St. Aloysius College to pioneer in Visual Communication Studies
Press Release: St. Aloysius College (Autonomous) officially inaugurated the new BSc programme in Visual Communication on 15th September 2022 at the LF Resquina hall, LCRI Block.
The programme was inaugurated by Rev. Fr. Melwin J Pinto, Rector of St. Aloysius Institutions launched the programme by capturing the shot of the students gathered in the auditorium with a Polaroid camera and signed the photograph of the historical moment. St. Aloysius is pioneering in the field of Visual Communication studies in Dakshina Kannada by offering a graduation programme for the first time in the district. Mr. Hrisheekesh Anilkumar, Founder and Creative head of Reel Tribe, a creative digital platform was the chief guest for the event who launched the official you tube channel of the Visual Communication department and ‘Campus Buzz’ a new student blog from the department of Journalism. A sand art was also unveiled as a part of the formal inauguration.
The course offers opportunities for students who aspires to pursue a career that is blended with art, content and technology. Visual communication enhances the creativity of students and enables them to become professionals in today's world of media. Rector of Aloysius Institutions Rev. Fr4. Melwin J Pinto, Rev. Dr.Praveen Martis SJ, principal St.Aloysius college, Registrar Dr.Alwyn D'Sa, Head of the department Dr.Swetha Mangalath and the program co ordinator Abdul Rasheed were present.
The formal inauguration was followed by an interactive session by the chief guest. Mr.Rishikesh acknowledged that we are just three seconds away from changing lives. A flashmob was also held at the mother thersa peace park after the presentation as part of the unveiling of the new programme. The historic moment was embarked in the walls and minds of the staff and students successfully. The admissions are still open for BSc.Visual communication, while the first year degree students hold an opportunity to be the historic batch of visual communication in the city.
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Supreme Court declares child marriages violate basic rights, urges Parliament to act
New Delhi, October 18, 2024: The Supreme Court on Friday ruled that child betrothals—a tactic often used to evade the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA)—violate fundamental rights, including freedom of choice, autonomy, and the right to childhood.
A three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, along with Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized that the anti-child marriage law was unclear on child betrothals. The Court urged Parliament to outlaw the practice and categorize children whose marriages are arranged as “minors in need of care and protection” under the Juvenile Justice Act.
The judgment noted that despite international frameworks like the 1977 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), India has not fully addressed the issue of child betrothals. Under the PCMA, girls under 18 and boys below 21 are considered children, and child marriage is both a crime and a social evil.
Chief Justice Chandrachud pointed out that confusion persists regarding the intersection of personal laws and the PCMA. The Court acknowledged that the government had submitted a “note” suggesting that the PCMA should take precedence over personal laws, citing conflicting High Court judgments. However, the note was not backed by formal documentation, and the matter remains unresolved, with an Amendment Bill introduced in December 2021 still pending in Parliament.
The Court also broke new ground by addressing the impact of child marriage on boys. The judgment highlighted how patriarchal expectations, misinformation, and peer pressure push boys into committing violence against their child brides. “While girls are disproportionately affected, the right to childhood belongs to all genders,” Chief Justice Chandrachud observed.
“The intent of POCSO is to protect children from sexual harm, while child marriage institutionalizes sexual abuse by subjecting minor girls to exploitation,” the CJI stated. He further noted that child marriage reduces children to objects, imposing burdens such as compulsory heterosexuality and reproductive expectations, which deny them the freedom to explore their sexuality and personal choices.
The Court issued several guidelines, including:
• Introducing culturally appropriate sexuality education in schools.
• Launching a ‘Child Marriage Free Village’ campaign, similar to the ‘Open Defecation Free Village’ initiative, with the involvement of community leaders.
• Establishing an online portal under the Home Ministry for reporting child marriages.
• Creating a compensation scheme under the Ministry of Women and Child Development for girls who opt out of child marriages.
• Allocating an annual budget to prevent child marriages and support those affected by the practice.
The verdict was delivered in response to petitions by NGOs, including the Society for Enlightenment and Voluntary Action, which raised concerns about the persistence of child marriages despite nearly two decades of the PCMA. The Court warned that child marriage poses a direct threat to laws like the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
