Mumbai: Students of art schools across Maharashtra – both aided and unaided — stand to lose their diplomas as they have intensified their boycott of the 64th Maharashtra State Art Exhibition (student section). They are pushing for a demand of a separate Visual Arts University, as promised in the state’s art policy in January 2023. They are resisting being coerced into being affiliated with the newly formed Maharashtra State Education Board for Art, passed in the winter session of the assembly, 2024, and put into effect in June, 2024. They feel it is in conflict with the government’s earlier pledge of a university.

The students’ resolve was further strengthened when the board issued a public notice on November 27, warning schools to complete the process of affiliation or face consequences – withholding exam services and freezing principals’ salaries. The students are backed by teachers of the respective schools.

Around 2000 students of 178 art schools across the state have refused to submit their work for the annual exhibition scheduled for February, 2025. The exhibition is crucial for the students as it is a gateway to their future.

Bharat Borate, president of the Unaided Art Colleges Association, criticised the government’s approach, saying, “These threats are an attempt to force compliance. Affiliation with the board may harm students’ academic progress.”

A principal of an art school called attention to the prevailing confusion among students, as despite resistance towards affiliation with the board, the latter has started issuing mark sheets under its letterhead. “In our institution, students now receive mark sheets from two different authorities — older mark sheets issued by the Directorate of Arts and newer ones issued by the board,” he said. “Those issued by the Directorate of Arts hold credibility in the art sector. There’s uncertainty about how the board’s mark sheets will be regarded in the art market.”

Explaining their stand, a student said, “Although the exhibition is pivotal for our growth, we have chosen to boycott as without a dedicated university, our prospects are limited.”

In October, HT had reported about the demands of the students and teachers. States like Karnataka, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh have already established dedicated visual arts universities to enhance the quality of art education.

The Maharashtra State Visual Arts University Action Committee, formed by art teachers as a pressure group, has criticised the board’s formation, arguing that it bypasses the need for a centralized university to govern visual arts education. The committee emphasized that the Directorate of Arts already manages curricula and examinations for all affiliated institutions. “What unique function does this board serve that the directorate doesn’t already fulfill?” questioned a committee member.

Vinod Wankhede, vice president of the Maharashtra State Teachers and Non-Teaching Staff Association, remarked, “The government should have consulted us before forcing the affiliations. The board’s refusal to discuss or address our concerns is unacceptable. They’ve adopted a ‘first affiliate, then talk’ policy, which is unfair.” The association has also warned that this stance undermines long-term interests of students. The New Education Policy (NEP) 2030, deems that diploma programmes be phased out in favour of degree courses. Maharashtra risks falling behind other states if it fails to implement these changes.

Wankhede stressed, “We are demanding a visual arts university because it is the only sustainable way to unify and elevate art education in the state. Yet, the government is adamant about pushing the board.”

HT’s repeated attempts to reach out to officials from the Directorate of Arts for comments were unsuccessful, although sources in the department maintained that the board and directorate were working collaboratively and dismissed concerns over the boycott’s impact.

Despite the boycott, the directorate and the board have claimed to have received over 3,000 entries for the exhibition. Sources from the board alleged that certain colleges are pressuring students to take the hard stand.