Arts Subjects: Eligibility Criteria, Top Exams and Job Opportunities
Arts is interesting subject with a vibrant world that includes various subjects ranging from visual arts such as as painting and sculpture, to the performing arts, including music and drama humanities, literature, and languages, providing a comprehensive exploration of human culture, history, and social issues.
Arts subject is popular among students after completing class 12. It includes multiple subjects that explore creativity, human expression, and cultural understanding. It helps students in developing essential skills like creativity, analytical abilities, critical thinking, and communication.
- Fine Arts refers to a form of art that emphasises its aesthetic value and beauty. It is the study of drawing, sculpture, painting, literature, pottery, printmaking, ceramics, and murals.
- The Visual Arts are related to creative art forms whose products can be seen by sight. The art forms include filmmaking, painting, and sculpture.
- Performing Arts is a form of art related to creative art activities that involve artists' physical abilities, such as their body, face, and presence, to perform in front of an audience. The performing arts encompass a diverse range of forms, including music, drama, singing, dance, and stand-up comedy.
Also Read: Career after Creative Arts
- Arts: Highlights
- Arts Courses: Eligibility Criteria
- Arts Subjects
- Additional Art Subjects
- Popular Entrance Exams for Admission to Arts Courses
- Career Opportunities in Arts Stream
Arts: Highlights
Aspirants interested in pursuing Arts subjects should refer to the table below for detailed information about the Arts course. Candidates can check out some of the important points related to Arts courses like course level, course duration, entrance exams, average salaries, course fees, top recruiters and top job profiles listed below in the table:
| Highlights |
Details |
|---|---|
| Course Level |
|
| Popular Courses |
Certificate:
Diploma:
Undergraduate:
Postgraduate:
|
| Admission Process |
Entrance-based or Direct-Admission |
| Examination Type |
Semester-wise |
| Course Fee |
INR 2-6 LPA |
| Top Colleges |
Rabindra Bharti University, Banaras Hindu University, UPES School of Design, Amity University |
| Average Starting Salary |
INR 3-10 LPA |
| Job Positions |
Actor, Drama Artist, Choreographer, Musician, Therapist, Theatre Director, Cinematographer, Community Arts Worker, Theatre Teacher |
| Entrance Exams |
|
| Top Recruiting Companies |
Film and Television Institute of India, Balaji Telefilms, YRF Studios, Universal Arts, Iris Media |
Arts Courses: Eligibility Criteria
Check out the eligibility criteria for Arts courses at each level.
1. Certificate Courses (Short-term)
| Criteria |
Details |
| Educational Qualification |
Class 10 or Class 12 from a recognised board. |
| Minimum Marks |
There is no strict percentage requirement; however, some institutions may require at least 40–45%. |
| Age Limit |
No specific age restrictions in most cases. |
2. Diploma Courses (1–2 years)
| Criteria |
Details |
| Educational Qualification |
Candidates must have completed Class 12 (any stream) from a recognised board. |
| Minimum Marks |
At least 45–50% marks (may vary by institute). |
| Age Limit |
Generally, there is no upper age limit, though some private institutes may have a maximum age of 25. |
3. Undergraduate Courses (3–4 years, e.g., BA, BFA, BPA, B.Des.)
| Criteria |
Details |
| Educational Qualification |
Must have passed Class 12 (10+2) in any stream (Arts, Science, or Commerce) from a recognised board. |
| Minimum Marks |
Typically, around 50% aggregate marks |
| Age Limit |
Some institutions may set an age cap, often a maximum of 23–25 years. |
4. Postgraduate Courses
| Criteria |
Details |
| Educational Qualification |
Must hold a Bachelor’s degree (BA, BFA, BPA, or equivalent) from a recognised university. |
| Minimum Marks |
Usually 50–55% aggregate marks in graduation. |
| Age Limit |
Typically no upper age limit, though fellowships or scholarships may have age criteria. |
Arts Subjects
There are various degree courses available in Arts subjects. Candidates can refer to the table below to learn about some of the popular Arts subjects offered here.
| Arts Subjects |
|
|---|---|
| Human Rights and Gender Studies |
|
| Hindi |
|
| Legal Studies |
|
| Music |
|
| Mass Media Studies |
|
| Informatics Practices |
|
| Fashion Studies |
|
|
|
|
Additional Art Subjects
Apart from the subjects mentioned above, colleges and institutes also offer a few optional Art subjects, including foreign languages such as French, Japanese, and German, as well as Creative Writing, Carnatic Music, Folk Music, Western Music, and Dance. There are various optional subjects under the Art streams. Some of them are listed below:
| Arabic |
Bengali |
| Assamese |
Bodo |
| Dance |
French |
| German |
Fashion Studies |
| Gujarati |
Informatics Practices |
| Japanese |
Persian |
| Legal Studies |
Malayalam |
| Manipuri |
Kannada |
| Graphics |
Computer Science |
| Kashmiri |
Bhutia |
| Mathematics |
Lepcha |
| Tibetan |
Sanskrit |
| Sculpture |
Russian |
| Painting |
Telugu |
| Physical Education |
Telugu AP |
| Mizo |
Sindhi |
| Limboo |
Music |
| Tangkhul |
Tamil |
| Odia |
Urdu |
| Punjabi |
Spanish |
| Commercial Art |
Media Studies |
| Telangana |
Entrepreneurship |
| Nepali |
- |
Popular Entrance Exams for Admission to Arts Courses
To be eligible for admission to Arts subject graduation courses, candidates must have passed class 12th with a minimum passing mark. Meanwhile, some universities and colleges also have their specific entrance exams. Some of the exams are listed below -
| Entrance Name | Registration Details | Exam Details |
|---|---|---|
| PUBDET 2025 | March 28, 2025, to April 28, 2025 | July 6, 2025, to July 7, 2025 |
| CUET 2025 | March 1, 2025, to March 24, 2025 |
May 8, 2025, to June 1, 2025 |
| NSD Entrance Exam | January 10, 2025, to January 15, 2025 |
May 19, 2025 |
| Calcutta University Entrance Exam | - |
3rd week of August 2025 |
| URATPG 2025 | - | June 11 to June 16, 2025 |
Career Opportunities in Arts Stream
The Arts Stream encompasses a diverse range of subjects and offers multiple career options as well. Arts students can opt job according to their interests and skills. Given below are some of the popular streams in which candidates can build their careers.
Career Opportunities in the Arts Stream
| Field/Stream | Possible Job Roles |
|---|---|
| Teaching & Education |
|
| Law |
|
| Media and Journalism |
|
| Management |
|
| Tourism & Travel |
|
| Hotel Management |
|
| Civil Services (IAS/IPS/IFS, etc.) |
|
| Public Relations & Advertising |
|
Choosing Arts as a stream helps art students to get exposure to a world of creative, intellectual, and meaningful career opportunities. Whether a person is drawn to literature, history, psychology, political science, or the fine arts, every subject has its own unique set of skills that can be learned from and opportunities to pursue a career in their preferred field. Students must meet the eligibility criteria, which typically include passing classes 10 and 12. Art students can pursue top entrance exams, such as CUET, DUET, and TISS-NET, to gain admission to renowned fine arts universities.
Read More:
