The University authorities are meeting experts from the National School of Drama and Lalitkala Academy, Kapila Vatsyayan and artistes including Amjad Ali Khan, M.F. Husain, Shovanana Narayan and Sonal Mansingh.

The approval to set up the school was given by an Act of Parliament n the early 1970s. The Act specified setting up of eight schools including one for arts and aesthetics within the university. Though the other schools were established, the proposal to set up the School of Arts and Aesthetics remained embroiled in controversy.

In 1984, then JNU vice-chancellor P.N. Srivastav wanted to revive it. He appointed a group of experts headed by dance critic Shanti Kothari to work out the course contents. ``However, after spending an year discussing the details, the group could not come to any conclusion and the entire exercise ended in petty squabbles,'' says Centre for Political Studies Professor Ashwini K. Ray.

The university set up a committee last year with Prof Ray as the chairperson for the same objective -- to work out the specifics of the project. This time round, the committee has laid down the programmes and courses to be offered at the school, subject to approval by the executive council.

Says JNU Coordinating officer S. Chandrasekharan: ``The school of Arts and Aesthetics will promote learning, research, art and sensitivity to creativity to young minds. We will focus on music, painting, theatre and other fine arts.'' The school will begin by offering lecture demonstrations and short-term certificate courses to students. It will offer degree courses after judging the popularity of these courses.