The Southern Regional Centre of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) was initially founded at Vadavathoor near Kottayam in 1994. In the beginning, the Centre aimed at imparting training to working journalists, Public Relations professionals and State Government Information Officers. In 2012, the Centre was re-established in Kottayam at Mahatma Gandhi University Campus, after its temporary closure for around one year. This marked a significant milestone as the Centre opened its doors to graduate students with the introduction of the Post Graduate Diploma Programme in Journalism (English). From that point onwards, the Centre has steadfastly nurtured journalism talents, demonstrating unwavering commitment, maintaining high quality, and ensuring industry-readiness.

In 2017, the Centre introduced Postgraduate Diploma Programme in Journalism (Malayalam) with a view to set new quality standards in journalism training in regional milieu. This is the first-ever Journalism Course in Malayalam, with specific focus to impart quality training in language media with a national perspective. Finally, during 2019, the permanent campus of the Southern Regional Campus was established at a 10-acre lush green, scenic locale at Pampady, approximately 14 km from Kottayam. This campus features residential facilities, Academic cum Administrative Block, Students’ Hostel for Girls, Staff Quarters, and a range of other amenities. The Centre is going to initiate a new Post Graduate Diploma Programme in Digital Media from the academic year 2024-25, stretching its wings to cater to the digital realm also.

Facilities

Smart Class Room: All the classrooms and tutorial rooms are air-conditioned and digitally enabled with electronic projections, internet and other communication accessories.

Seminar Hall: A seminar hall is equipped with audio-visual facilities and air conditioners.

Computer lab: Currently the computer lab has around 50 workstations with computers with pre-installed designing and editing software.

Studio: A state-of-the-art TV production studio is available in the campus with most of the necessary equipment such as lighting equipment, computers, digital video cameras with tri-pods, DSLR cameras, sound recorders, teleprompter, edit suites and other facilities.

Library: The Centre has a fully functional mass communication library with a collection of many titles of Malayalam as well as English books on different aspects of mass communication and media. The library subscribes to various Newspapers and Magazines in English and Malayalam.

Girls’ Hostel: A fully furnished hostel with twin accommodation per room is available. The hostel with wi-fi facility can accommodate most of the girls. However, there is no guarantee that all the students securing admissions can get accommodated in the hostel. Students who cannot secure admission to the campus hostel can get accommodation in nearby private hostels.

Fitness and Recreation: An outdoor gymnasium has been set up within the hostel premise with necessary equipment to keep the students healthy and fit. Indoor games such as table tennis facility, and chess board are also available at the hostel for recreation. Outdoor facilities such as Badminton Court and a trekking path are also available.

Organic Cultivation & Herbarium of Indigenous Plants The campus community has initiated small plots of vegetable cultivation to spread the message of organic farming and to create interest in farming among the students. The Centre is enriched with a small herbarium of medicinal herbs/plants in order to showcase the importance of preserving the medicinal plants.