| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | National Press Day (Observed annually on 16 November) |
| Significance | Celebrates the press as the fourth pillar of democracy, emphasizing freedom of expression, ethical journalism, and public accountability. |
| Historical Background | Commemorates the establishment of the Press Council of India (PCI) on 16 November 1966, under the Press Council Act, 1979. |
| Press Council of India (PCI) | Autonomous body safeguarding press freedom, enforcing Norms of Journalistic Conduct, addressing complaints, and promoting ethical journalism. |
| Key Initiatives (PCI) | Guidelines for disaster reporting, inclusive media representation (LGBTQ+), internships for journalism students. |
| Press and Registration of Periodicals Act (PRP), 2023 | Replaced colonial PRB Act, 1867; introduced digitized registration, decriminalized procedural lapses, renamed RNI as Press Registrar General of India (PRGI). |
| Press Sewa Portal | Digital platform for periodical registration; 40,000+ publishers onboarded, 3,000+ printing presses registered, QR-enabled certificates, chatbot grievance system. |
| Media Education | Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) (Deemed University since 1965) offers PG diplomas in regional languages and specialized courses like Sanskrit journalism. |
| Journalist Welfare Scheme (JWS) | Provides financial aid: ₹5 lakh for death due to hardship, ₹3 lakh for major illness, disability/accident support. |
| Legal Protections | Working Journalists Act, 1955 (wages, job security), EPF & ESI Acts (social security for media workers earning ≤₹21,000/month). |
| Awards | Raja Ram Mohan Roy Award & National Awards for Excellence in Journalism honor outstanding contributions. |
| Key Statistics | Registered publications grew from 60,143 (2004-05) to 1.54 lakh (2024-25). |
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