The Status of Data Journalism Education in India: Mapping Syllabi,Challenges,and the Need for Storytelling-Driven Training

Abstract

Seventy-five out of 82 Indian universities offering data journalism were studied using Lewis’s typology, with slight modifications for the Indian setting. Most syllabi remain theory-heavy, with little practical instruction and no engagement with deeper issues like epistemological shifts. Around 60% of the programs were introduced post-COVID, mainly as electives. The slow but steady curricular expansion reveals crammed syllabi focused on tools and software, due to perceived weak numerical skills, but limited emphasis on journalistic storytelling. The study suggests a storytelling-driven pedagogy and practical, problem-solving modules, drawing from international comparisons, to strengthen data journalism education in India.

Keywords

data journalism pedagogy data journalism curriculum India data literacy critical data practice journalistic storytelling data visualization numerical skills syllabus analysis

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