UNIT 4 CAREER PROSPECTS OF PUBLIC

RELATIONS
Structure

4.1 Jntroduction
4.2 Changing Public Relations Scenario

4.3 Professional Dimensions of Public Relations

4.4 Public Relationlas a career
4.4.1 Personal Qualities of a Public Relations Person
4.4.2 Educational Background for Public Relations
4.4.3 Professional Traits
4.5 Careers in Public Relations
4.5.1 Public Relations in Industrial Sector
4.5.2 Public Relations in Defence Services
4.5.3 Public Relations in Educational Institutions
4.5.4 Public Relations in Central, State and Local Government Units
4.5.5 Public Relations in Banking
4.5.6 Public Relations in Hospital
4.5.7 Public Relations in Community Welfare Services

4.t, Public Rclations Career for Women

4.7 as a Professioi~alCareer
Public Relations Cou~~selling

4.8 Public Relations Research and Evaluation as a Career

4.9 Let Us Sunl Up

1.10 Suggested Reading
4.11 Glossary
4.12 Check Your Progress : Model A~lswers

4.0 OBJECTIVES
In this unit, we introduce you to the realities of the Public Relations profession. The career
opportunities available, the requisite qualifications and expectations of managements from
the Public Relations department. At the conclusion of study of this Unit, you are expected to
bc able to:
identify thc Public Relations activities, in terms of career opportunities availpble:
describe the professional dimensions of Public Relations alongwith its varied respon-
sibili ties;
state the necessary qualifications and the traits of a good Public Relations officer;
point out thc specific and specialised areas of study for input, knowledge to develop
Public Relatioils skills;
distinguish the purposes, goals and areas of activity involved in Public Relations re-
quirements anlong various institutions e.g. private enterprises, public sector organiza-
tions and voluntAy agencies;
explain the special Public Relations opportunities available for women;
understand the nature of specialised jobs and careers in coimselling and Public Rela-
tions Research; and
Definition, Natu1.e~Ethics and outline the professional trends and career aspects of Public Relations in contemporary
Scope of Public Relations India.

4.1 INTRODUCTION
In the earlier Units of this block we have defined the nature of Public Relations, explained the
concepts of Public Relations and have shown how ethics and professionalisnl are essential to
Public Relatiom. In this Unit, we bring to you some information about job opportunities in
Public Relations as also some aspects of Public Relations as a career.
The growth of Public Relations as a profession in Post-independent India has been phenom-
enal. It has opened up new opportunities not only to the management but also to the students
of communication Public Relations. It is here that these creative skills are practically applied
and tested. A beginner is expected to be familiar with the prospects of his own area of interest
and career growth. Public Relations is an exciting discipline of interactions but also a profes-
sion which jnvolves high expectations and therefore demands matching performance. One's
skills, experience and education are on constant test.
Would you like to be a P.R.O.? In this unit, we shall try to identlfy Public Relations activities
in terms of career opportunities available to you. We shall explore the gamut of professional
Public Relations and its various responsibilities. You will learn what kind of qualifications
and traits would suit a Public Relations Officer. Also we shall touch upon different specialised
areas of study to gain knowledge about developing Public Relations skills.

1
In the next Unit in this Block, we shall discuss how Public Relations can be a catalyst for
developn~[Link] Unit will help you to understand the inlportance of Public Relations activi-
ties in a developing country like India.

4.2 CHANGING PUBLIC RELATIONS SCENARIO

Public Relations has come a long way from the days of 'Public-be-Dammed' to 'The Public-
be-Pleased'. The changing perspective of Public Relations as "management ideal" and "coni-
nlunication concept" has already been discussed in the previous units. We have noted that
Public Relations is slowly responding to the environmental changes in society. The modcrn
age is described as the age of inter-dependence. People's power is the ultimate power. It is
this power in the form of public opinion which determines the role and scope of various
organizations in our society. Institulional subordination to public opinion may be termed as a
radical developmental in this industrialised age. As mentioned earlier, this dependence is
mutual. People depend on institutions for various services. The institutions, in turn, depend
on their public's goodwill for survival. "This mutual inter-dependence among the public and
I
4

the social, economic, scientific, political, education, religious and other types of organiza-
tions, has created a need for constant con~n~unication. This i~ where Public Relations steps is
to establish mutual trust and understanding.
Thus, Public Relations is a relatively new and eniergirlg concept While, lhcre 1s no rigid an6
precise description as to its nature, its scope and need is to be understood from the various
definitions used to explain it. It is rightly descnberl as :I managemeilt f~lnclionin an organiza-
tional' setting.
I

According to Webster 's New Collegiate Dictionan, Public Relati ous is "the business of in- ,
ducing the public to have an understanding for and general good-<\rilllowards a person, firm or
institution". The philosopl~yof modem Public Relnrions is thal ir is "applied communication i
concerned with human relationships". Esscnriall~Public Relatioils is a con~illnnicalionnp- I

proach to establish a better understanding between people and organizations in a dynamic I

society. Modern Public Relations is a scicnlii'ic, rational and profcssiotial concept and phi- !
losophy developed to solve the problcms or organizalions and their liun~anrelational coil-.
flicts. As a profession, it is systeinaticaily pr;rzliced and conducted on sound communica~io
principles and organizational methods. Conszquenll~,education in Public Relations and i:;,
career avenues, h a ~ received
c grcatcr impetus in India.

We examine this in rhc sections tlint follow

 Career Prospects of
4.3 PROFESSIONAL DIMENSIONS OF PUBLIC Public Relations
RELATIONS
Thc corltclliporirry world has witnessed the impact of Public Relations on our sociev. It is
increasingly rcnlised thai individual freedom and public opinion are the key factors to social
control. A grcatcr status is assigned to those organizations which reflect the public spirit. "It
is an cm in w11ic11tllc nianagement principles of participation by individuals is on the ascen-
dant oiPcrthe authorii;~rianapproach. Therefore, a Public Relations professional has to :
I ) understand the publics,

2) mediatc and rcspond 10 lhc situations,

Thi. calls for a profess~onalapproach to ~ t functions.

s Whether it is used systematically or
c;l~[Link] havc always recognised the need of Public Relations activity in every sphere
~hrouglloutthe world. "Each li~emberof the public practices the principles of Public Rela-
r~onsI n sccking the acceptance, co-operation, or affectioi~of others". Public Relations pro-
fcss~o~ialsonly practicc it in a morc professional manner.
Profcssionall?, I'ublic Relations has earned a new dignity and status for its members by pro-
moting higher standards in busincss, banking and other institutional sectors. A substantial
body of literature has been built around the discipline of Public Relations. A large number of
Associations of professional (PRSI, PRSA, IPRA, etc.), rigid admission rules, and adminis-
tration of n code of conduct, proniotion of edilcation, training and research (IFPR), profes-
s ~ o ~ lbooks,
al journals, papers, research rcports. public service are the professional charac-
tcr~sticsor nlodern Public Relat~[Link], Public Relations has emerged as one of the prom-
ising, cnterprlsing and challenging ficlds of con~munication,attracting multitudes of talented
and young professionals
-

C'l~eclcYour Progress 1
Note : I) Rcad thc following factual statements given in column 'A'. The column
'B' giveti nlongsidc h:ls a list of phrases which provide the reason or the
basls of tllc stateliiellts given in column A. You are required to match
cacli statement in column A with the relevant phrase in column 'B'
ii) Chcck your ansnrcrsnith the ones given at the end of this Unit.
Column A Cotumn B
I) !T ; I L ~ I \lty I I C C ~ Sskilis a) achieving social control

b) bringing about better undcr-

standing among pcople.
i \:o!I II,:::~~
;1qcnc:cc aced PR personncl c) promoting highcr standards and
status for thc oiganization
i- 1 i\il\~ I ~ I : : I I Ii:>CilCiC.\
~ ofks syccialised d) in framing of effective
coull,sclllr~gscr\,icccj messages
-7 ; l'f< II:\,OI\:CS
COI:>I~~~I~~~G:I~~OI~ e) raising of runds
0) 4 ;?rofcss~onalnppro:lch to PR is f) handling i 11lnc:ltcproblcms
: ~ ! iorg,~i;~/;itions
;I - ? L ~ . \ , I ~ \ lbr

., ,:: s

-
,,c !;r,.G

7:: . r;
.I
b,z,:,.L,!lic
c::::c:ity
,',~:ir~ ~ i i:Ilc
f2,i;,?. i i i).;'!!rc ; I 11:: scq: ef Puhiic F,~l:\tiui;rh~[Link]-
abn~lt\ ~ i : z iI.;i~tiir.i'L;ircci' G PRCI Il:;s. \;!I::{ cla;iliticsand educational
L I I ~ : : 11ccdcd. 1,cl us. I licrcfore, b;-i~f?:,, '"xnnl! I-IC tiicsc prospecls'?

~cl,llloi~s
is 1 111tl-linlc to a prolc~-~ol~~ii;y
emplo:, lllcnt ,I' cq~ldbl~ qualified,
Definition, Nature, Ethics and experienced, talented and competent person. PR field is attracting younger and educated per-
Scope of Public Relations sons by its status and financial rewards. For a novice the job of a PRO either in Government
agency or in a pnvate organization entail perks and privileges apart from hls salary. In India, a
communication graduate may aspire for a career in PR more than in any other vocation in the
line. Government of India and its auxiliary units, public sector enterprises and the State Gov-
ernments provide a good job opening for a professionally competent beginner.
Big, medium and small business organizations in India have PR departments ranging from a
full-fledged department to a one-man directed PR department. Two decades ago, a graduate
would have come across only a few ads for PROs in newspapers. But, now ads for PROs have
become a familiar sight in the Indian newspapers and magazines. In the USA, over 100,000
people are employed in the PR profession, with an accredited membership of 8000 to PRSA.
We do not have reliable census data of PR professionals in our country We may venture to
guess that mzre than a lakh of people are employed in various PR slot, both in prlvate and
public sector organizations. A largc chunk of PR activities have been undertaken by Govern-
. ment of India, particularly through its field network of Departments of Field Publicity, Dlrec-
torate of Advertising and Usual Publicity (DAVP), Song and Drama Division, Press Informa-
tion Bureau (PIB),Research and Reference Division (RRD), Photo Division, Publications
Division, Films Divisions, where job potential is enormous. Most of these jobs are highly
prized andvalued. PRSI, a professional association claims a nlcmbership of over 2000 through
various chapters spread over the country.
Public Relations, which is a spccial philosophy of management in the western countries, has
assumed new roles in the Indian context. Public Relations professionals are being sought
after for the nation-building drive and development. They are expected to interpret the poli-
cies of the Government and harmonise thc Government's actions with the popular sentiments.
Every action of Govcmment and its programmes are to be interpreted to the public from
mundane 'Family Welfare' messages to the inspiring Science literacy canlpaigns. This calls
for a vast reservoir or PR talents. PR is not to be mistaken as an effort for achieving greater
profits. It should also bc seen as service to the public. The outlook of our professionals
should be different from their counterparts in the West. Therefore, a PR professional should
be more empathetic and socially motivated than merely being a competent professional in the
Indian context.
This naturally raises some questions. What are the basic qualities expected? What are the
professional traits especially to be acquired by 'an Indian public relations person? What kind
of education will prepare the person for this stupendous tasks of winning public confidence
and goodwill? Let us analyse these as a first step.

4.4.1 Personal Qualities of a Public Relations Person

A formal degree in PR is merely a stepping stone to this career which involves "engineering
public opinion". Considering that the job involves interaction and effective communication,
it is only natural that there are some prerequisites apart from education ahd training.
There are the personal traits of the candidate which givc the capacity to deal with other people.
These include a genuine interest in people around, a flair for communication, a positive men-
tal make-dp, charisma, motivation and drive, ability to fact challenges, leadership qualities,
alertness and vitality. A candidate possessing these qualities can hope, with prcper education
and training, to go up the professional ladder.

4.4.2 Educational Background for Public Relations

Education in PR, as a formal requirement for PR job is gaining importance throughout the
world. A university degree 'in PR is a rccent developnlent and also an indication of the ad-
vancement of PR as a profession in India. There is no standard guidance or statutory prcscrip-
tion. Though any graduate from the liberal arts. Science or CommerceIManagement is eli-
gible to enter Public Relations in India, it is bctter to have thorough background in social
sciences. Of course, a Bachelor or a Post-graduate Degree in Comn~unication/Journalism,
with a strong dose of PR courses, is.a must to the practitioners of Public Relations.
Yet, any graduate with Diploma in Public Relations (without a formal degree in Journalism
and Communication) is also acceptable.
The Public Relations Society of India also offers a Diploma in Public Relations through its
Indian Foundation for Public Relations Education and Research, in many Indian cities through Career Prospects of
its local chapters, which is the best way to start your professional career. Bharatiya %dya Public Relations
Bhavan's Rajendra Prasad Institute of Communication and Management also offers Post-gradu-
ate Diploma Course in Public Relations through its numerous kendras all over the country.
The Dr. B.R. Ainbedkar Open University, Hyderabad, is running a Bachelor's Degree Course
in PR which has been accepted by many as standard course for a beginner.
It is appropriate to know that the education conunittee of PRSA has listed eight important job
classifications as a part of Public Relations professional activities. These may also be useful
to Indian students as a vocational guidance. These are as follows :
Writing
Editing
Placement (Media Relations)
Pronlotion (of all PR activities)
Speaking (as a spokesman)
Production (of PR Communication messages)
Programming (~ounsellingj
Institutional Advertising.
Finally, the field of PR requires various important elements from many discipl~es,there-
fore, it is advantageous to have an understanding of behavioural sciences.

4.4.3 Professional Traits

As pointed out earlier, it is not the formal education which perfects a student for a career in
PR. That is only a means. Hard work and dedication are important. So also the ability to think
positively, speak clearly and coherently with an objective approach to the public, can take you
far ahead. Besides, the basic PR skills, helshe should be able to develop innovative techniques
of dealing with the relevant publics in the changing and competitive environment. Particu-
larly, Corporate relations, Media relations, Employee relations, Community relations, Com-
municating with Shareholders, Consumers, Customers, Government, Industry, Dealers, Sup-
pliers and other publics each of these require a different and specialised approach altogether.
Each public is different and hence their needs and characteristics are to be thoroughly under-
stood by PR students. As the job of PRO, even a junior level are likely to be part of manage-
ment executive cadre, the demands can be challenging. A PR person is expected to assume a
variety of roles such as a writer, photographers, media specialist, marketing expert, financial
analyst, protocol officer, exhibitor, interviewer, speech maker, publisher, image maker, edi-
tor, pqcl~ologistetc. Thus, besides being an expert communicator, PRO must establish a
comnlunication network togather intelligence - i.e. relevant information on public opinion so
as to counsel the management. Helshe is the spokes person of the organization and, therefore,
must function as a representative of the organization, helping to interpret the policy of the
management to the various publics.
Besides, mastery in public affairs, public opinion, social and public relation research are an
asset to professional advancement. With commitment and diligence, these traits can be mlti-
vated.
Checli Your Progress 2
Note : i) Answer the following questions in the space provided below.

I ii) Compare your answers with the ones provided at the end of this Unit. I
1) Apart from the academic qualifications, what are the personal qualities you thiilk
are important to be an ideal PRO ? List some of them.
Defmition, Nature, Ethics and I ....................................................................................................................................
Scope of Public Relations
2) [Link] it helpful for an aspiring PRO to have a background in behavioural sci-
ences in addition to professional training'? Explain briefly.
I

4.5 CAREERS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

Let us suppose you have developed an interest in pursuing Public Relations as your career.
The question foremost in your mind would be -where can I find employment'?Let us survey
the choices available to us in our country.
Extensive and excellent career opportunities are open for interested graduates in the Corpo-
rate PR sector in India. PR Departments have become an inseparable part of the managcmenl,
and organizational manpower in tl~ousandsof Industrial units, service agencies, educalioilal
institutions, private and public sector banks, business enterprises, Central, State and Local
Governments set-up, hospitals, hotels, w'elfare agencies, Trade Associations, cooperatives.
International Diplomatic Corpos, Armed forces and in every conceivable human organiza-
tions.
It is important to know that the designation may vary in various firmslorganizations. A PR
person may be called 'welfare officer', Communication Executive, industrial relations of-
ficer, information officer, publicity officer, Customer Relations Oficer, Gucst Re1:ltinrrs
Officer and so on, as considered suitable by the organization. The specific tasks 1n;iy \ ar! bl11
the overall responsibility is one of coordination, motivation and persuasion, thror~r:htl~\kclni-
nation of information.
On a smaller scale, PR job openings could be explored in the PR cells or Universll ics. i,abour
Unions, Political Parties, Social Service Agencies, Farm Organizations, Mcdicnl Associa-
tions, Br. Associations, Chambers of Commerce and Industq; pressure groups, lobby, and
countless other firms of all sorts. It is &ficult to enumerate these agencies as no cellsus data
is available.
Moderately big industrial firms have bigger PR Departments with PR personnel strength be-
tween 25 to 100. Juniors are usually assigned with the task of writing, prod!~c!.ion,arid euecu-
tion of various types of corporate PR activities whereas senior PR e?tecctivca func!ion ns
policy-makers and advisers. Salaries are highly rewarding in corporate Pil, as cornpaled to
many equivalent "mass media placements". A beginner will find llre first job in Corparate PR
as a good start. But the experts sound a word of caution. It is better to enter corporate PR
after a stint in the mediate. Otherwise, there is fear of stagnation.

4.5.1 Public Relations in Industrial Sector

Indian industrial scctor, comprising both the private and public sector enterprises, is one of
the most conlpetitive job markets for graduates. Indian industries, considered biggest in Asia.
accounted for 1,98,533 compailies in 1990 incluhng 1,77,761 private and 20,792 public
sector undertakings. Inha ranks 23rd in terms of its stock market with a billing of 23 million
dollars per annunl. The Indian Stock Market is the third largest in the world with 40 million
share-holders. The top 20 Industrial giants in the private sector are : Tatas, BK and A.V. Birla,
Thapar, Bajaj, Ambani, R.P. Goenka, Mallya, G.P. and C.K. Birla, Chhabria, Moliindra, G.M.
Modi, Arvind Mafatlal, Nanda, L.N. and S.K. Birla, Godrej, K.K. Birla, Hinduja, Walchand,
[Link] M.P. Birla.
Indian Oil, Oil and Natural Gas Commission, Hindustan Petroleum, Coal India, Bharat Petro-
leum, BHEL are some of the public sectors industries ranked biggest in Asia and the World
Public Sector Undertakings include all organizational actic [lies fbnded by the Govern~?tent
budget, like Government companies both in Central and State Sectors, Irrigation and Paver
 Projects, Railways. Post and Telegraphs, Communications, Ordinance factories, Departmen- Career Prospects of
lo1 undertakings, Banking Insurance, Financial and other services. Indian industries provide Public Relations
enlployment to 11,175,000 people. Corporate Public Relations is a must in these bigger in-
dustrial companies. It is a highly specialised and promising career for a prospective graduate.
A variety of professional PR services are expected from them like improving their relations,
and image in the eyes of public, establishing goodwill with their employees, community, gov-
ernments, ancillaries, share-holders, dealers, customers, etc. Usually, openings are available
at the junior cadre level for PR graduates. Promotional opportunities are also very high in the
private sector undertakings.
With growing consumer awareness movements, many business houses have realised the im-
portance of keeping customers satisfied and have set-up special cells to deal with consumer
complaints and fill the consumer information gap through the use of various media.
Industries like Tourism, hoteliering, airlines are getting increasingly professional in their
approach and offering lucrative career opportunities to PR persons. In their effort to attract
tourists and encourage travel by planning and offering special packages and other incentives,
they necd skilled motivators and persuaders as PR persons. With increasing privatisation of
airliners, and consequent competition, the scope of PR career opportunities have only in-
creased.

4.5.2 Public Relations in Defence Services

The Defence system in India is one of the largest establishments of the world. The various
wngs of defence come under the Defence Ministry such as Air Force, A m y and Navy. These
Defence establishments have maintained PR units for effective information management with
various publics such as officials, soldiers, ex-servicemen, civilian staff, general public con-
tractors, suppliers, etc., It is basically, a guarded PR activity for exclusive defence needs
through its own network. A PR graduate can make an entry through the defence recruitment
cadre for the services.

4.5.3 Public Relations in Educational Institutions

Education is an important aspect of our life. It is being conducted in an organized environ-
ment. Educational institutionsare formal organizations which act as custodians of public knowl-
edge. Educational institutions reflect our social values. They provide not only education to
individual but also supply a steady stream of man-power to socio-economic organizations in
our society. Governments, social leaders, private organizations have recognised the need for
supporting a good educational system for the survival of knowledgeable citizenry.
The Indian Constitution has listed Education as a State subject. Both the State and the Central
Governments have a vested interest in Education as it is their national obligation to prepare
the country for all round progress.
Our Govemn~enthas assumed, naturally, a great responsibility, authority and control over the
educational policies, institutions and other aspects of higher education. Even though there are
several private educational institutions in the country, it is the Government which is directly
involved in educational management in the Indian setting. India has the largest institution-
based educational network in the world. However, education is highly subsidised and is largely
I state-sponsored in India. We have about 5,43,677 primary schools, 1,41,014 Middle schools,
7 1,305 Higher Secondary Schools, 4329 Colleges (general), 876 professional educational
institutions, 198 Universities. Most of these educational institutions have to interact with
various publics such as Governments, Parents, Children, Teachers, Staff, Residents, Civic
I groups, Legislators, etc.. Without their active support, these institutions cannot survive. Be-
sides there are non-fornlal adult education schemes. Literacy drives are being conducted to
tnake the inasses functionally literate. All this needs the services of people who can persuade
and motivate the beneficiaries. PR is most inlportant for educational institutions. Though our
country hopes to achieve 80% literacy by 1995, PR has not become part of the institutions at
lhe Secondary level and below. PR is being conducted at the higher levels by institutions of
higher education. At present PR is being practised merely as press relation in most of our
cducalional centres. There is tremendous job potential. If only our educational institutions
realised the need of public relations and used the professional PR approach, a lit of problems
I :it Ihc campus could be resolved through communication resulting in a better image for the
i 'uni\~crsities.
Definition, Nature, Ethics and 4.5.4 Public Relations in Central, State and Local Government Units
Scope of Public Relations
The Government of India is one of the biggest public organizations legally elected and run by
the people for themselves within the constitutional framework. Public administration through
various levels of administrative hierarchy is nothing but an act of PR by the Government.
Perhaps no other organization in the world has ever built and set-up such a large PR network
and communication apparatus as that of Government of India. Both at the Centre and States,
there is a vast multitude of "public servants" manning the bureaucracy, who should necessarily
be PR-oriented. More than 50 per cent of this "officialdom" comes into contact with the
public. This testifies to the government's involvement with the functional aspects of PR. A
prospective PR graduate can explore opportunities in various Governmental wings under dif-
ferent nomenclatures. Thousands of posts of PR specialists are advertised in various Govern-
ment units performing essentially PR functions.
Central, State and Local governments employ around 18.33 million people for a variety of
Governmental services in India. In 1947, Government of India had only 18 ministries but
today it has over 60 large ministries -the biggest establishment anywhere in the world.
With the ~inistry'of~nformation& Broadcasting taking the lead, the Ministry of Agriculture,
Civil Aviation, Commerce, Communication, Defence, Energy, Environment and Forests, Ex-
ternal Affairs, Finance, Food and Civil Supplies, Food Processing Industries, Health and Fam-
ily Welfare, Home Affairs, Human Resource Development, Industry, Labour, Law and Jus-
tice, Parliamentary Affairs, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Petroleum and Chemi-
cals, Planning, Programme Implementation, Railways, Tourism and Urban Development, Wa-
ter Resources, Welfare, Women and Child Development, Atomic Energy, Electronics, Ocean
Development, Space Technology and the Cabinet Secretariat, Prime Minister's Office. Plan-
ning Commission - provide the biggest job scope for PR graduates. Besides. at state level,
there are FRdepartments and at district levels, are information officers who establish contact
with the people?
Public Opinion iS the foundation of Government of India's PR programs. Since it is a statu-
tory organization, peop'le have a right to know the goings on the government. Secondly, it
must mobilise the public opinion in its favour to take the country forward in the community
of nations. All these together constitute a gigantic task of applied PR for the Government.

Take the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It has an elaborately structured PR
apparatus to provide specialised PR services to various units of Government. The lnformation
and Broadcasting Ministry has control over a vast empire - All India Radio, Doordarshan
(Broadcast Media), Press Information Bureau, Research and Reference Division, Photo Divi-
sion, Publications Division, Films Division, Central Board of Film Certification, National
Film Development Corporation, Directorate of Film Festivals, National Film Archives of
India, Children's Film Society, Directorate of Field Publicity, Song and Drama Division, Staff
Training Institute (Technical) for Engineers of AIR and Doordarshan, Film and Television
Institute of India and Indian Institute of Mass Communication.
These PR agencies offer centralised services and they are potential career centres of PR job-
seekers in different specialised branches. All the Ministries and their constituent units, pub-
lic sector undertakings also have attached PR units, employing thousands of PR specialists to
cater to their own departmental needs.
The State Governments of India closely resemble the Central Government system and have
their own Ministries of Information, Publicity and PR, operating [Link] the central
system, which offers thousands of jobs in Government Public Relations to prospective candi-
dates.

Most of the states in India have Municipal Corporations for major cities under specific legis-
lative acts. There is provision for a separate PR cell in the system except in the small town
municipalities.
PR in Panchayat Raj, Local Self Government is crucial for a meanigful dialogue between
government and the public. Various government functionaries and extension workers carry
the message of development to the people. A prospective PR graduate can explore the open-
ings in these governmen1 departments for a career.
 Career Prospects of
Check Your Progress 3 Public Relations
Note: i) Answer the following questions in the space provided below.

ii) Compare your answers with the ones given at the end of this Unit.
1) State two reasons for PR activity in both the Central and State Governments.
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................

.
....................................................................................................................................
2) Whch Ministry provides specialised PR services to the various departments?~
....................................................................................................................................
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....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
....................................................................................................................................
3) Name some of the units under Ministry of Information & Broadcasting which
can have scope for PR persons.
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i

4.5.5 Public Relations in Banking

There is wide scope for PR in the Banking sector in India. The Banking industry broadly
functions 'as an instrument for promoting economic and social development in a more purpo-
sive manner'. We have about 274 scheduled banks and a 4 non-scheduled banks, out of which
224 (about 90%) are public sector banks. There are 58,417 branches of commercial banks.
About 33,640 of them are located in the rural areas forming a vital link with Indian com-
merce.
Alongside, we also have non-banking Financial Institutions serving Banking Industry such as
the Reserve Bank of India. Life Insurance Corporations, Financial Corporations, NABARD,
Regional Rural Banks, Housing Banks, Industrial Development Bank of India (IDBI), Indus-
trial Reconstruction Bank of India (IRBI), Export and Import Bank of India (EXIM BANK),
Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation (ICICI), Industrial Corporation of India (OFCI),
Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI), Tourism Finance Corporation of India
(TFCI), Credit and Investment Company of India Ltd., (SCICI), State Financial Corporation
(SFC), General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC), Unit Trust of India (UTI), and the Stock
Exchanges in many bigger cities and towns.
Banks are actively involved in a conlpetitive market environment to win their customers, deal-
ers, industrial community. Alnlost all the Banking units have provision for corporate PR de-
partments with a staff ranging between 20 to 100 PR professionals. These banks offer excel-
lent career opportui~itiesfor a beginner with status, perks and rosy promotional chances.
Definition, Nature, Ethics and 4.5.6 Public Relations in Hospitals
Scope of Public Relations
Public Relations for Hospitals and Health Organizations is a recent development in India.
Organizational PR has been at work in the medical profession. The ~octor-Patientrelation-
ship is a classic case of PR. There is a greater need for effective PR management to accom-
plish the avowed objects for Government of India. With the newer and revolutionary trend of
patients demanding to be treated as consumers, the need for information and better relation-
ships is even more urgent, making it imperative for hospitals to adopt a professional PR ap-
proach.
"Health for all by 2000'' requires crucial public understanding and citizen participation. The
importance of PR for Hospitals and Health agencies being recognised in view of the emerg-
ing problems resulting from factors like ignorance, over-population, illiteracy, lack of sanita-
tion and remoteness of Indian rural life. We have one of the biggest state sponsored health
care systems comprising 20,53 1 primary health centres. 1,30,390 sub-centres, 5.86 lakhs of
trained Dais, 4.10 lakh Health Guides, 128 Medical Colleges. It is rather unfortunate that the
PR concept is restricted only to big cities. Health and Family Welfare, however, has a well-
structured extension communication wing performing PR functions in almost all the states.
PR graduates with lave for health communicationsand having dedication to social service can
explore avenues for a career in these hospitals and organizations involved in health care.
Visit a business house, a hospital, and a bank nearest to your place of residence and find out
what arrangements they have to respond to complaints/suggestionsby their customers. You
may use the format given below for guidance :
Name of the Institution
Location
Number of staff
Number of clients
Number of visitors per day
Number of Telephone calls
Number of letters per day
Number of complaints per week through :-
i) Personal Visit
ii) Telephones
iii) Letters
Total Number
Nature of complaints
Repetition of complaints : ( )Yes ( ) No

Complaints attended to : in 24 hours -

in 2-3 days -
in over a week -
Number of staff involved in dealing with complaints .
Is there a Suggestion Box available ? ( yes ( No

4.5.7 Public Relations in Community Welfare Services

Community Welfare work in India is both State-sponsored and through non-govenunent vol-
untary efforts. Welfare policies and programmes are clearly defined by the State and the
Constitution. The Ministry of Welfare is incharge of social justice and welfare by supervis-
ing:
Welfare of SCIST's, Religious Minor~ties,Economically Backward Classes, and other
hnckwnrd clasqes .
 Work related to Welfare of the disabled (blind, deaf and dumb, etc.). Career Prospects of
Public Relations'
Administration of Wakf Works.
The State-sponsored welfare programmes, through its thousands of welfare agencies and pri-
vate voluntary organisations include women and child development (ICDC's), Nutrition
programmes, early childhood education programme, women's development programmes,
welfare of the disabled, social defence, relief and rehabilitation schemes, Government-con-
trolled welfare departments, hundreds of voluntary agencies, and many international volun-
tary and aided organizations, in specific fields provide good job opportunities for PR person-
nel to provide a two-way channel of communication, to persuade and motivate the public, to
bring about attitudinal change and thus aid the development tasks.
Check Your Progress 4

Note : i) Answer the following questions in the space provided.

ii) Compare your answers with the one given at the end of this Unit.
1) Name some important non-banking financial institutions in India.
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....................................................................................................................................
2) Outliilc the need for PR activity by the banks.

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3) Mention the areas of PR activity in development tasks.

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L ....................................................................................................................................
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-

4.6 PUBLIC RELATIONS CAREER FOR WOMEN

..
-..

Our discussion so far was concerned with PK as profession regardless of gender bias. But, is
Lhcre any gender bias in career opportunities in PR? Happily, PR is one profession where the
fem~nincgender is highly respected and given equal opportunity. However, at present, males
dorn~rlatethe Indian PR scene. But women are also coming to the fore. In the Western coun-
tries, PR is a favourate ficld for women. There are many foursome where women employees
are not preferred for obvious legal and selfish reasons. They are employed mostly for "staff
hnctions". Since 1960's a ~ i d70's, the Indian Corporate sector has opened its doors to the
women work force in a b ~ way
g Government's PR agencies have always legally allowed women
with cqual affirmation. Advertising, inarkcting, sales promotion are sectors which have a spe-
cial appeal for women. Services, Hospitals, Tourism, Industry, cosmetics, textiles, Fashon,
food industries. welcome women PR's esecutirrcs. Nearly 20 per cent of women account for
a PRSI 's membership.
"c'irh the introduction of frec-econoil~icpolicy information, entcrtaininent, computers and
>?l::.r i~cldsI1,it.c given goad opportunities for women PR aspir;~nts.
 Definition, Nature, Ethics and
1 Scope of Public Relations "~NTED - PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FOR A FIVE STAR HOTEL. MUST BE
A GRADUATE WITH DEGREE/DIPLOMA IN PUBLIC RELATIONS/JOURNALISM.
MUST POSSESS EXCELLENT COMMUNICATION SKILLS. LADY CANDIDATES
WELCOME TO APPLY!' I \

Prepare a job application response to this advertisement.

4.7 PUBLIC RELATIONS COUNSELLING AS A

PROFESSIONAL CAREER
PR Counselling is a part of the PR profession. It is basically the functions of an external
agency. The P~counselloris retained to counsel and advice management on policy, financial
and'government relations, opinion research, educational services publication, press relations,
TV,graphics and community relations, J. Walter Thomson, Hill and Knowlton, Young and
Rubican, Satchi and Satchi and Carl Boyer are a few but internationally well-known PR coun-
selling firms. They employ 100 to 300 PR specialists to serve clients through their specialised
PR services in most parts of the globe.
Prominent advertising agencies also provide PR communication counselling services in In-
dia. More than 50 major ad agencies are undertalung PR counselling along with their routine
ad services. Famous Indian ad agencies Mudra, OCM, HTA, Lintas, Blaze, Trikaya, RK Assor
ciates, Clariton have their own PR wings. Roger Pereira's firm and 'Good Relations India' are
the two major PR counselling firms mentioned in professional circles.
These PR counselling firms and ad agencies with PR cells should be good entry-points for
beginners as they welcome freshers to the junior positions. It is relatively easier to get an
entry. Some ad agencies have at least 10 to 15 vacancies for PR jobs whenever they are hired
for a PR event. Opportunities are wide open in this field. A good PR student should have no
problem to making an entry in these firms. The salaries may be initially unattractive but with
experience and service a PR graduate will have no regrets.

4.8 PUBLIC RELATIONS RESEARCH AND EVALUATION AS

A CAREER
PR concept has gained more respectability, of late, mainly due to its empirical approach to
the PR problems and public opinion measurement. Initially, few could foresee public opinion
research as one of the thrust areas of social science theory "stemming from a study of public
opinion process, that should guide a proper and beneficial public relations programme". That
Research and evaluation is an integral unit of the total PR profession does not merit mention.
About 70 per cent of professionals look for PR counselling precisely for its fact-finding,
opinion research services.
Research enable PR professionals to formulate sound policies and win public confidence, PR
professionals use vzriety of research techniques such as Image survey.
Motivation Research, Effectiveness surveys, Content Analysis, Individual Public Surveys, as
part of their interest in PR and Public opinion research. Social audit, basic human relation
research are other key research areas employ sound methods used by social behairioural sci-
entists. As a specialised area, PR research is new development and very few people are com-
petent and experienced. Usually, outside PR counselling and Public Opinion Research Orga-
nizations help the PR department on a contract basis. Now, the trend is towards encouraging
the PR practioners to have good knowledge of PR research methods and techniques. This is
an area which can provide a wide job opportunity not only with publib opinion research firms
and PR counselling firms, but also in the corporate PR units. Post-graduate communication
researchers can easily find a good vocation as PR research specialists. In India, though rela-
tively novel, our PR professionals are slowly becoming sensitive to this development. Agen-
cies like MARG, IMRB, ORG, are some of the well-known Public Opinion Research Organi-
zations.
I Career Prospects of
Check Your Progress 5 Public Relations
Note : i) Answer the following questions in the space provided.

ii) Compare your answers with the ones given at the end of this Unit.
1). Name some Research agencies in India.
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...........................................................................................................................................
2) State whether the following statement are true or false.

a) Research methods used by PR practioners are different from those used by social
scientists. ( 1

b) Research can help frame sound policies. ( )

c) One can hire the services of research organizations on a contract basis. ( )

d) PR has not much to offer to women canbdates by way of career. ( )

e) Wyadvertising agencies also offer PR counselling services. ( 1

4.9 LET US SUM UP

Public Relations is human philosophy applied to the organizational management functions
with a view to establishing good rapport and achieving mutual benefits. In this Unit we have
attempted to e$lore the professional avenues available for a fresh graduate of PR. Also, we
have discussed how to get an early entry to PR. As a career, we have demonstrated that it is
management staff function, and as such, job avenues are almost limitless. Most PR depart-
ments have become integral to the organizational system. Fresh graduate is advised to have a
good general academic background and a specialisation in Journalism or Communication @ref-
erably Post-graduate degree) with PR as electives. As PR deals with human communication
and interaction, it is advisable to have a good background knowledge in behavioural sciences.
It helps to understand people better.
A degree or diploma in PR is an added advantage to &k an early entry into the PR profession,
Besides, one [Link] a flair for profession, empathy, steadfastedness, positive thinking,
information grasping abilities, good communication skills, professional traits, ability to de-
velop innovative PR techniques, good social-psychologicalunderstanding of PR publics.
The organization's employment scenario for PR graduate is promising, especially in Central,
State, and Local government departments. Vast private and public sector industries, defence
services, private and public badang institutions, hospitals, community welfare agencies, vol-
untary service bodies and organized enterprises need trained PR personnel. Women PR
aspirants have a good scope for a caieer in various fields. PR counselling and PR Research
and Evaluation are highly specialised fields, requiring specialisedtraining in behavioural sci-
ences. As a career, PR is rewarding, secure, creative and socially useful and productive pro-
fession. It is more a need-based human service rather than a profession and this is being
gradually realised in our country.
Other factors like growing competition, increasing consumer awareness, a need to project an
image of a responsible corporation, the importance of making employees motivated all -
these have contributed to the status of the profession.

4.10 SUGGESTED READING

Basu Anil; 1990; Public Relatlo7.~-Problemsand Prospects.
Definition, Nature, Ethics and
Scope of Public Relations
Narasimha Reddy C.V.; 1974; How to Become a Good PRO; Sharada Publications, Hyderabad.

4.11 GLOSSARY
Multi-disciplinary : that involving several disciplines Public Relations counsel -
functioning of a public relations professional independently for
a fee or on a retainer basis for one or more client.
Survey : an analysis of market or state of opinion among a specified group
or groups.

4.12 CHECK YOUR PROGRESS : MODEL ANSWERS

.Check Your Progress 1

Check Your Progress 2

1) Good communication skills, positive mental make up, charisma, motivation,
alterness, vitality, leadership quality etc.
2) A knowledge of behavioural sciences helps to provide insight into the expecta-
tions and needs of various publics or the target audience. This in turn can guide
the message design and communication strategies. Therefore, it proves advanta-
geous in achieving mutual understanding with the public.
Check Your Progress 3

1) To mobilise public opinion, to disseminate information to the public.

2) The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
3) AIR, PIB, Doordarshan, Photo Division, Films Division, Publications Division,
Song a n i ~ r a m ~ivision,
a the various units associated with films, Field Public-
ity etc.
Check Your Progress 4

1) IDBI, IRBI, NABARD, ICICI, IFCI, SIDBI, GIC, UTI etc.

2) Bank work in a competitive environment and need to win over customers, indus-
tries, dealers, community, opinion leaders etc.
3) In health sector, PROScan function as extension agents in health education, family
welfare programmes etc. They can work in community welfare organizations -
which may be state sponsored or voluntary organizations, to serve social causes
like welfare of blind, handicapped, tribals and the underprivileged sectihs of
the society.
Check Your Progress 5
1) . MARG, IMRB, ORG
2) a) False, b) True, c) True, d) False, e) True