Independent board to regulate art edu in state

The Maharashtra government is establishing the Maharashtra State Board of Art Education to regulate diploma level art education in the state. The board will grant affiliation to institutions, regulate fees, and conduct examinations. It will also propose need-based and special courses, confer autonomy to deserving institutes, and provide for the regulation of fees. The board will coordinate between national and state policies, maintain uniform standards, and promote industry and institute interaction. A governing council will be formed to approve and implement the board's recommendations and decisions.

Mumbai: The state government is in the process of establishing the Maharashtra State Board of Art Education, which will regulate all matters pertaining to diploma level art education in the state. As mandated in the Maharashtra State Board of Art Education Act, which was passed in the winter session of the state legislature, the board will grant affiliation to institutions, regulate fees, and conduct examinations, among other things.

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The law states that the independent board “will plan and monitor academic performance, propose need-based courses, special courses for self-employment and courses for rural, deprived persons and women. It will propose to confer autonomy to deserving institutes and provide for regulation of fixation of fee and collection thereof, for affiliated courses by the affiliated institutes and the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.”

The government found it necessary to regulate diploma level art education considering its growth, competition, fast-changing technology and the need to develop entrepreneurial culture among artists.

“The board will lay down guiding principles for determining and preparing the curricula and syllabi for diploma level art education for all categories such as regular, sandwich, part-time course, yearly, and semester-based,” said a senior official from the state higher and technical education department.

The board will provide opportunities for development of diploma level art education by instructions, training, research, development and other means, said the official. It will devise and implement a programme of diploma level art education that is relevant to current needs, aligned to long-term requirements and responsive to anticipated changes and developments.

As mentioned in the Maharashtra State Board of Art Education Act, the board will also coordinate between national policies and state policies for diploma level art education; coordinate between secondary, higher secondary, degree education and diploma level art education; maintain uniform standards of diploma in art education and promote industry and institute interaction.

The law envisages formation of a governing council that will act on matters referred to it by the board and approve its recommendations and decisions for implementation. Headed by the higher and technical education minister, the governing council will prepare a perspective development plan in consultation with the concerned industry, give directions to the board in respect for implementation of various policy decisions taken by the government, and recommend the government to conduct an enquiry in respect of any matters concerning the proper conduct, working and finances of the institutes under the board.