Established in 1974, Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar is a first of its kind institution in Northern India, where education in traditional and modern arts as well as a multitude of other disciplines, is imparted to students, laced with moral, social, and cultural values. This unique institution brought Fine Arts from the fringes to the folds, offering various courses in Fine Arts and beyond to the youth.
Apeejay College of Fine Arts (ACFA) is the first, out of the higher education institutions of the illustrious Apeejay Education Society, which recently celebrated its Golden Jubilee. In the last five decades, ACFA has grown in size and stature and emerged as an institute of substance and excellence. Students not only from India, but also from overseas, flock to study here.
ACFA is recognised as a ‘College with Potential for Excellence’ by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi. ACFA has aced the third cycle of NAAC accreditation process by procuring an ‘A+’ grade, the highest among colleges so far. Another remarkable achievement in this session has been to get the prestigious grant by the University Grants Commission (UGC) to setup DDU Kaushal Kendra, a skill-based educational training centre in the College. One of the key focus areas for ACFA has been the preservation of the Indian cultural heritage in its myriad dimensions. It seeks to ensure that the multiple facets of Arts & Culture are preserved through active interventions so that they can pass on to successive generations.
The Visionaries
ACFA was set up with a rare vision by the Founder Chairman of the Apeejay Education Society, Dr Stya Paul. His legacy of excellence is being carried forward by his daughter, Mrs Sushma Paul Berlia, Co-Promoter and President, Apeejay Stya Group, Chairperson, Apeejay Education Society and Co-Founder and Chancellor, Apeejay Stya University. As the key personality behind ACFA, Mrs Berlia has made outstanding contribution in ensuring that this unique institution stays true to its objective of ushering a cultural renaissance and professional impetus in the region, while growing constantly from strength to strength.
The Best in Class Offerings
The College has outshone all other colleges of the region in producing the longest tally of TV and cinema artists, renowned singers, and models apart from chartered accountants, administrators, academicians, etc. The College empowers the students to meet the challenges of the 21st Century world along with striving to enable them to touch meteoric heights in their chosen fields.
ACFA is well-equipped with the most adequate infrastructure in consonance with its ever growing academic, research, cultural, and extension activities. The college facilities include ICT enabled class rooms, computer and IT Labs, professionally equipped multimedia labs, Hi-Tech applied art labs, ICT enabled physics, physiotherapy, fashion makeover, photography and design labs and music, dance, theatre and fine arts studios and language lab. The meditation room and terrace garden are bliss for faculty members and students seeking peace and solace. The seminar room, conference room, video conference room, spacious auditorium, open air theatre and art gallery have optimum utilization through seminars, presentations, various cultural events, and exhibitions. There are two fully air-conditioned digital and fully automated libraries, stocked with rare and relevant books, KINDLE and subscription to prominent and research-based journals, magazines, and newspapers.
Awards and Accolades Galore
The College has been declared ‘Mentor College’ by the UGC. It has also been awarded ‘India’s Education Excellence Award 2018’ by Berkshire Media LLC, USA. Over the years, numerous awards and accolades have been bestowed upon the college and its students for excellence in the various realms of Fine and Performing Arts, as also sports, public speaking, and film making. These include the awards of ‘Best Film and Best Director’ in a Film Festival organized by the I.K. Gujral Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, in 2019, which was won by the College’s students of Journalism. In 2017, the College was selected by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, India, to represent the country in the 10th South Asian University Festival (SAUFEST) organized at Devi Ahilya Bai University, Indore, by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
Accomplished Alumnus of the Institute
ACFA creative alumni have made a mark for themselves in their respective domains. Well known faces include inimitable showman Kapil Sharma, actors Karan Kundra, Sugandha Mishra, Surbhi Jyoti, Gunjan Walia, Bannet Dosanjh, singers Jasbir Jassi and Yuvraj Hans and models Seep Taneja and Nitin Chauhan, to name a few. The latest to join the stars include: Balraj Syal, stand up comedian of Colours Comedy ‘Entertainment Ki Raat’ fame, Anadi Mishra, Singer and Composer. Adhvik Mahajan, an upcoming Film and T.V. Actor, Akhil Pasricha, emerging Punjabi Singer, singing sensation Dev Negi of ‘Judwa 2 & Badri Ki Dulhania’ and Punjabi Singer Gurnam Bhullar. The first prize for the 8th Dada Saheb Phalke National Film Festivals 2018 has been bagged by four of ACFA Multimedia students.
Beyond the entertainment world, high achieving alumni include Kanav Dua, Assistant Director, Audit, Ministry of Finance, Govt. of India and Mayur Gupta, Senior Consultant in KPMG, who has also been selected for a Project in UK where only four people from India have been selected. It also includes Krishma Kochar, who has been selected as Software Development Engineer in Amazon, Amsterdam, Netherlands with an annual package of Rs. 40 Lacs.
