Media students are taught the basics in their classes. However, true knowledge of the field is taught outside of the classroom. Students from the School of Emerging Media, Communication, and Film Studies at SGT University had the opportunity to learn through volunteering at the Jagran Film Festival.

During the festival, students assumed many roles that introduced them to the logistical challenges of managing large-scale film events. Some students were assigned to coordinate media, some were in charge of managing the audience, some were tasked with managing the fashionista segment of JFF, some were in charge of the security of celebrities, and some were assigned to manage the crowd. Instead of being an audience, students were able to be a part of the core festival team.

Students use such events to understand the challenges of dealing with last-minute requests, a guest’s needs, and a large crowd, and the need for instant coordination between several different units.

The organizational structure of the festival provided students with a chance to practice and develop many desired workplace skills like teamwork, communication, coordination, crowd management, and production.

The festival also gave students a chance to see and interact with well-known film personalities like Bobby Deol, Imtiaz Ali, Taapsee Pannu, Jaaved Jaaferi, Moushumi Chatterjee and Sayani Gupta, making their experience even more special.

The Jagran Film Festival gave students the chance to gain experience through engaged learning. The School of Emerging Media, Communication, and Film Studies students of SGT University attended the festival, which was held at its location during the Jagran Film Festival. Students were given opportunities to participate in festival activities in order to gain practical knowledge of event management.

Students learned that working in an industry was more than attending a media event. It also meant learning to balance and manage the work involved with a festival. Now, students were able to integrate the knowledge from their learning with the industry. This improved their confidence and their understanding of media and entertainment industry work and its related pace and collaboration.