Star alumni but institute no longer ‘deemed’

Set up in 1983,the institute was granted a ‘deemed-to-be university’ status under Section 3 of the UGC Act,1956. At present,the institute offers Masters of Arts courses in three categories — History of Art,Conservation and Museology,as well as two short-term courses in art culture and art appreciation. The institute also accepts students pursuing post-doctoral degrees.

It came as a surprise to those at the helm of affairs that the institute had been singled out for derecognition. Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Vijay S Madan,who is also the Vice-Chancellor of this government-funded institute,said,“I am not aware of any such decision,except for what we heard in the media. I will not be able to tell you why the institute’s name is on that list.”

A senior faculty member said: “We have had very prestigious alumni including Sonia Gandhi who acquired a diploma in the Conservation of Oil Paintings in 1987-88. Many of our alumni have gone on to become curators at museums all over the world. I think we have been singled out because we are a small institute,and we function out of the museum premises.”

The museum’s website says plans are underway to set up a campus in Sector 62 in Noida ‘in the coming 3 to 4 years’. For now though,all classes are held at the National Museum at Janpath,which many faculty members feel is an advantage. “Since we are one of the few institutes in the country offering a diploma in Museology,it is beneficial to function out of one of the proudest museums in the country. Students appreciate the proximity,” a faculty member said. The institute has 135 students including 27 research scholars.

Many bureaucrats and civil servants have been students here,indicating that the government has held the institute in high esteem. A faculty member said: “In any given year,at least 30 per cent of our students are bureaucrats and civil servants. Our courses are also popular with their spouses. Rupika Chawla,wife of former Chief Election Commissioner Naveen Chawla,was a student as was Sreedevi Nair Pal,wife of Satyabrata Pal — India’s former ambassador to Pakistan.” According to the institute’s website,Sukhdeo Thorat,Chairman of the University Grants Commission was the chief guest on the occasion of the institute’s ninth convocation in August,2006.

The website also states in 2006,the institute organised a special course on ‘Art,Architecture & History’ for students of the University of California under its Education Abroad Programme. Faculty members confirmed that students from China,Myanmar and Vietnam have attended the institute in the past.