What is BPA: Full Form, Course Duration, Admission 2026, Colleges, Syllabus, Salary & Scope

Students wants to pusrue BPA course for some of the reasons that are explained below -

• Candidates who wish to make a career in the field of music, dance, or drama can pursue a BPA course.
• A BPA programme from a good institute can help the candidates hone their skills and knowledge in the field of Performing Arts.
• After completing the BPA course, candidates can work in the field of music or dance industry as a performer, choreographer, director, administrator or teacher.

Hence, this course is tailor-made for candidates who are creative and have the desire to express their creativity.

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A Bachelor of Performing Arts degree (BPA) is different from a general fine arts degree also known as a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) that a BFA Course has a stronger emphasis on studio practice and the development of artistic skills. It often includes more hands-on experience and intensive studio work while A BA in Fine Arts may offer a broader liberal arts education which allows you to explore other subjects alongside your art studies.

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Arts (fine/visual/performing)courses are specialised programs that are designed to develop and enhance artistic skills in many different forms of creative expression. 

Fine arts courses basically focus on developing technical abilities and an understanding of art history and theory in traditional disciplines such as painting, sculpture, and drawing.

Visual arts courses take this exploration one step ahead which is to include modern and digital mediums such as graphic design, photography, and digital art. This emphasizes both traditional techniques and contemporary practices.

Performing arts courses has subjects such as theater, dance, and music which helps in providing the students with training in performance techniques, stagecraft, and the historical and theoretical aspects of their art form.

These courses aim to nurture artistic talent, foster creativity, and provide students with a comprehensive understanding of their chosen field.

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To gain admission to the BPA course, students need to have a Class 12 pass certificate with at least 50% - 60% aggregate marks. Most of the times candidates who have a background in performing arts are given preference at the time of admission.

Many colleges also offer Diploma or certificate courses which the candidates can choose before studying BPA. Afterwards they can merge the credits and also pursue BPA in Lateral Entry.

Getting admission to a BPA course is similar to any other course. Some universities have the eligibility to qualify in the entrance exam.

• First, you need to apply for the entrance and appear in it.
• Then you need to apply for college.
• If you get the required score, you can get admission to the college.

The exams accepted for BPA course are:

CUET, SET, PUBDET,  BHU UET

The top job roles are:

Actor, Choreographer, Musician, Cinematographer, Community Arts Worker, Theatre Teacher

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There are many different scholarships that are available for higher education in performance arts in India and also in abroad. Some of the Scholarships that are provided to the students who want to pursue higher education in Performing Arts are mentioned below for your reference -

• Sanskriti kalakriti fellowship
• Takshila Fine Arts Scholarship
• Ishan Uday Scholarship
• Roberta Sykes Scholarships

Also read about -
Cultural Talent Search Scholarship 2026

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The list of BPA entrance exams along with the entrance exam schedule is mentioned in the table below for your reference -

Source - Official site and may differ.

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On analysing the CUET UG cut off for the academic year 2025-26, scoring above 700 marks can be considered a good score in CUET UG. Candidates scoring above 700 may fall in the category of 95+ percentile. Candidates can get admission to top central  universities like University of Delhi, Banaras Hindu University, Jawaharlal Nehru University and other universities in the desired course. Given below is the range that is considered good for admission:

• Very Good Score: 700 and above
• Good Score: 650 and above

Score range between 400-649 is considered an average score. Admission on the basis of the average score can et into any decent college in India accepting CUET scores. 

IPU CET is a National Level Exam. IPU CET or Indraprastha University Common Entrance Test, is competitive examination conducted by Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU) in Delhi, India. It is held annually for admission to undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered by university and affiliated colleges.

CUET exam centre is allocated on the basis of the preferences entered by the candidate while filling the CUET application form. NTA allotes exam centre as per the preference entered and is subject to availability and logistical consideration.

While filling the CUET application form, candidates can select four cities of their choice. Choice of CUET exam centre cities will be limited to the State of permanent address or State of present address only. In case there are very few candidates from a city, the NTA reserves the right to merge one, two, or more cities.

CUET 2026 exam will be held in May-June 2026 in computer based mode over a month window. The exam will be held across more than 300 exam cities in India. Candidates will be able to know the alloted exam centre on issuance of CUET intimation slip or CUET admit card.

Having a good level of understanding of the syllabus is the first stage in exam preparation. This will help you to determine the topics that you should cover and the amount of time you should devote to each one.

In order to concentrate in your study on the areas where you need development, you can also test the last year's papers to determine your strengths and shortcomings. Candidates can refer to BPA syllabus as well as reasoning topics in order to prepare for the entrance.

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Yes, students who have an interested in sales, marketing, business administration, and other same profiles can take MBA after completing BPA, as MBA gives admission to students from any background. It will improve their skills and allow them to attain in-depth knowledge of the course. After completing MBA, candidates can become managers and climb the corporate ladder much more easily.

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Yes, BPA is a very good course as the career options after the completion of the course is very good. Students can get many different job roles according to their interests and in the field they want to work after completing the course like dance, theatre or music. 

Candidates should try to improve their skills such as performing arts techniques, communication skills, and creativity skills to get the benefits of pursuing this course.

Read more about -
Diploma in Bharatanatyam

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Candidates pursuing BPA have to study different subjects such as:

• History of Indian Theatre
• Western Music
• Sound Editing
• Introduction to Indian Theatre
• Choreography, World Music
• Project on Commercial Advertisement
• Basic Concepts of Film Making

BPA Courses are offered by many colleges under the Central government of India and various State governments.

Given below is a list of BPA government colleges along with BPA government college fees:

• Visva Hindu University
• Assam University
• IGNOU - Indira Gandhi National Open University
• Visva Bharati University
• CSJM - Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University
• MGKVP - Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith
• Gujarat University

BPA private colleges provide excellent infrastructure and experts in the field of acting, theatre and film making, making these colleges popular for BPA course.

Candidates can find below some BPA private colleges:

• Amity University, Noida
• Assam Down Town University
• Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune
• LPU - Lovely Professional University
• NIMS School of Humanities and Social Sciences
• Parul University
• SAGE University, Bhopal
• BFA University
• SVSU - Swami Vivekanand Subharti University

Following is the list of colleges that provides BPA in Kathak:

• Sarvajanik College of Performing Arts
• National School of Drama
• Film and Television Institute of India
• Amity School of Performing Arts
• Film and Television Institute of India (FTII)
• Centre for Performing Arts (Lalit Kala Kendra)
• Pune University

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Performing Arts provides multiple good career options. Along with the degree, your skills also matter as it will help you in combining your creative skills with practical aspects.

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After pursuing a BPA degree, students can get multiple job opportunities in the fields of music, theatre and choreography. Some of them are mentioned below -

• Music Therapist
• Art Administrator
• Community Arts Worker
• Theatre Director
• Choreographer
• Art Administrator
• Broadcast Presenter

Some of the popular recruiters for BPA graduates are mentioned below for your reference -

• Universal Arts
• Saregama India
• HT Media
• Disney+Hotstar
• HT Media
• Ministry of Culture, Government of India
• Balaji Telefilms
• Iris Mediaworks 

No, they are two totally different courses. BA is Bachelor of Arts while BPA is Bachelor of Performing Arts. They both are undergraduate degree courses.

BA is a general degree which is provided across many streams and specialisations such as Music, Dance and various other branches of Performing Arts.

BPA is a specialised degree which is made for candidates who wish to pursue a general course can take up BA whereas for a specialised education can choose BPA.

Students with an artistic background have a wide range of professional alternatives. While performing arts provide options in acting, dancing, directing, and producing, visual arts and design offer pathways like graphic design, illustration, and art direction. Digital marketing experts, social media managers, and content producers are common positions in the field of digital media and communication.

Options for authorship, content development, and journalism are presented by writing and journalism. Furthermore, curators of galleries or museums are included in the field of arts administration. An arts degree's adaptability enables people to work in a variety of sectors, bringing creativity and critical thinking to disciplines like media and entertainment, design, and administration.

Read more about - 

⁠BPA Course

Communication and teamwork abilities can be enhanced of a person by taking courses in the performing arts. As you will gain knowledge on how to collaborate with others to put on a performance. Plus, you will also discover efficient ways to interact with your audience. Your social skills will be strengthened by studying performing arts classes. You will pick up social skills, relationship-building techniques, and teamwork abilities.

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Among the institutions providing the best Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA) in India is the University of Mumbai.

Currently, the BPA Music, BPA Dance, and BPA Theatre courses are such one that requires 10+2 (50%), aptitude test, and further detailed categories related with a maximum of 41. Name, history, faculty, and being the hub of culture make Mumbai University better. BHU (with BPA through entrance) and IGNOU (distance) are some other contenders: the strong - yet stronger with Mumbai industry and performance capabilities that Mumbai Bachelor of Arts inherently provides.