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JJ's post-Class 10 diplomas now just 3 yrs, foundation course out
Pune: In the first overhaul of the art education framework in the state in nearly five decades, the higher and technical education department has revised the eligibility criteria and duration of eight art diploma courses, aligning them with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
In the new reforms, the foundational course will be scrapped too.
This move will come into effect from the coming 2025-26 academic year and impact the duration of art diploma programmes after Class 10 in institutions such as Mumbai's Sir J J School of Art and Govt College of Art & Design, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, among others. The timeframe of J J School's four-year diploma in sculpture and modelling and art education will be curtailed to three years.
Students can pursue the degree course after completing the diploma as per old rules and regulations.
The updated courses also include diplomas in applied art, drawing and painting, sculpture and modelling, and several specialisations in art and craft such as interior decoration, textile design (printing and weaving), ceramics and pottery, and metal craft.
Starting from 2025–26, students can directly enrol in these diploma programmes after completing their Std 10 education, eliminating the need for a foundational course.
Until now, students had to complete a one-year foundational course after Class 10 to gain entry into four-year diploma programmes.
Previously, students completed a one-year foundational course before becoming eligible for a four-year diploma—an outdated requirement that discouraged enrolment and delayed career opportunities. Under the revised structure, the foundation course has been renamed the foundation certificate in art and design and will be optional, maintaining a one-year (two-semester) format for those still interested.
Joint secretary of the state higher and technical education department Santosh Khorgade said this long-awaited change—executed after 50 years—will shorten the duration of these courses from four years to three, making art education more accessible and employment-oriented.
"By allowing direct admissions after SSC and aligning with National Education Policy 2020, we aim to give art students the same professional and entrepreneurial edge that other diploma holders enjoy," Khorgade said in a June 6 notification.
This initiative will benefit students and increase participation in art education across the state.
"These reforms result from collaborative proposals from the directorate of art and the Maharashtra State Board of Art Education, who recognised that the outdated framework was limiting student growth and job-readiness," said Khorgade.
