Maharashtra Govt Launches Online Courses On Indigenous Folk Art & Handicrafts Under National Education Policy

Mumbai: The Maharashtra Government, in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, has approved the development of five online courses focusing on indigenous folk art and handicrafts. These courses will cover Warli painting, pottery and sculpture, craftsmanship (card-making), bamboo work, and weaving, offering students a comprehensive understanding of traditional crafts.

Each course will follow a structured curriculum across three levels—basic, intermediate, and advanced—totalling approximately 9 to 10 hours, with each level comprising around 3 hours of content. The educational material will be hosted on the DIKSHA platform, ensuring accessibility to students across the state.

The government has allocated Rs. 1.85 lakh per course for content creation and the development of e-learning resources. These funds will be sourced from the 2024-25 budget under the General Education scheme, specifically for e-learning initiatives.

By integrating folk arts and handicrafts into digital education, the initiative aims to preserve Maharashtra’s rich cultural heritage while providing students with hands-on learning experiences. The state government emphasises the importance of promoting local art forms through online platforms to make traditional skills more accessible to the younger generation.

This project reflects the government’s commitment to modernising education while fostering cultural awareness and skill development. By incorporating traditional crafts into structured learning, the initiative aligns with NEP 2020’s broader vision of blending cultural education with modern teaching methods, ensuring the continuation of indigenous art forms in the digital era.