Performing arts varsity proposal in cabinet soon

MUMBAI: With an eye on Maharashtra's cultural aficionados ahead of polls, the 2009 proposal to set up a Rs 100-crore university of performing arts on the fringes of Pune, probably the country's first-ever dedicated school, is likely to come up for approval in the cabinet soon.

The university will have courses in dramatics, painting, music, dance and sculptures. It will function in an unique way where students will be selected through auditions by a panel of experts. The few selected disciples will then be trained by their gurus and follow their tradition in a gurukul-like format. The students will be granted diplomas at the end of their training.

"It will be a major centre for churning out artistes. We will bring the proposal before the cabinet in the next few days," said minister for higher and technical education Rajesh Tope, who is spearheading the proposal. Tope said the university will be set up in Pune for which the authorities are looking for over 30 acre land.

The announcement for the university was made in 2009, after which a committee was set up to check the viability of the project. The committee, comprising artistes, had termed the project to be viable and had suggested the varsity should come up in Pune.