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JNU plans school of traditional Indian music and dance
New Delhi
New Delhi
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has proposed to set up a ‘school of traditional Indian music and dance’ in order to promote “traditional practices” among the youth.
The proposal finds mention in the agenda for the 152nd academic council (AC) meeting scheduled on Tuesday.
A committee set up by the administration to submit recommendations about the proposed school says it will be devoted to the study and practices of Indian classical and traditional music and dance. If established, the school will offer an integrated five-year degree in music and dance and PhD degree in the discipline.
Committee chairperson Santosh Kumar Shukla did not respond to calls and texts for a comment. Another member of the committee, Brijesh Pandey, said the administration felt the need to have a school of performing arts having “Indian content”.
“We presently have a School of Arts and Aesthetics but it lacks Indian content. The content taught in that school in majorly western. This school will focus on traditional forms of dance and music. We have started to prepare curriculum for the school,” Pandey said.
“We are considering giving students an option to exit after graduation under the five-year integrated programme. We are yet to finalise the proposal,” Pandey said.
A senior official said experts will be hired to teach students. “The school will offer courses that will facilitate creativity, innovation and experiment through theory and practical. The school will achieve the objective through teachers who will be excellent performers in their respective fields,” said the official, who wished not to be named.
The university had last month held a meeting to draw a plan of action to establish the school.
The move has not gone down well with AC members with many saying said the process followed by the university in constituting a committee for the school violates the JNU act. “The administration did not discuss this plan with the faculty members. Half of the members in the committee are not from the university. The university does not have enough resources for the newly established engineering and management schools. From where will resources come for this one? We will oppose this proposal in the AC meeting on Tuesday,” said a member, requesting anonymity.
Students, meanwhile, will strike on Tuesday to protest the administration’s decision to not invite JNU students’ union (JNUSU) members for the AC meeting. Officials said the members were not invited because the administration is yet to notify the students’ union.
