint
A news package containing one 250-word inverted-pyramid report, three headline options with a 50-word justification, and the corrected error passage, all in one document
Writing and Editing for Print Media & History and Development of Journalism in India and West Bengal
Describe the roles of chief sub-editor, sub-editor, reporter, and photographer in a daily newspaper newsroom and map how a story travels from assignment to print
Explain the structure of a news page: headline hierarchy, deck, lead, body, caption, byline, dateline, and jump line
Summarise the origin and growth of the Indian press from Hicky's Bengal Gazette through the vernacular press, listing at least five milestones with approximate years
Outline the role of the Bengali press in the freedom movement and name three significant Bengali newspapers or journals with their founders
Your checkpoint
A labelled diagram of a newspaper page layout with all ten structural elements marked, plus a 300-word timeline of Indian press history from memory
History and Development of Journalism in India and West Bengal & Media Law, Ethics, and Society
Trace the development of journalism in West Bengal after independence, covering at least four major Bengali dailies and one regional-language shift you can explain
List the constitutional provisions on freedom of speech and expression and the reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2)
State the key provisions of the Press Council of India, the Working Journalists Act, and the Right to Information Act in one paragraph each
Explain defamation, contempt of court, and sedition as press-related legal risks with one illustrative scenario each
Your checkpoint
A closed-book mock test of 25 short-answer questions covering Domains 1, 2, 3, and 4, self-scored with a written list of every missed fact
Electronic and Digital Media & Media Law, Ethics, and Society
Compare radio, television, and digital newsroom workflows and state how deadlines and story formats differ for each
Explain the structure of a radio news bulletin and a television news package, including anchor lead, sound bite, and voice-over
Evaluate two ethical dilemmas in digital journalism (unverified viral content, paid news) and apply a recognised code of conduct to each
Describe the role of the Press Council and self-regulatory bodies in handling complaints against the media
Your checkpoint
A 400-word script for a two-minute television or radio news bulletin on a local story, formatted with anchor lead, voice-over, and sound-bite cues
Advertising and Public Relations & Electronic and Digital Media
Distinguish advertising from public relations by purpose, audience, and channel, and give two examples of each from West Bengal media
Identify the elements of a print advertisement (headline, body copy, slogan, logo, call to action) in three real ads and critique their effectiveness
Outline the tools of public relations: press release, press conference, media kit, and crisis communication, and draft a one-page press release
Explain social media marketing, targeted advertising, and analytics as digital extensions of advertising and PR
Your checkpoint
A complete campaign sheet: one print advertisement draft (sketch plus copy) and one press release for the same imaginary local brand, plus a 100-word rationale linking both
Introduction to Journalism and Mass Communication & Writing and Editing for Print Media & Practical Work and Internal Assessment
Conduct one interview with a real person on a local issue, prepare five questions in advance, and write a 300-word report from the transcript
Edit that report down by 20 percent without losing any essential fact, and note what you cut and why
Assemble your practical portfolio: report, bulletin script, advertisement draft, press release, and page layout diagram
Rehearse the practical viva by explaining each portfolio piece aloud in under two minutes
Your checkpoint
A complete practical portfolio of five pieces with a one-page reflective note on what you would improve in each
Introduction to Journalism and Mass Communication & History and Development of Journalism in India and West Bengal & News: Concepts, Values, and Reporting & Writing and Editing for Print Media & Electronic and Digital Media & Advertising and Public Relations & Media Law, Ethics, and Society & Practical Work and Internal Assessment
Revise all eight domains using your glossary, timeline, and mock-test error list, spending time in proportion to domain weight
Complete two full-length timed mock papers under exam conditions and score them against the syllabus
Relearn every fact missed in the Week 4 and Week 8 mocks until you can state it without notes
Practise ten rapid-fire definitions and five news-value identification drills for speed
Your checkpoint
Two completed timed mock papers with scores recorded and a final one-page 'last-look' sheet of the 30 facts you most often got wrong
Milestones
Week 2: You can write a 250-word inverted-pyramid report with all 5W1H in the first two paragraphs, without referring to notes, in under 25 minutes
Week 4: You score at least 18 out of 25 on the closed-book mock covering Domains 1 to 4 and can list every missed fact from memory
Week 6: You can distinguish advertising from PR and name the structural elements of a print ad and a press release without prompts
Week 8: You score at least 60 percent on both full-length mocks and your portfolio contains all five required pieces