Rethinking UGC Regulations: Elevating Photography Education and Professional Standards
- Kaustubh Gogate
- Nov 20, 2024
- 3 min read
In India, photography is a cornerstone of visual storytelling, driving industries like journalism, advertising, fashion, and fine arts. Despite its pivotal role, photography education is facing severe challenges due to restrictive University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations and systemic gaps in academic and vocational alignment.
The UGC’s requirement for PhD qualifications in faculty positions is sidelining experienced photographers, compromising the quality of education students receive. Additionally, pathways for aspiring educators or researchers with backgrounds in photography-related fields remain unclear, leaving a vast pool of talent untapped.
Core Issues in Photography Education
Exclusion of Experienced Professionals:Photographers with 12+ years of industry experience are excluded from teaching roles in universities due to the lack of a PhD, disregarding their invaluable practical expertise.
Merger with Mass Communication:Photography is often grouped under mass communication in universities, resulting in a diluted curriculum that fails to capture its technical and creative depth.
Limited Access to PhD Opportunities:
While BFA/MFA degrees include photography as a subject, individuals with related qualifications, such as diplomas or degrees in specialized photography or visual communication, often face barriers in applying for PhD programs.
There should be provisions for candidates with photography-related qualifications to pursue PhDs, recognizing the interdisciplinary nature of the field.
Irrelevant Certification Pathways:
The NET in Mass Communication lacks significant focus on photography, leaving aspiring educators with no specialized route to qualify.
MESC certifications, while recognized in the industry, are not aligned with university frameworks for further studies, limiting academic progression.
No Defined National Occupation Standards (NOS):The absence of a comprehensive NOS for photography creates ambiguity about professional benchmarks, leading to inconsistencies in education and practice.
Proliferation of Unregulated Professionals:The lack of mandatory certifications or degrees has led to an influx of low-cost, underqualified photographers, negatively impacting the profession’s credibility.
Solutions for a Unified Framework
To address these challenges and elevate photography as a discipline, the following measures are essential:
1. Enable University Roles for Industry Experts:
Recognize photographers with 12+ years of industry experience as eligible for teaching positions, regardless of PhD qualifications.
Develop a specialized NET exam tailored to photography’s academic and practical needs.
2. Facilitate PhD Pathways for Photography Graduates:
Allow graduates with BFA/MFA degrees or related qualifications in photography or visual communication to pursue PhD programs.
Introduce an interdisciplinary approach to PhD admissions, acknowledging the diverse academic foundations that contribute to photography.
3. Align Vocational and Academic Pathways:
Recognize MESC certifications as a base qualification for academic progression, much like engineering diplomas serve as a pathway to degrees.
Create clearer guidelines for integrating vocational and academic frameworks.
4. Establish National Occupation Standards (NOS):
Define comprehensive NOS for photography roles, setting clear benchmarks for skills, job profiles, and qualifications.
Ensure alignment between vocational certifications, academic degrees, and industry requirements.
5. Mandate Formal Qualifications for Photographers:
Require professional photographers to hold recognized degrees or certifications, ensuring a baseline of quality and professionalism.
This step will regulate the influx of low-cost, unqualified practitioners, preserving the credibility of the industry.
6. Separate Photography from Mass Communication:
Establish independent photography departments within universities, equipped with dedicated resources and faculty to offer specialized education.
A Call to Action
The current framework undermines the potential of photography as an academic discipline and professional field. By enabling industry experts to teach, facilitating PhD opportunities for diverse photography-related backgrounds, and aligning vocational and academic pathways, we can transform photography education in India.
Policymakers, educators, and industry leaders must collaborate to build a unified system that empowers students, upholds teaching standards, and safeguards the integrity of the profession.
Let’s work together to ensure that education empowers rather than restricts and that the future of photography in India shines brighter than ever.
Your thoughts and ideas can drive this much-needed change. Let’s discuss and advocate for a better tomorrow.
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