Shivaji K. Panikkar-chaired Commission recommends overhaul of Kerala’s fine arts education

Higher Education Minister R. Bindu formally releasing the report presented by the Commission for Curriculum Review and the Revision of the Academic Activities of Fine Arts Colleges in Kerala. Also seen are the Commission chairperson Shivaji K. Panikkar (right) and Kerala State Higher Education Council member secretary Rajan Varughese.

An expert commission, chaired by renowned art educator Shivaji K. Panikkar, has recommended a complete revamp of the existing curricula in Kerala’s fine arts colleges.

Major reforms in admission processes, evaluation methods and administration structures have been recommended, along with a transition to a credit and semester framework.

Prof. Panikkar, former Dean and Founder Member, School of Culture and Creative Expressions, Ambedkar University, presented the commission report to Higher Education Minister R. Bindu here on Wednesday. Kerala State Higher Education Council member secretary Rajan Varughese was present on the occasion. The commission was mandated with making recommendations to reform fine art education in the State.

Under single entity

A significant recommendation involves bringing fine arts institutions, currently affiliated under various universities and functioning under the Department of Technical Education, under the Directorate of Collegiate Education or a single administrative and academic authority.

Nomenclature changes

The commission has recommended changes in the current nomenclatures, including modifying the terminology of fine arts as visual arts. It has also proposed renaming the College of Fine Arts as College of Visual Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) as Bachelor of Visual Arts, and Master of Fine Arts (MFA) as Master of Visual Arts.

New college

The panel also mooted the establishment of a new visual arts college in northern Kerala, named after acclaimed artist K.C.S. Paniker. It further recommends elevating the Department of Painting at the Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit into a separate faculty from its current placement under Arts and Social Sciences. Several colleges are also proposed to be re-envisioned as visual arts colleges. The RLV College of Music and Fine Arts, Tripunithura, is proposed to be restructured as a specialised visual arts college, while the Raja Ravi Varma Centre of Excellence in Mavelikkara is to be developed into a dedicated department of visual arts.

The report proposes introducing postgraduate programmes like Intermedia Practices, Curatorial Practices, Art History and Visual Studies, and Interdisciplinary Media and Design Practices. It also calls for establishing Departments for Graphics/Printmaking across all fine arts institutions.