Bhubaneswar, Aug. 17: To attract students, Utkal University of Culture has come up with an innovative idea - offer them a cultural stage every month.

To encourage budding artistes and provide students an opportunity to showcase their talents, the university is organising cultural evenings every month.

The initiative began with a programme of Odissi dance and music organised at Rabindra Mandap on August 7.

"Over the years, the varsity has produced a number of actors, singers, musicians, theatre artistes, filmmakers and instrumentalists, who have brought honour to the state in the country and abroad. We are trying our best to continue the legacy," said vice-chancellor of university Debendranath Jena.

The admission scenario at Utkal University of Culture is grim this year. Of the 658 seats at the varsity, only 274 have been filled up this academic session. The latest move is expected to help reduce the number of vacant seats.

The varsity authorities feel that the lack of cultural colleges at the graduation level is the primary reason behind seats lying vacant at the varsity.

"After graduation, many people stop studying and only a part of them opt for higher studies at the university level. In the process, very few people end up coming for higher studies here," said the registrar of the varsity Suman Das.

While there are a few art colleges across the state, there is only Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya that offers courses in performing arts at the graduation level. As a result, a large number of seats are lying vacant in the faculty of performing arts.

The university also faces problems of the lack of proper infrastructure and availability of faculty members. The varsity's plan to shift to its permanent campus at Madanpur near Jatni is hanging fire. It was planned that the new camwould be inaugurated on Nabakalebar but that did not materialise.

"Around 90 per cent work is complete. Minor things such as beautification of the campus and other cosmetic works are left. We will start holding classes on the new campus soon," said Jena.

Of the 19 sanctioned posts, seven are lying vacant. The authorities are taking initiatives to ensure that more and more students take interest in taking admission at the varsity to promote education, research and training in various spheres of culture.

In an attempt to provide the students with a wider choice of subjects and more flexibility, the varsity had also implemented the choice-based credit system (CBCS) from this academic session.

"This type of curriculum ensures an interdisciplinary approach to learning. They can take courses of their choice and also enhance their knowledge in their preferred fields. A student enrolled in the performing arts course can also take economic as his allied elective subject. It will also enhance employability options for the students," said Jena.

The focus of the new initiative will also be on cultural exchange programmes to ensure that students understand foreign traditions.

"Students living abroad respect our culture and are interested to visit our state and experience the same. We try to ensure that they mingle with the students of various graduate colleges so that an awareness is created among the local students about the importance of their cultural heritage," said Jena.

A delegation of 20 youngsters from South Korea and 12 from Sri Lanka are now on a five-day visit to the varsity.