Prasar Bharti

Guidelines for Drama Artists

Radio Drama portrays life in all its dimensions. Radio adaptation of classics, novels, short stories and stage plays are taken up for production by AIR stations. Plays also target eradication of deep rooted social evils and taboos superstition prevailing in the society. Serials projecting socio-economic issues are also broadcast.

The National Programme of Plays is an important programme of AIR which is broadcasted from AIR Delhi and relayed by other AIR station. The first National Programme of Plays “PRAFULLA” a Bangla stage play by Girish Chandra Ghosh was broadcast in July 1956. The broadcast continues then onwards on fourth Thursday of every month at 21.30 hrs.

Radio drama artistes are selected and awarded grades through Auditions.

How to apply for drama audition:

• The Drama Audition Committee (DAC) at each Station consists of members as detailed below:-
  1. Station Director or Asstt. Station Director (Chairman).
  2. Programme Officer (Drama or Feature).
  3. PEX (Drama) from the nearest or linked stations having good understanding of the language, (or),
  4. A Programme Officer who is a recipient of Akashvani Annual Award for Drama (from the Station or the nearest Station).
• Auditions:- Audition of applicants should be held at least twice in a year. The Stations would maintain a confidential register containing the name and particulars of each applicant, date of audition, Grade recommended and remarks of the Programme Head of the Station. This register would be kept in the personal custody of PEX-in-Charge of Drama Section. It would be put up to the Head of station at the end of each day’s audition.The audition should be conducted anonymously and the candidates be identified through coded Roll Numbers to be allotted personally by the Head of the Station and should be kept strictly confidential.
• Re-Audition:-
  1. An unsuccessful candidate can appear for re-audition after one year from the date of his/her last audition. A candidate who is unsuccessful three times will not be allowed to re-appear for audition.
  2. For purposes of up-grading to ‘B’ High Category, approved candidate can appear for audition after one year of his/her previous audition, by paying proper Audition fee.
  3. Upgradation to “A” and “Top” Category is done by Directorates.
• Classification of Artists:- The approved artists may be classified in one of the following categories-
  1. Top Category.
  2. ‘A’ Category.
  3. ‘B’ High.
  4. ‘B’ Category.
  5. Juvenile.

  Note:(Where opinions are divergent the opinion of each member of the Committee shall be noted separately for the final decision of the Station Director/Head of Programme).

• Appeals:- Appeals against the decisions of Drama Audition Committee will lie with the Programme Head of the Station concerned and thereafter to the Director General.
• Booking of Approved Drama Artists:-Drama Artists of ‘B’ Category should be offered broadcast engagement only for minor roles. Only ‘TOP’ ‘A’ and ‘B’ High Category artists should be utilized for major roles. This however, does not preclude utilization of higher grade artists for minor roles when considered desirable.
• Frequency of Booking:-
  1. It is not necessary to prescribe fixed frequency for booking of Drama Artists. In the letter conveying the result to the Artists, it should be clearly mentioned that they being declared successful, it is not mandatory for AIR to offer him/her programme within a particular period and that the offer of engagement would depend entirely upon the exigencies of programme requirement vis-à-vis the artist suitability. However, AIR stations should ensure that an approved artist should get at least on opportunity of participating in a programme within 6 months of the audition and from time to time. If an artist has not been offered booking by AIR, his/her lack of experience should not be used against him/her and he/she should not be asked to re-appear for audition. However, if an artist was offered booking but if he/she does not participate for three years his/her name may be removed from Rolls and he/she should be asked to re-appear for Audition to allow participation in programmes.
  2. To avoid unnecessary expenses on TA and DA the Drama Voices may, as far as possible, be called from within the station’s own zone. Drama voices of ‘TOP’, ‘A’ and ‘B-High’ grades from the zones of other stations may, however, be invited in exceptional cases.
• Recommendation for up gradation of existing ‘B’/ ‘B-High’ Category Artists to ‘A’ or ‘Top’ category should be sent to the Directorate along with the recordings of the performances of the concerned artists every year.
• Apart from this, if there are some artists of eminence, who have not been auditioned and graded for broadcast purposes so far, and in the opinion of the Station they deserve to be placed in ‘A’ category (or above) because of their known abilities and experience, the station should submit definite proposal to the Directorate giving full particulars, justification and the fee proposed. Such artists of eminence may not be asked to submit Audition Fee. Similarly, veteran Drama Voices may also be exempted from paying audition fee for up-gradation to Top grade, as a mark of respect to their contribution.
• Commentators:-AIR empanels commentators in Hindi and English for the various sports disciplines e.g., Cricket, Football, Hockey, Tennis, Badminton, Basketball, Volleyball, Kho-Kho, Kabbadi etc. The empanelment of commentators is processed by the Directorate General, All India Radio from amongst the potential talent approved/screened by the independent screening committees constituted from time to time for different sports disciplines. Any potential talent intending to offer his/her services as sports commentator is required to approach the nearest AIR station with a request for audition in the specific sports event. AIR stations send the technically certified audition Tape/CD of the potential talent to Directorate General of All India Radio for screening and empanelment in respective sports events and language. Auditioned and approved commentators are placed by the respective screening committee in various grades such as International/National, Zonal and Local based on their performance. The services of empanelled commentators are used by AIR on assignment basis as and when required and due remuneration is paid to them in accordance with the fee structure of All India Radio.The same process is also adhered for commentators of sports and non-sports events.
• Audition and Screening of Assignees:-A three tier selection process has been introduced in AIR for ASSIGNEES from the month of February 2017 which comprises of written test ,audition and interview.