After upgradation to an international media university, IIMC will be able to award degrees in addition to the post-graduate diplomas it currently awards.

IIMC will also be able to start courses at the under-graduate and post graduate level and award M.Phil and PhD degrees, Soni added.

Raghu Menon, chairman of IIMC and secretary in the information and broadcasting ministry, conferred post-graduate diplomas on 243 students in a host of courses including advertising and public relations, English and Hindi journalism, radio and TV journalism.

IIMC currently has two campuses, one in Delhi and another at Dhenkanal in Orissa.