Cluster University of Jammu has taken a historic leap in the field of higher education by introducing, for the very first time in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, postgraduate degree programmes in Performing Arts. Beginning from the academic session 2025–26, the university will offer Master of Performing Arts (MPA) degrees in two key disciplines, Indian Theatre and Music. This milestone has brought immense hope and excitement to hundreds of students, artists, and cultural workers across the region. The last date to apply for these courses is 22nd June 2025.
This unprecedented move marks the beginning of a new era in the cultural and academic life of Jammu and Kashmir. It addresses a long-standing gap in the formal education system where performing arts, despite their deep roots in the region’s cultural fabric, had not been offered as full-fledged academic streams at the postgraduate level. With this initiative, Cluster University of Jammu becomes the first university in J&K to formally institutionalize MPA programmes, allowing students to pursue structured academic and professional training in theatre and music within their home state.
The vision of Dr. K. S. Chandrasekar, Vice Chancellor of Cluster University of Jammu, has been instrumental in bringing this idea to fruition. His commitment to promoting interdisciplinary education and encouraging regional talent has laid the foundation for this landmark academic step. The programmes are being launched under the academic leadership of Dr. Monika Sharma, Dean of the School of Humanities and Liberal Arts, whose guidance has been crucial in framing a curriculum that balances cultural tradition with modern performing arts pedagogy.
Dr. Kuldeep Raina, the Coordinator of the Master of Performing Arts programme, emphasized the significance of this initiative, shares, “This is a moment of cultural awakening. For the first time, our own students will not have to travel to Delhi, Punjab, or Mumbai to pursue their dreams in theatre or music. Cluster University of Jammu has now become a platform where art meets academia. We are creating a space where creativity will be nurtured with discipline, where tradition will be re-examined through scholarship, and where talent will be recognized through structured training. The MPA programme will offer both artistic freedom and academic rigour.”
The eligibility criteria for the MPA in Indian Theatre have been designed to be both inclusive and merit-based, opening opportunities to academically qualified students as well as practicing artists. There are three pathways for admission. Firstly, candidates who have completed a Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA) or a four-year/eight-semester undergraduate degree in the relevant field from a recognized university are eligible. This ensures continuity for students who have pursued theatre studies at the undergraduate level.
Secondly, candidates with a bachelor’s degree in any discipline, who also have three years of verifiable stage experience with a recognized theatre group or under the mentorship of an acclaimed director, are eligible. They must furnish documentary proof of their active participation. This pathway honours and recognizes the immense value of experience-based learning in the field of performance.
Thirdly, candidates who have a bachelor’s degree and a one-year diploma in theatre from a recognized university are also eligible to apply. This offers an opportunity to those who have taken short-term training to now advance to the next level.
Admission to the MPA in Indian Theatre programme will be based on a composite score, combining academic and practical evaluation. Fifty percent weightage will be assigned to the marks obtained in the undergraduate programme, while the remaining fifty percent will be based on performance in an entrance test to be conducted by the university. This method ensures that both theoretical knowledge and stagecraft are assessed equally.
The MPA in Music follows a similarly inclusive framework. Candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree in Music—whether as a major, an elective, or an additional subject—are eligible. Additionally, those who have graduated in any discipline (Arts, Commerce, or Science) but hold a 6- or 7-year diploma in music from nationally recognized boards such as Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Miraj/Mumbai and Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad are also eligible for admission. This structure allows formally trained musicians without conventional academic music degrees to enter into advanced learning, contributing to a more holistic and diverse classroom.
The importance of these programmes is not limited to academic outcomes. Jammu and Kashmir has a vast and varied cultural landscape, encompassing Dogri, Kashmiri, Gojri, Ladakhi, and Pahari traditions, as well as folk forms like Bhand Pather and regional classical music practices. The formal inclusion of performing arts in postgraduate education strengthens efforts to preserve, reinterpret, and evolve these traditions in a globalized cultural environment.
The MPA programme will not only produce skilled performers but also open doors to careers in theatre direction, acting, scriptwriting, musicology, arts management, cultural journalism, event production, and research-based artistic documentation. Furthermore, students completing these programmes will be eligible to compete for national and international scholarships, fellowships, and doctoral studies, enhancing the profile of the region in the global arts community.
The university is also preparing the necessary infrastructure, faculty expertise, and academic collaborations required to deliver high-quality training. The curriculum will include performance-based workshops, classroom lectures, field studies, and participation in festivals and academic conferences. Collaborations with well-known artists, visiting faculty, and guest lecturers from leading institutions are also planned. These steps will provide students a comprehensive exposure to both traditional and contemporary forms of theatre and music.
The presence of the programmes within Jammu also means that the local cultural landscape will benefit from regular performances, exhibitions, and productions emerging from the university. It will revitalize community engagement with live performance, foster youth participation in artistic activities, and bring a new level of prestige to regional art forms.
In the words of one aspiring theatre artist from Jammu, “This is more than a course. It is an acknowledgment of our cultural roots and a recognition of our dreams. For someone like me, who has been working in theatre informally for years, this programme gives my art an academic identity.”
Cluster University’s move is also in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages the integration of creative arts into mainstream education. The NEP emphasizes multidisciplinary learning, and the launch of MPA programmes reflects how universities can adopt this model in practical and meaningful ways.
The announcement has been met with enthusiastic support from the arts and academic community. Local theatre groups, music teachers, cultural activists, and former students have welcomed the move as long overdue. Many see this as an institutional recognition of the decades-long informal labour of artists in the region, many of whom have kept the arts alive despite the absence of formal academic or governmental support.
Cluster University’s step not only affirms the role of the arts in education but also signals a commitment to nurture future generations of artists who are rooted in tradition and equipped for modern challenges. It marks a shift from seeing performing arts merely as extracurricular to recognizing them as professional, intellectual, and socially relevant disciplines.
The application window is now open. All eligible students, performers, and music practitioners who meet the criteria are encouraged to seize this opportunity. The last date for application submission is 22nd June 2025, and with limited seats available, early registration is advised.
This is a proud moment for Jammu and Kashmir. The launch of the MPA in Indian Theatre and Music at Cluster University is not just an academic development; it is a cultural turning point. It is a space where identity, creativity, and scholarship will meet, and where the next generation of performers and cultural leaders will be born. This is also an opportune moment for the well-qualified people who have taken their degrees from the major cultural Institutions of India.
(Author is a National Scholarship and Fellowship Holder from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India in the field of Theatre)
