Classical Musician (Vocal or Instrumental)

Giving concerts and radio or recorded performances, accompanying other artists, teaching students (at home, in schools or in colleges), practising for hours every day, and learning ragas and compositions from a guru.

A day in the work
Your morning starts with riyaz, an hour or two of practising alaap, scales and compositions while your voice or hands are fresh. Later you teach students at home or in a school, then spend the afternoon learning a new piece from your guru or rehearsing with your accompanists. On concert days you travel, tune up, perform for a few hours and then rest your voice. Between all this, you handle bookings, messages and practice recordings.

1. Step 1 · Any age, ideally Class 5–10Find a good guru and begin regular lessons. Learn swaras, basic ragas (or Carnatic varisais), taal and daily riyaz. This is a long apprenticeship. Most classical musicians train for many years before their first serious concert.
2. Step 2 · Class 7–12Keep up school studies alongside music. Take Music as a school subject if it is offered. Children aged 10–14 with 3 or more years of training can apply for the Cultural Talent Search Scholarship Scheme run by CCRT (Ministry of Culture). It is offered as a limited number of seats, and details change each year, so check ccrtindia.gov.in. (reported — check with the official body)
3. Step 3 · Class 12 and afterChoose a university BA (Hons) Music, 3 years, in Hindustani, Carnatic, vocal or an instrument. Entry usually involves a practical audition and, in central universities, CUET. Delhi University's UG admission for 2026-27 runs through CUET (UG) 2026 and its CSAS portal. Read each university's own bulletin for the audition rules.
4. Step 4 · 2 yearsMA Music for deeper practice and theory. At Delhi University, MA Music admission combines CUET marks and an audition, and only a limited number of top CUET scorers are called for the audition (five times the seats).
5. Step 5 · Age 18–25, if you qualifyApply for the Ministry of Culture's Scholarship to Young Artists. You need at least 5 years of training under a guru or institution and must be 18–25 years old on 1 April of the application year. You are selected by an interview or performance before an expert committee. The scholarship is for 2 years.
6. Step 6 · Building a namePerform at local sabhas and festivals and on stage and radio. You can apply for an All India Radio audition. AIR has four grades: B, B-High, A and Top, judged by a committee of senior musicians. Older AIR rules put the minimum age at 16 (reported; Prasar Bharati says revised rules are being framed, so check the current rules).
7. Optional · For college or university teachingClear UGC-NET in Music after a Master's degree with at least 55% marks (50% for OBC-NCL, SC, ST and PwD candidates), then apply for Assistant Professor posts. Teaching at schools and running your own classes does not need NET.

• Guru-first routeLearn mainly from a guru (often for 10 years or more) and build a career through concerts, radio gradings and teaching. A degree is not compulsory. Your guru's name and your performances matter most.
• University routeBA (Hons) and MA Music, then UGC-NET for college teaching posts. This gives a structured path and better chances of a regular teaching job, but you still need guru-style practice to perform well.

Fees from: Ministry of Culture: Award of Scholarships to Young Artists · CCRT: Cultural Talent Search Scholarship Scheme · PIB: Scholarships to Support Young Artists (5 Aug 2024) · PIB: Ministry of Culture Scholarship to Young Artists (eligibility, 2021). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Earnings vary a great deal: many musicians earn little in the first years, while established performers, teachers with many students, and those with regular concerts or a college post can earn steadily, especially in big cities and the music-festival seasons.

CCRT's scholarship for children aged 10–14 is reported to reserve some seats for children with disabilities, children from Scheduled Tribes and traditional artist families (reported; check ccrtindia.gov.in). For UGC-NET, the official 2026 bulletin sets a lower minimum of 50% in the Master's degree for OBC-NCL, SC, ST and PwD candidates. AIR audition rules say the committee does not see the candidate's name.

• Class 7–9If you do not already have a guru, ask your school music teacher or a local music school to start lessons. Practise 20–30 minutes daily and record yourself once a week to hear your progress.
• Class 10–12Read the AIR music audition page to see how artists are graded. Then attend one live classical concert or radio programme this month and note the raga and taal being used.Open link ↗
• College or afterRead the Ministry of Culture's Scholarship to Young Artists page now (even if you are not 18 yet) and check what 5 years of training and an expert interview involve.Open link ↗

• The Sangeet Natak Akademi is not a training college. It gives national awards, such as the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for artists up to 40 years old. It is something you may earn later in your career, not an entry route.
• The 2024–25 Yuva Puraskar round honoured 106 young artists across music, dance, theatre and other arts (reported), so these awards are rare.
• Money is uncertain in the early years. Many musicians keep a second source of income, such as teaching, while they build a name.
• Voice or hands, hearing and long hours of practice are your 'equipment'. Look after your health, especially your voice.