Ghost Classes, Missing Teachers & Misused Funds—How Rajasthan’s Schools are Killing Art Education

Jaipur- Art and music have long been regarded as supplementary subjects rather than essential components of education. This perception has led to persistent government apathy, leaving art education in Rajasthan in a dire state.

Despite the National Education Policy (NEP) emphasizing creative learning, thousands of students in the state are forced to study art without dedicated teachers, textbooks, or structured curricula.

The government continues to allocate funds on paper, but at the ground level, the reality remains unchanged—students are evaluated in subjects they have never been properly taught.

The entire process, from conducting exams to announcing results, is completed on paper, leaving students with little to no quality education in the subject.

Due to the lack of art teachers in the state, Hindi and Urdu subject teachers are evaluating answer sheets for art examinations. This glaring flaw in the education system contradicts the objectives of the NEP, which emphasizes making art education a priority to foster creativity and reduce academic stress among students. Unfortunately, Rajasthan appears to be disregarding these guidelines.

Crores Allocated for Art Education — But Where is the Money Going?

The central government has allocated crores of rupees for art education. In the 2021-22 session, it sanctioned Rs 41,876.54 lakh for the construction of art and craft rooms, Rs 1.13 crore for art festivals, and Rs 19.70 crore for art kits and materials. However, this budget has not been utilized effectively for art education. Instead, the School Education Council has diverted these funds elsewhere, leaving the condition of art education stagnant.

Government schools claim to be providing art education despite the absence of teachers, books, and curriculum. The state government organizes events on paper to gain appreciation, but the ground reality remains starkly different — most schools lack even basic art classrooms. According to Rajasthan Teachers' Association Siyaram, teachers from other subjects are fulfilling the formalities of art education, depriving students of proper guidance.

Every year, the School Education Council releases an annual calendar and program, but budget allocations for art education have been pending for years, with files gathering dust at the departmental level.

"The situation is so alarming that lakhs of students from Class 1 to Class 10 appear for examinations and receive grades in art subjects without ever receiving actual art education", SIyaram Sharma, President of the Teachers Association says.

As per statistics, out of the 86.23 lakh students in the state, nearly 10 lakh students chose art as an elective subject in the 12th board examinations.

Music Education in Rajasthan — A Grim Picture

The condition of music education in Rajasthan is even worse. The government halted the recruitment of second and third-grade music teachers in 1992. Consequently, in the last four decades, only 28 music teachers have been appointed. At present, out of the 14,032 schools in Rajasthan, only 43 schools offer music as an elective subject, and only 28 of these have appointed music teachers, while 15 positions remain vacant.

There are 23 government and 41 private colleges in the state that offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in music, producing thousands of trained music teachers every year.

Additionally, several universities in the state have active music departments. However, the absence of government recruitment forces these trained professionals into unemployment, compelling them to seek jobs in other states or at the central government level.

Despite repeated budget allocations by the central government, the state government does not appear to take art education seriously. Thousands of art rooms have been constructed, yet there are no teachers to conduct classes.

This situation highlights how art education in Rajasthan is merely a formality, failing to provide any real benefits to students. This negligence in the education system not only affects students' futures but also eliminates stable employment opportunities for local artists and educators.