The Silent Reform in Rajasthan’s Media Governance”

19 May 2025

Rajasthan is one of the first Indian states to understand that just spending on advertisements is not enough it’s important to know whether people are actually listening, watching, or reading.

So around 2017–2018, the Information and Public Relations Department (DIPR) of Rajasthan started a special unit. This team began to:

Track all news and media where the government was mentioned.
Check how many people saw or heard government ads.
Collect feedback from the public about government campaigns.

This effort became more organized with the launch of digital tools like the “Raj Evaluation Portal”, which allowed officials to monitor communication across the state from a single online platform.

Why Media Evaluation is Important

Imagine spending ₹10 crore on a health awareness campaign but people in rural areas don’t even hear about it. That’s a waste of money and time.

That’s why Rajasthan’s media evaluation system works like a report card for government communication. It checks:

Did people see the message?
Did they understand it?
Did they act on it (e.g., visit a hospital or apply for a scheme)?
What can be improved next time?

⚙️ How It Works in Rajasthan

Here’s how the evaluation system works in simple terms:

Tracking Media Content
- News articles, radio talks, TV shows, YouTube videos, even reels — are tracked by government media officers.
- If there’s coverage about a new school scheme, they log it.
Analyzing Public Response
- They check how many people commented, shared, or talked about it.
- They talk to local officers and media persons to collect on-ground feedback.
Creating Reports
- All this information is added into a report: which ad worked, which didn’t, what platform was effective.
- These reports go to departments, who change their plans accordingly.
Digital Dashboard: Raj Evaluation Portal
- This is an online website where officials can track performance of each department’s communication activities.
- It brings transparency and helps decision-making faster.

Real Benefits for the People

✔️ Citizens become more informed – about welfare schemes, job offers, health services, and more.

✔️ Money is saved – because the government doesn’t waste money on platforms that don’t work.

✔️ Villages and remote areas get better coverage – by knowing where gaps are, officials can fill them.

✔️ Local reporters and media workers also get visibility – their work is tracked and appreciated in official reports.

Challenges That Still Exist

Despite this great start, there are challenges:

Many rural people still don’t have digital access.
Some messages don’t reach tribal or minority language speakers.
Feedback from villages can be slow or missing.

But Rajasthan is working to solve these issues with mobile vans, community radios, and digital expansion programs.

Why Citizens Should Care

When governments track their communication, it holds them accountable.

And when media professionals like reporters, editors, or even YouTubers are part of this ecosystem, it makes democracy stronger.

So if you’re a citizen, this means:

You have the right to demand better communication.
You should give feedback when campaigns don’t reach you.
You can even use platforms like RTI to ask why information was not shared properly.

Conclusion

Media Evaluation in Rajasthan is not just a government system it is a citizen empowerment tool.

It makes sure that every voice is heard, every rupee is used wisely, and every piece of news or information matters.

Whether it’s a farmer in Bikaner, a student in Udaipur, or a journalist in Jaipur media evaluation ensures that nobody is left in the dark.