Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy: Admission, Courses, Fees, Placements

Kerala Kalamandalam, Cheruthuruthy is one among the youngest Deemed to be University set up in the year 2006, primarily to promote and perpetuate the Indian performing arts forms of the past and enrich them in the present. This unconventional educational facility is established in Thrissur, Kerala; it provides a vast number of classes in the classical dance, music, and drama. With the permission of UGC and 12 members of the faculty that consist of experienced professionals, Kerala Kalamandalam offers specialised education in different arts. It currently has 31 courses spread out in five degree programmes, promoting traditional performing arts of Kerala, namely Kathakali, Kutiyattam, and Mohiniyattam and Carnatic Music.

Kerala Kalamandalam itself has mounted sophisticated facilities for artistic dialogues in its campus. Students make use of well furnished classrooms to enhance their learning and teaching from the theoretical as well as practical aspects. The university has a very large library that has more than 50000 books in the areas of theatre, music, dance, history of India, aesthetics and Indian Epics and Puranas and in almost all formats and these are immensely useful for the students and teachers. There is good accommodation for students – both male and female in separate hostels, and the students are fed strictly vegetarian diets in compliance with the traditional nature of the institution.

Training in different field of art forms which are offered by Kerala Kalamandalam are bachelor and master’s degree, M.Phil and Ph.D programmes. ‘They are offering 31 full time courses which include specialties as Kathakali, Kutiyattam, Mohiniyattam, Carnatic Music, Chenda, Mridangam et cetera.’ Further, research programs specialised in Comparative Studies, Aesthetics, Folkloristics, and Literary Studies makes the institution provide students with profound understanding and scholarly approaches to traditional arts.

Kerala Kalamandalam has a brilliant procedure of admission that ensures the ticket goes to only the best and most hard working students. For M.Phil and Ph.D programmes, MA, BA the University conducts admission test in written aptitude test & interview by the research committee of the university. This makes certain that only the right candidates who have good understanding and prospective of research on the particular field of art are admitted. Like most universities, the university enrolls students for various courses at different dates depending on the course offered.

Kerala Kalamandalam’s specialized area of operation in training in traditional performing arts has brought out leading lights in many parts of the country, who have contributed a lot in their respective fields. Unfortunately there is not information about specific scholarship but, as the institution aims at developing and maintaining classical arts one may assume that there are opportunities to receive scholarship for financially disadvantaged students. Despite being a contemporary art school with privilegged access to a multicultural exposure, Kerala Kalamandalam remains integral for budding talents and intellects interested in the world of Indian performing arts and human capital.