Bhopal | A degree or diploma in journalism should be an essential qualification for becoming a journalist, participants at meetings held by a Press Council of India (PCI) sub-committee have said.

The panel met various journalism stake-holders and educators on the campus of the Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication near here for two days since Tuesday.

The PCI set up the sub-committee to consider the issue of essential qualifications for print media correspondents or journalists after the Supreme Court issued certain directions to the government, said senior journalist Prakash Dubey, a panel member.

The committee is led by former National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) director J S Rajput and its other members include Prakash Dubey, Group Editor, Dainik Bhaskar; Suman Gupta, Editor, Janmorcha, Lucknow and Shyam Singh Panwar representing small and medium newspapers.

Stakeholders suggested that a degree or diploma in journalism should be prescribed as an essential qualification, Dubey said.

Makhanlal Chaturvedi varsity's vice chancellor K G Suresh said that as in the case of doctors and engineers, a course in journalism is a must for a journalist.

After the meetings got over on Wednesday, Suresh along with PCI panel members met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Chouhan expressed confidence that suggestions received by the sub-committee in Bhopal would prove helpful.