Teaching the Arts

With the fine arts industry emerging parallel to the mainstream sectors, the demand for artists is growing in both professional and academic areas. Identifying this trend, the niversity’s School of Per forming and Visual Arts (SOPVA) has taken several initiatives to broaden the avenues of learners’ employability and contribute to skill development in this sector.

The School, in collaboration with the IGNOU Institute of Vocational Education and Training (IIVET), Shillong and North East Zonal Cultural Centre (NEZCC), Dimapur, Ministry of Culture, Government of India, is running a Certificate Programme in Indigenous Art Practices (CIAP). The aim of this programme is to develop an academic curriculum for the Guru-Shishya Parampara Scheme launched by the Ministry in 2004-2005.

“Nearly 84 Gurus identified by the NEZCC have been imparting knowledge and training to around 300 Shishyas in Indigenous Art Practices in the orth-Eastern region. However, so far, there had been no monitoring, evaluation and certification for this knowledge. The academic certification would not only help preserve and promote the rich cultural heritage of the country, but will also help in finding livelihood options for the certified Shishyas,” says Prof Debjani Roy, In-charge, Centre for Traditional Knowledge Systems (CTKS).

The School is running Certificate-level programmes at various centres across the country to promote the fine arts industry. The Certificate in Performing Arts-Theatre Arts aims to provide a basic introduction to the art of theatre to the learners, while the Certificate in Performing Arts-Hindustani/Karnatak Music enables learners to receive basic knowledge of theory and practical aspects of Hindustani/Karnatak Music. For details, visit www.ignou.ac.in