India/February 15, 2022/By: Fareeha Iftikhar/Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/

The panel recommended that the education ministry confer the status of Institute of National Importance (INI) to institutes such as Film and Television Institute of India (FTTI), Pune and National School of Drama (NSD).

Compulsory art education till Class 10; a central university dedicated to art ; an all India regulatory body for arts education similar to the All India Council of Technical Education ; and a massive public campaign to promote arts in the education system — these are among the key recommendations of a parliamentary panel to promote education in performing and fine arts in the country.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Education, Women, Children, Youth and Sports headed by BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay P Sahasrabuddhe submitted its report titled “Reforms in the education of performing and fine arts” in Parliament during the recently concluded budget session. The committee’s recommendations were in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 that advocates integrating arts with the education system.

While observing that art education has immense potential to develop a creative and vibrant learning environment in schools, the committee recommended that the government should make it a “compulsory subject up to Class 10”. The panel suggested that art education should include music, dance, visual arts and theatre with special emphasis on Indian traditional and folk arts. “It should also include local traditions such as episodes from folk tales, stories, plays, paintings, etc. so that its learning generates interest and becomes appreciable…Another area of arts is film making, which has been accepted as an educational tool besides having its entertainment value,” the report said.

In its response, the union education ministry’s department of school and literacy said that as a part of the NEP 2020 implementation, CBSE has already initiated efforts to offer “a compulsory subject called Arts Education in Classes 9 and 10.”

The committee said steps need to be taken to develop requisite understanding of performing, fine, and visual arts among the teaching community as well. “This should also form an essential part of teacher training, and it should be included in the curriculum of teacher training institutions across the country.”

It further recommended “massive public campaigns” to change the mindset of parents, guardians, school authorities, even policy makers towards incorporating arts in the education system. “This would help change the mindset of parents, guardians, school authorities and even policy makers and will help evolve an enlightened consensus about the need for inclusion of arts in any of its forms in the curriculum.”

Noting insufficient infrastructure and inadequate seats in arts courses, the parliamentary panel recommended that the government explore the possibility of establishing a Central University like Rashtriya Kala Vishwa Vidyalaya (National University of Arts) through an Act of Parliament, with regional centres at prominent art/ cultural locations. Besides, it recommended establishing dedicated departments with latest facilities, including well-equipped studios, in existing universities in the county.

The House panel further recommended creation of a regulatory body in line with the technical education regulator AICTE to take care of the need for a regulatory mechanism for higher education as well as research in performing, fine and visual arts. “(It) will be able to radically alter the current scenario of art education in Colleges/Universities across the country,” it said.

It recommended that the Union ministries of education and culture jointly appoint a task force to identify sectors and institutions where students of performing/fine arts can find viable career opportunities. “The committee observes that there is a need to develop performing arts and fine arts as a viable career option and to attract more students to this field,” the report stated.

The panel recommended that the education ministry confer the status of Institute of National Importance (INI) to institutes such as Film and Television Institute of India (FTTI), Pune and National School of Drama (NSD).

The report has been compiled after wider consultation with stakeholders including union ministries of education and culture, NCERT, CBSE, FTII, NSD, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, UGC, and others.

In its response, the higher education department of the ministry informed the committee that there are presently eight specialized fine arts universities, 125 public and private universities and 117 exclusive colleges and 313 colleges offering programmes in the discipline of fine/performing arts across the country.

Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/panel-calls-for-mandatory-art-education-till-class-10-101644863925623.html