THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Those coming out of the examination hall were well aware that they had created history. The group of students comprising those with over 50 years of age to Plus-Two students had just completed the first day’s examinations of the first-ever university examination in Magic in the State on Monday. These students formed part of the first batch of the Certificate Course in Magical Arts (CMA) conducted jointly by the Centre for Adult Continuing Education and Extension of the Kerala University and Magic Academy. The oldest among the lot was 50-year-old Sree Kumar Nair, and the youngest one Govind Dev, a Plus-Two student at the Model Boys’ Higher Secondary School. “The examination was very tough. But I am very proud as I am a student of the first university batch in the Magic Academy,” says Shajan N, a Federal Bank employee. “I was very passionate about magic from my childhood days. But my desire to learn magic has been realised in this age,” Sree Kumar says. “In addition to the magic classes, personality development classes, yoga and juggling are conducted with the three months’ course. Thus, we can perform our shows without any inhibition,” says Jiju R V, a Health Inspector. “Magic was considered as a subject which can be studied without much effort. Gopinath Muthukad, the executive director of the academy, had taken up the task of raising the status of magic. He wanted to develop magic as an art form with the same stature of fine arts, dance and music. He urged the government to conduct examinations in magic course,” said Magic Academy administrator Girish Kumar G. The academy was established in 1996 by Gopinath Muthukad to teach magic for freshers and organise orientation classes for magicians. “It was in October 2010 that the academy under Gopinath Muthukad was recognised by the Kerala University. The academy started various courses in magic from March 2011 onwards. The academy has also an extension centre at Kochi and a branch in KINFRA,” said Public Relations Officer Sajeev S. The teaching faculty at Magic Academy includes Gopinath Muthukad, Chandrasenan Mithirmala and R Rajamoorthy. The three months’ CMA has four theory papers, History of Magic and Magicians, Magic Science and Showmanship, Close -Up Magic and Conjuring Magic, two practical papers and a viva voice. The fee structure of the three months’ course is Rs. 9,000.
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