BORI To Offer PG Diploma In Preventive Conservation

Brings new career avenues in the museum field and heritage conservation sector for young graduates.

PUNE: In a bid to fill the gap that exists for skilled manpower in heritage conservation, city-based Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) is all set to start the Post Graduate Diploma in Preventive Conservation in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi. This was announced during the Press Conference held at BORI yesterday. The BORI Team comprising Bhupal Patwardhan – Executive Chairman, Pradeep Apte – Vice President, Regulatory Council, Sudhir Vaishampayan – Hon Secretary, Shrinivas Kulkarni – EB Member and Varsha Kotphode, HoD of Conservation Department and the Course Coordinator for this program were present on the occasion.

Pradeep Apte said, “While working in the field of conservation, we have experienced the dearth of skilled manpower and the training facilities available for the same. So, we have decided to do our bit by starting this program. A good amount of career opportunities exist for skilled manpower in heritage conservation as India is now home to over 1200 museums and about 400 museums have come up in the last 2 decades itself. This indicates the growth of the sector and rising awareness about the importance of heritage.“

“This Diploma Course will provide a comprehensive overview of heritage conservation, its philosophies and history. It will touch upon aspects of traditional and scientific conservation methods, restoration and preservation of our tangible heritage (material culture), and the resources of the Indian Knowledge System. Young graduates, postgraduates, and individuals with a flair for heritage can take up this course and take the opportunities that are opening up in a big way in areas like government and private museums, archives, libraries, art galleries, universities, religious institutions, and auction houses and there is a dire for trained conservators, restorers, archivists, and collection managers“, he added.

While sharing the details of the course Varsha Kotphode said, “This program will aim at creating the job-ready professionals who can immediately be absorbed in museums, galleries, and big libraries having old books and manuscripts that possess enormous heritage value. It is a one-year full-time Diploma spread across 2 semesters and shall be run 4 days a week 11:00 am to 4:00 pm from Wednesday to Saturday. The basic eligibility criteria are to Graduate from any stream with a 6.5 plus CGPA or 55% plus marks. There is no age limit but the person needs to be interested in pursuing art conservation work in future.“

“Considering the nature of this Diploma, a lot of importance would be given to practical training. More than 70% weightage shall be given to practical aspects and subjects like an introduction to preventive conservation, museum objects,  museum climate & factors of deterioration along with documentation in preservation shall be taught in the first semester. Whereas, the second semester would contain handling, transportation, and packaging of museum objects, museum storage and display, integrated pest management (IPM), and risk & disaster management in museums“, she added.

One of the important highlights of this program is the participation of experts from Australia for imparting training in Risk & Disaster Management in Museums and of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) for conducting the module in storage management for the museum collection, hosted by IGNCA, Delhi. Many esteemed faculties and experts from heritage and art conservation fields from all over India will be conducting the different modules from time to time.