New Delhi: The School of Interdisciplinary and Trans-disciplinary Studies (SOITS) of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) recently lanuched an innovative Diploma Programme in Folklore and culture Studies, 'PG Diploma in Folklore and Culture Studies (PGDFCS)'.

From the current session, students will get an entirely novel offer in culture studies, comprehensive and detailed, with anecdotal references to the ethos of cultures of the world.

"It is a synergistic approach to studies of cultures and folklores of the world, with special reference to Indian tradition. Indian culture is entwined in the ethos of life of the subcontinent on which the SOITS has laid thrusts for studies", a varsity release said.

The programme fee has been fixed at Rs.2000 and students will be given one to four years to complete the Diploma in flexi-mode, through the Open and Distance Learning (ODL) method.

The programme, PGDFCS, is the brainchild of SOH's Associate Professor of English, Dr. Nandini Sahu, who belongs to the IGNOU School of Humanities.

"The PGDFCS students will have to study for 30 credits under five courses. These are Folklore and Culture: Conceptual perspectives; Tradition, Identity and Cultural Production; Cultural and Societal Transformation; Tribes of India: Identity, Culture and Lore; and a Project Report of 20,000 words, based on the studies of the aforesaid four courses. This Project Report would constitute the special aspect in this Programme. The students will have to go through various theoretical approaches and undertake case studies to understand and approach folklore and cultures", Dr. Sahu informed.

She further added that the course can be very interesting with units based on folk art, oral and written traditions of folk literature, folk music, dance, drama, puppetry, archiving, tribes and the forest and the preservation of culture.

Four blocks are the basic structure of each course on which the Project Report has to be written. The School expects that the students will study meticulously enough to be able to develop a standpoint about how best the cultures and folklores can be preserved.