Chacha Nehru Scholarship for Artistic and Innovative Excellence

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Primacy to Art Education

The importance of arts in the education system has been repeatedly discussed and
recommended over the decades. Rather than encouraging the pursuit of arts the
education system in the country tends to relegate arts to be ‘useful hobbies’ and
‘leisure activities’. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) – 2005 reiterates the
importance of Art Education at all stages of school education so that ‘we retain our
unique cultural identity in all its diversity’. NCF – 2005 recommends four major areas
of Art Education at the Secondary and Senior Secondary stages. These include
Music, Dance, Visual Arts and Theatre. NCF – 2005 also stipulates that students
must be introduced to the rich and varied art traditions in the country with due
emphasis on learning rather than teaching. The approach should be participatory,
interactive and experiential, rather than instructive. Such an approach should foster
self-expression and self-awareness among children. It should create aesthetic
awareness and develop imagination, enhance confidence in movement and speech,
promote tolerance and sensitivity.
National Bal Bhawan: Bal Shree programme:
The National Bal Bhawan has played a vital role in the promotion of Arts throughout
the length and breadth of the country. Currently there are 73 state and district Bal
Bhawans in the country. The National Bal Bhawan has instituted a system of
honouring talented children in different age groups in the year 1995 through the
Bal Shree scheme. The Bal Shree programme recognizes talent in the following areas:
1. Creative Performance
2. Creative Arts
3. Creative Scientific Innovations
4. Creative Writing
The National Bal Bhawan makes a selection of creative children through activities
conducted at three levels, viz:
1. Local level by organizing 2-day camps in which 8 children (2 in each
stream) are identified at the local level
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2. Zonal Levels by organizing 3 days camps in which local experts,
specialists from six zones, namely North, East, West, Central, South-I
and South -II participate for selection of children
3. National Levels by organizing 4 day camps from the six zones in the
country. A panel of experts and resource persons representing the
four streams are identified to observe and assess the creativity of
children.
On an average 150 children participate in the National level camp and approximately
50 children are chosen for the Bal Shree honour. The criteria for selection of
children for the Bal Shree award includes (a) originality, (b) innovative approach, (c)
fluency, (d) flexibility, (e) divergent thinking, (f) elaboration of ideas, (g) creative
processes culminating into meaningful products, (h) effective functioning in the
group, (i) analytical and critical approach. The National Bal Bhawan has developed a
comprehensive activities’ bank in order to identify the creative skills of the children.
During the selection process children are provided a barrier free environment and an
interactive and supportive environment aimed at bringing out the best in children.
Children thus selected are honoured by the President of India and presented a Bal
Shree certificate.
Chacha Nehru Scholarships for Artistic and Innovative Excellence:
With a view to further encouraging and nurturing talent NCERT will support the
children who participate in the National Camp organised by the National Bal Bhawan
through a scheme of Chacha Nehru Scholarships for Artistic and Innovative
Excellence. The Chacha Nehru Scholarships for Artistic and Innovative Excellence
will be available to children pursuing secondary and senior secondary education in
classes IX – XII. The salient features of the scholarship scheme will be as follows:
1. Children participating in the National Camps of the National Bal Bhawan and
pursuing studies in Classes IX – XII will be awarded an scholarship of Rs 500
per month for a period of four year till they complete Class XII.
2. The National Bal Bhawan will continue to independently design and evolve its
testing tools and evaluation/ assessment schemes for identification of Bal
Shree awardees. The National Bal Bhawan will also independently administer
the activities/ tests for identification of Bal Shree awardees.
3. The National Bal Bhawan will submit to NCERT a list of children studying in
classes IX – XII who have been selected for participation in the National Bal
Bhawan Camp for award of the Chacha Nehru Scholarships for Artistic and
Innovative Excellence. This list will be accompanied by detailed information on
each child as per proforma developed by NCERT.
Advisory Committee:
An especially constituted Advisory Committee will monitor the implementation of the
NCERT-Bal Shree scholarships with the following membership:
1. Chairperson will be a person of repute from the world of arts and culture.
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2. The Director, NCERT, Director, National Bal Bhawan, Chairman, CBSE and
Director General CCRT will be ex-officio members of the Managing
Committee
3. There will be four nominees of the National Bal Bhawan and NCERT
representing the areas of Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Creative Writing and
Scientific Innovation.
4. The Department of Educational Measurement and Evaluation (DEME) in the
NCERT will provide the secretariat support for the functioning of the
Advisory Committee. Accordingly the Head, DEME will function as the
Member Secretary of the Advisory Committee.
The Advisory Committee will give policy recommendations from time to time to
improve the content of the scheme and give specific suggestions on other avenues
for spotting and nurturing talent in these arts, particularly in remote, inaccessible
and educationally deprived areas.
The Advisory Committee will consider ideas and proposals for longitudinal research
based studies to assess whether the creativity of the Bal Shree awardees has been
sustained and identify factors conducive to developing creativity, etc.
The Advisory Committee will take decisions on a case-to-case basis for continuation
of financial support to children to pursue further professional studies in Arts beyond
class XII.
The Advisory Committee will oversee, monitor evaluate the implementation of the
scheme of scholarships. It will be responsible for evolving a mechanism for tracking
the progress of each child so that each child awarded the Chacha Nehru
Scholarships for Artistic and Innovative Excellence can achieve her/ his full
potential.
Non -official Advisory Committee members invited to the meetings of the Managing
Committee will be entitled to facilities (TA/DA, local travel, etc.) available to Class I
Government Officers for the purpose of attending meetings.