For centuries, folklore travelled without textbooks. A song was learnt by listening. A ritual was understood by participating.Today, some of these traditions are finding a new home: the university classroom.

Across India, universities are offering programmes in Folklore Studies, Tribal Studies, Cultural Studies, Heritage Management and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), bringing forms of knowledge once considered informal into the academic mainstream. 

The growing academic interest reflects an attempt to understand culture beyond monuments and museum objects. Folklore, oral traditions and indigenous knowledge can reveal how communities understand nature, identity, history and everyday life. Formal study can also help document traditions that are at risk of disappearing as lifestyles, languages and communities change. 

“Universities can play a significant role in documenting and studying oral traditions from multiple dimensions. At the same time, technology can help preserve traditional knowledge for future generations,” says Gangasourav K, a Research Scholar in the Department of Folkloristics and Tribal Studies at the Central University of Karnataka. However, he stresses that the involvement of tribal communities is essential in academic research, as their own perspectives are crucial to understanding their traditions. 

For universities, formalising these subjects also means developing methods to document oral histories, folk songs, rituals, traditional practices and community knowledge. Technology can help record and preserve material for future generations, but academics increasingly recognise that preservation cannot simply mean collecting information from communities. The people who practise and carry these traditions must be part of the research and documentation process.

Traditional knowledge also has contemporary relevance, particularly in discussions around sustainability and the environment. Many communities have developed ways of living closely with their surroundings, and cultural practices associated with forests, animals and plants can sometimes encourage conservation and protection. Dr Vijisha P, Assistant Professor at the School of Folklore Studies, University of Calicut, believes that tradition is a treasury of knowledge that must be passed on to younger generations. 

She says traditional knowledge was developed by ancestors to meet their needs and survive in harmony with their environment, often through sustainable practices that caused little harm to nature. Encouraging and understanding these knowledge systems, she says, can help build a more sustainable future.

For students, however, one major question remains: What comes after graduation? 

Specialised jobs in folklore and tribal studies may be limited, but these subjects can connect with careers in teaching, research, museums, archives, heritage conservation, tourism, media, cultural organisations and the arts. An interdisciplinary approach can further expand opportunities by combining cultural knowledge with fields such as technology, education and communication.

Nafsal, a folklore graduate currently working as a Muslim arts trainer, says finding job opportunities after completing courses in folklore and cultural studies can be challenging. However, he believes that an academic background in these subjects can be particularly beneficial for artists and cultural practitioners. It helps them gain a deeper and more authentic understanding of their culture and art forms, enabling them to pass on accurate knowledge to others and develop expertise in their chosen field.

Gangasourav encourages students to pursue the subject for knowledge production rather than just employment, he also advises them to adopt a multidisciplinary approach that can open multiple doors for their future.

As traditions move from homes and community spaces into syllabi and research centres, the challenge will be to ensure that they do not become disconnected from the people who created and sustained them. The purpose of these courses, perhaps, is not to turn living traditions into objects of the past, but to understand them, preserve them and find ways to keep them meaningful for a new generation.

MA in Folklore Studies

• Tamil University (Thanjavur)

• Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU)

• Karnataka Folklore University (Gotagodi)

• Gauhati University

• University of Calicut

• University of Kalyani

MA in Tribal Studies

• Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU)

• Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh (CTUAP)

• Indira Gandhi National Tribal University

• Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya

• MA in  Tribal Studies and Ethnomedicine: Mizoram University

• MA Folklore and Culture Studies – IGNOU

• MA Cultural Studies – Tezpur University

• MA Indian Knowledge Systems – Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth

• M.A. in English and Cultural Studies: Christ University, Bengaluru

• M.A. in English with a Specialization in Cultural Studies: Presidency University

• MA program in Indology: MGM University