What it does: Dainik Bhaskar Group is the largest news group in India, with 65 editions in 12 states in India. The Group also has a radio presence in 30 cities, and a digital arm which supports news applications and portals.
Best known for: A commitment to thorough research and a customer-oriented approach in delivering news to the public.
The good bits: Well established position in the media industry in India.
The not so good bits: Slightly lower pay compared to industry standards. Management redundancies which may be frustrating for graduates entering the industry.
Hiring grads from: Engineering (Software, Communication, Electronic, Printing); Management (General); Sales & Marketing (including Advertising); Finance; Law & Legal Studies; Human Resources; Mass Communication & Journalism, Media Studies; Design.
In 1956, Dwarka Prasad Agarwal set up a publishing business which later came to be known as Dainik Bhaskar Group (DBG). It was to fill the need for a Hindi daily in India. With the help of modern printing tech, Agarwal launched the first ‘Dainik Bhaskar’ in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The word ‘Bhaskar’ means ‘The Rising Sun’ in Hindi. For a long time, the publishers focused on building a reputation for delivering good news content. They claim to have done this by centering on customer surveys and providing exactly what customers thought was lacking in other newspapers. Agarwal’s son, Ramesh Agarwal, diversified and expanded the business, debuting Dainik Bhaskar in Indore in 1983. After a decade of expansion, in 1995, Dainik Bhaskar became the fastest growing Hindi daily in India.
It was with the publishing of the first Gujarati daily, ‘Divya Bhaskar’ that DBG broke the language barrier, instantly replacing a 50-year-old established newspaper with the number of copies sold. Responding to the rising demand for new media, DBG entered the radio business in 2005 with the help of Warbug Pincus’ investment in the company. IMCL was established as a subsidiary to respond to the digital requirements of the era. The rise in stock prices of the DBG Public Issue in 2010 points towards the growth of the company. The cultural legacy of DBG is celebrated as a win for news publishing across the world, with DB being the 4th most circulated newspaper in the world. More than 4 crore Indians read a newspaper published by DBG in 12 states across India.
The Dainik Bhaskar Group looks for prospective candidates through many sources; college/universities, staffing agencies, and online portals. They also have a submission link on their website where interested candidates can submit their resume for future openings at DBG. Due to a large number of applications, candidates can expect to hear back about their application from anywhere between a week to two months.
The duration of time taken for the recruitment process to conclude would vary according to the role. For engineering & associate management positions, the process may take around one to four weeks. The first test to clear would be a written test based on testing verbal ability, logical reasoning, and data interpretation. Applicants from engineering degrees would also be expected to clear a programming test, generally on C or Java programming. Passing this, candidates should be prepared to give at least two interviews; one technical and one with the state HR representative. Depending on the seniority of the job profile, there might be one more interview after this with the COO of the state. Candidates are expected to be well-versed with their subjects for the technical interview. The HR interview has to do with looking for a culture and location fit.
For applicants from mass communication & journalism, the process is specific to the role they apply for. To obtain a job as an editor, the candidates are expected to be proficient doing translations in a written test. Potential editors are also expected to conduct an interview for the process. To obtain a job as a news reporter or correspondent, candidates are generally asked to spend a day as a reporter at DBG to make sure of an overall fit.
The process can be somewhat challenging for fresh graduates not because of the difficulty of the questions, but because of the short duration of interviews. Some interviews may only last for 15-20 minutes. Therefore, there is very little scope for hesitation or a lack of knowledge. Candidates should especially prepare for the DBG process by conducting mock interviews and making informed guesses to make a lasting first impression.
Due to the reach of the company, it can be an exciting opportunity for fresh graduates to learn the ropes of working in a legacy newspaper publishing environment. Industry trends suggest frequent switching for all the core fields that DBG hires from, especially journalism. Management roles provide more opportunities for growth within the company.
It would not be difficult to make a switch to another company if the employee so desires, considering the popularity of the newspaper. That said, the core business of DBG is not pertaining to engineering expertise (except in printing technology). This is why there would be less potential for learning relative to a company that deals specifically with Research & Development in technology. On the flip side, this means that a long career in an engineering role would translate to job security, faster promotions, and added perks. Aspiring applicants should also note that DBG invests heavily in the development and maintenance of printing technology. Moreover, the digital arm of DBG, Dainik Bhaskar Digital, is also a great place to start or continue a career in digital analytics.
Dainik Bhaskar is a leading newspaper with many reporters working on the ground to obtain local news relevant to public demand. Journalists from DBG go on to work in other news publications like Times Group, Hindustan Times Media Ltd., Amar Ujala Publications Ltd, and Rajasthan Patrika Pvt. Ltd.
DBG pays lower than the industry standard for entry-level graduates, with engineers earning approximately ₹5,50,000 to ₹6,50,000. This is true for management roles as well, where trainees may join the company with annual pay of approximately ₹4,00,000, but which may climb up to as high as ₹20,00,000 for senior general managers. Journalists generally start with ₹15,000 to ₹20,000 monthly, but editors may earn more depending on their seniority and experience. An established company, DBG provides all their employees with hassle-free maternity & paternity leave, holiday benefits, good healthcare cover, and an option for reduced or flexible hours.
Most employees laud the efforts of the company to prioritise the needs of their employees. DBG partners with Gallup Research to conduct a survey to gauge employee engagement. Many activities and events are organised within the company so that the employees feel motivated, while also ensuring strict policies and rules to protect the employees from any kind of harassment at the workplace.
DBG has events that point to the investment they make towards the well-being of their employees, such as vaccinations, blood donation, and dental camps. Festivities are organised on all major holidays in India. Moreover, there are many indoor and outdoor sporting tournaments which are also organised within the company, fostering a culture of camaraderie and teamwork. In fact, the culture of DBG also embodies the sentiment of social contributions through everyday work, which is exemplified by their campaign 'Ek Ped Ek Zindagi', which encouraged citizens of India to plant a tree in their lifetime. That said, many long-term employees stay on at DBG, causing workplace hierarchies to be strict.
Already working within the realm of news production, DBG has a history of being a part of political discussions in India. Their core social contributions, however, come in the form of Bhaskar Foundation, a trust set up to manage the CSR activities of the DBG. Bhaskar Foundation mostly works in the states where they have the largest presence, training many beneficiaries in core skills in rural areas so that they can obtain wage or self-employment. Particularly, the Foundation works in the areas of drinking water & sanitation, healthcare services, development of infrastructure in rural areas, generation of self-help groups, computer training, and coaching classes.
With this aim, the Bhaskar Foundation has partnered with many governmental agencies to bring about change at the roots, making use of already existing governmental infrastructure. Some of these organisations are Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India, DGET (Ministry of Labour and Employment, GoI), Rajasthan State Livelihood Development Corporation (RSLDC). The Foundation also partners directly with stakeholders such as Domestic Workers Sector Skill Council (DWSSC), Construction Skill Development Council of India (CSDCI), and Textile Sector Skill Council (TSSC) for efficient project implementation.
As is clear from the cultural values of the company, it can be said that employees can enjoy a long career at DBG with job stability and in a motivated workplace. But as an old company, there might be some redundancies in the management processes that can prove frustrating for those who are either just starting a career or those who have worked in more streamlined workplaces.