Mumbai: Butterfly watching on campus, an hour of Kathak, or practicing yoga between lectures are no longer limited to co-curricular clubs on campus.
Under the ambit of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, several colleges across the city have now integrated such activities into their formal curriculum. Apart from enjoying these activities, students are also bagging credits that will add to their cumulative grades. The initiative could signal a broader shift towards holistic, multidisciplinary education, where the emphasis is more on cultural heritage, physical well-being, and environmental sensitisation. Some college principals also said these activities act as effective stress busters, offering students a much-needed break from academic pressure while nurturing their creativity.
Parag Ajgaonkar, principal of N M College, said, “Around 90% of our students are pursuing a professional degree along with their undergraduate degrees, which is not only competitive, but also very demanding. Sometimes all this could have a toll on their mental well-being. If they want to optimise their potential, they will need some time out for rejuvenating activities and these co-curricular ones are providing the opportunity for them to relax, leading to a holistic development.” Ajgaonkar added he has noticed students enjoying these activities as it gives them a break of sorts.
SVKM’s Mithibai College has tied up with Nalanda for offering Bharatnatyam and Kathak. For yoga, the college has collaborated with the Yoga Institute and it has also appointed a sports officer to take care of sports activities on campus, apart from the usual NSS/NCC. From basketball to handball, from lawn tennis to cricket, the college offers a range of sports. “As part of Indian folk dance, we are also offering garba. It really helps them unwind. While we allow students opting for yoga and sports to change their choice of co-curricular activities in subsequent years, but for Indian classical dance, we want them to continue with the same form in all three years,” said principal Krutika Desai.
Stuti Rawat, a student from N M College, was introduced to Kathak during her school years but had to pause her training to focus on board exams. So, when the opportunity to reconnect with the classical dance form came through her college curriculum, she readily took it up again. “While we do learn some theory—like the cultural significance, origins and key elements of Kathak—the focus is largely on practical learning, which I really enjoy.”
Several institutions are expanding beyond traditional activities. Sophia College for Women, as part of the NEP initiative, offers courses such as butterfly gardening, nutrition and public health, and laser applications, among others. “Our campus boasts extensive green spaces, enabling us to offer courses in butterfly and bird watching, in addition to our established yoga, music, and music therapy programmes,” said principal Anagha Tendulkar Patil. “We have also incorporated courses in landscaping (interior and aquatic landscaping), radio jockeying, herbal colour creation, and fabric dyeing,” she said. The college launched a radio station and trains students in aspects of broadcasting too.
At St Xavier’s College, extra-curricular activities were always mandatory, even before NEP. “Students had to compulsorily participate in extracurricular activities, be it theatre, yoga, sports, performing arts, literary arts, to clear their grade, though extracurricular credit was not included in the final cumulative grade point average (CGPA). Post NEP, the marking pattern is more structured and students now earn a total of six credits spanning over three semesters, which are included in the final CGPA,” said Piyali Unnikrishnan, professor in-charge of co-curricular activities. “Co-curricular activities help in holistic development of children and our college was always way ahead of its time.”