Karnataka - Mysore   

Integration of CAVA with university opposed

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, AUG. 31. Chamarajendra Academy for Visual Arts (CAVA), the only school for fine arts supported by the State Government, is to be integrated with University of Mysore. The Government's move is facing stiff opposition from faculty members and students alike. The institution is now struggling to retain its independence.

Till recently, though Mysore University had provided affiliation for the courses offered at CAVA, the institution enjoyed academic independence, and came under the control of the Department of Kannada and Culture. The faculty and students have been astonished by the manner in which the department had initiated the process of handing over the institute to the university. No obvious reasons have been cited for the decision to integrate CAVA with Mysore University.

Committee

Meanwhile, a committee set up by the university under the chairmanship of Shivarudrappa is expected to visit CAVA tomorrow to study the feasibility of taking over the school. However, the visit is being dubbed as an "eye wash."

Sources in CAVA told The Hindu that in 2003 the then Minister of State for Kannada and Culture, Rani Satish, had written a letter to the university requesting it to take over CAVA.

However, a recent letter from the Principal Secretary of the department, asking the university to consider taking over CAVA, opened a Pandora's box.

The sources said that CAVA had been established with an intention to convert it into a deemed university at a later stage.

Though CAVA is far from achieving deemed university status, at least autonomy should be provided to enable it to function independently, they said.

Deemed university

The State Government rechristened the Chamarajendra Technical Institute as CAVA in 1981 following the suggestions of a committee headed by the prominent Russian painter, Roerich, in 1976. CAVA was established on the lines of the J.J. School of Arts in Mumbai. The committee had also asked the State Government to formulate a plan to make CAVA a deemed university.

The opposition for integrating CAVA with the university also stems from the fact that the school enjoyed independence and budgetary support for all its programmes. Students feel that after the integration of the school with the university, special workshops, student stipend, and educational tours would not be organised for want of funds.

Unless the independence of such institutions was preserved, attaining international standards would remain a mirage for students of fine arts in India, the students said.

Once CAVA comes under the regimented framework of the university, it may loose its identity and become just another institution, the students fear.

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