7-member Expert Panel constituted for Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music Varsity

Hunsur:  A seven-member Expert Committee has been constituted to formulate rules and regulations for the reforms in education and administration of the ten-year-old Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University in Mysuru, said Registrar (Administration) Prof. Nagesh V. Bettakote.

He was addressing a press conference after visiting the study centre of the University here on Thursday and said that he had taken charge as the Registrar of the Music University very recently.

“It is sad to note that even after ten years of the existence of the Music University there is no development or progress. Hence, to bring about a change in the administration the rules and regulations have to be amended for which an Expert Committee has been formed,” he said.

The Chairman for this committee is the Vice-Chancellor of the Music University. The other members are: Bangalore University former Vice-Chancellor Prof. H.A. Ranganath, Davangere University former Vice-Chancellor Prof. S. Indumathi, Gulbarga University former Vice-Chancellor Prof. S.L. Hiremath, Bangalore Law College Dean Prof. Sudesh, Hampi Kannada University Fine Arts Department Dean Prof. Ashok Kumar Ranjere and Hyderabad Central Institute of Foreign Languages, Translation Department Head Dr. Tarakeshwar. The Registrar (Administration) of the Music University will be the Member- Secretary, he said.

There is also a provision for inviting Music and Performing Arts scholars as subject experts and seek their suggestions and opinions, he added.

The University will function based on the rules and regulations framed with relation to education and administration. However, in the rules formulated there are a few lacunas and it has to be amended according to the present day requirements, said Dr. Bettakote.

Vocal, instrumental, dance, drama and performing arts departments have already been established. However, in performing arts, music, dance and drama are included. Hence, there is no need for a separate Performing Arts Department. Also under this department Costumes, Animation, Humanities, Indian Arts and Cultural History Departments have been included. Except performing arts all other subjects have been included here, he said.

Humanities is a very broad department and all the subjects related to our daily lives and environment come under its limits. But it was necessary to classify it under Performing Arts. Likewise translation does not become Performing Arts and even this has been included here. For instance, Costumes Department should have come under Drama or Theatre Departments, he said.

Subjects like Museums and Translation Departments have been included under Sangeeta Shastra Department. Research which is very important in any University has been included in the same department, whereas it should be a separate department, he noted.

In the Drama Department, no other department has been included and no explanation has been given in this regard. If any institution has to progress its foundation has to be strong. Only if the Departments are scientifically formed can the new courses be formulated, said Dr. Bettakotte explaining the functioning of a proper Music University.

UGC Chairman is Syndicate Member: The University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman or his nominee and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Director General have been nominated as Syndicate Members of Music University. However, none of them have attended a single meeting so far.

The Vice-Chancellor, the Secretaries of Higher Education, Revenue and Kannada and Culture Departments or their Nominees are Permanent Members. Two Experts related to Performing Arts will be Governor’s Nominees and the Government appoints four Nominees which include two from General Category, one woman and one from Backward Classes, Minorities or SC/ST, he said.

In the traditional Universities like Mysore, Bangalore or Mangalore, the UGC Chairman and ASI Director General have not been nominated as Members. Besides the UGC Chairman coming to attend the meetings from Delhi is too far-fetched. Hence, such moves have been dropped, Dr. Bettakote said.  

Former Syndicate Member of Music University C.R. Himamshu told Star of Mysore that it is very surprising that no Expert with background of music and arts is an Expert Committee Member. Only a few former Vice-Chancellors and Deans who have administrative experience but hardly any knowledge of Music have been included in the Expert Committee. He also pointed out that there is no Karnatak Music Expert nominated to the Academic Council.

The term of Vice-Chancellor Dr. Sarvamangala Shankar has ended and the Music Varsity also awaits a new VC like the Mysore Varsity.