Higher education to have ‘kala gurus’: UGC

Higher education institutions will soon empanel local artists and artisans as “kala gurus” to connect them with India’s mainstream education system, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has proposed in draft guidelines.

This would be in line with the National Education Policy 2020 that wants to bridge the gap between higher education and the arts (kala) by creating a strong bond between them, the commission stated in the draft rules which were made public on Friday for feedback.

Further, an analysis of the current education system shows it is operated in a “mechanical way,” the draft said. “It not only lacks emotions and feelings, but also limits co-curricular activities.” In addition, “Even in the field of Visual and Performing Arts, the students are not getting real-time exposure to art and art forms.”

“There is a dire need to connect the Kala Gurus to the mainstream of higher education,” the proposed guidelines said. “Not only the students will get the maximum benefit, but the art forms will also get new dimensions and not get extinct.”