Fine Arts College keen to close down, students worried

Bandra-based L S Raheja School of art seems to be eager to close down some of its courses from this academic year onwards.

After a protest by students with the help of a student’s group, the management of the aided college has reluctantly agreed to keep their foundation course on.

In a letter to the Directorate of Art (DOA) dated 27 July, 2016 the college has agreed to run the course but not mentioned when it will start admissions to the course.

The college had addressed a number of request letters to the DOA from November last year for permission to close its one-year foundation course, a certificate of which is necessary to pursue diploma or degree courses.

The college also wanted to close its Drawing and Painting course over the years but stopping admissions to the first-year of the fouryear course from this academic year onwards.

The college had lost its leased land in Bandra west after a court order and had to shift the college to the society’s land in Bandra east this year.

While the management has cited lack of space in the new building to run these courses as the reason, in its letter to the DOA dated 18 April, 2016 in which it seeks permission to shift the college to the new building, it has itself specified with figures that it has the required space to run the courses in the new location.

The DOA had continually refused permission to the college to shut its courses as it is the only aided fine arts college offering the Drawing and Painting course. Closing the course would be unfair to poor students, the letter said. It had also cited the problem of teachers losing their jobs if the department closes.

“They say they don’t have space. Then how are they running some unaided courses such as hotel management in the college. The college was founded for fine arts courses, but they don’t have space for these?” asked Rahul Gharat of Vidyarthi Bharti.

In the name of ‘additional charges’ for maintenance of air conditioning system, lift and increased charges towards electricity bill and municipal taxes, the college is asking students to pay up to Rs 10,000 annually. FPJ is in possession of a document demanding these ‘additional’ charges. The college has asked students to pay the charges through a demand draft, for which it gives no receipt.