Introducing Folk Literature of India

By Dr. Soumili Mondal | Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya

Learners enrolled: 45

ABOUT THE COURSE:
This course is framed to connect the students with the rich cultural heritage as reflected in the folk literatures existing in the diverse languages of our country. Students pursuing graduation, post-graduation and research will learn about societal fabric, multiculturalism, folkloristics and ethnography through the spectrum of various literary genres including poetry, fiction, songs, performance texts, customs etc. Once completed, this course would enable the learners to become intellectuals organically.

INTENDED AUDIENCE: U.G. and P.G. students, Research Scholars

INDUSTRY SUPPORT: Academics and Industries related to folk culture might value this course

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	English
Duration :	12 weeks
Category :	English
Credit Points :	3
Level :	Undergraduate/Postgraduate
Start Date :	21 Jul 2025
End Date :	10 Oct 2025
Enrollment Ends :	28 Jul 2025
Exam Registration Ends :	15 Aug 2025
Exam Date :	24 Oct 2025 IST
NCrF Level	4.5 — 7.0

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

Week 1: Introducing Folklore as a Discipline: definitions and key concepts

Week 2: Finding Folk through Oral Poetry

Week 3: Folk and its Narrative Genres

Week 4: Folk Music

Week 5: Folk Performative Traditions

Week 6: Rites and Rituals

Week 7: Myth, Legend and Literature

Week 8: Cultural heritage and Cultural Assimilation

Week 9: Revisiting Folklore: The Question of Class, Caste and Gender

Week 10: Folk and our Modern Society: Challenges and Acceptance

Week 11: Preserving Folklore: Techniques and Opportunities

Week 12: Discussion, doubt clearing and question answering

Books and references

1. Bell, Catherine. Ritual: Perspectives and Dimensions. Oxford University Press, 1997.
2. Propp, Vladimir P. Theory and History of Folklore. University of Minneapolis, 1984.
3. Propp, Vladimir P. Morphology of the Folklore. University of Texas Press, 1968.
4. Strauss, Levi. Myth and Meaning. Routledge Classics, 1978.
5. Sarkar Munsi, Urmimala. Complexities of the Folk / Classical Binary: Dance and Hierarchy in Contemporary India. Vidyasagar University Publications, 2022.
6. Sharma, Manorma. Folk India: A Comprehenseive Study of Indian Folk Music and Culture. Sundeep Prakashan, 2004.

Instructor bio

Dr. Soumili Mondal

Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya

Assistant Professor at the Department of English,
Vasant Kanya Mahavidyalaya (Admitted to the privileges of B.H.U.), Kamachha, Varanasi.

Course certificate

The course is free to enroll and learn from. But if you want a certificate, you have to register and write the proctored exam conducted by us in person at any of the designated exam centres.

The exam is optional for a fee of Rs 1000/- (Rupees one thousand only).

Date and Time of Exams: 25 October 2025 Morning session 9am to 12 noon; Afternoon Session 2pm to 5pm.

Registration url: Announcements will be made when the registration form is open for registrations.

The online registration form has to be filled and the certification exam fee needs to be paid. More details will be made available when the exam registration form is published. If there are any changes, it will be mentioned then.

Please check the form for more details on the cities where the exams will be held, the conditions you agree to when you fill the form etc.

CRITERIA TO GET A CERTIFICATE

Average assignment score = 25% of average of best 8 assignments out of the total 12 assignments given in the course.
Exam score = 75% of the proctored certification exam score out of 100

Final score = Average assignment score + Exam score

Please note that assignments encompass all types (including quizzes, programming tasks, and essay submissions) available in the specific week.

YOU WILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR A CERTIFICATE ONLY IF AVERAGE ASSIGNMENT SCORE >=10/25 AND EXAM SCORE >= 30/75. If one of the 2 criteria is not met, you will not get the certificate even if the Final score >= 40/100.

Certificate will have your name, photograph and the score in the final exam with the breakup. It will have the logos of INI and BHU.

Only the e-certificate will be made available. Hard copies will not be dispatched.

Once again, thanks for your interest in our online courses and certification. Happy learning.

- INI team

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