Top 10 Animation Institutes In India

With globalization and digitalization on the cards, a lot of things are in for a change. The education scenario in the country is one of them. Till a couple of decades ago, medical and engineering were considered to be the only two capable professions in the county. However, things are changing with options like animation, graphic design and others turning out to be lucrative professions.

As per recent data released by NASSCOM, the animation sector in the country has been growing at a steady rate of 22 per cent and the trend is expected to continue in the coming years as well. This creates a dearth of trained professionals in this field. What animation personnel have to do is to use successive drawings to create an illusion of movements when the film in shown in a sequence. It is much more complex than mere cartooning (where all that one has to do is to create caricatures and cartoons) as this requires a detailed and precise scientific and technological approach as well as the inherent creativity in the process.

Hence it will not be too farfetched to say that animation is both an art as well as a science. These days there are a number of colleges in the country which impart education in the field of animation. The top 10 such colleges have been listed here.

1. National Institute Of Film And Fine Arts, Kolkata

One of the oldest animation institutes in the country, this institute has a line of illustrious alumni to its credit. These include names like Raja Sen, Sudipto Dey and other renowned people of the industry. The animation department of this college opts for a host of unique teaching and learning techniques that are used to impart knowledge and skills to the students. Creativity is in the ambience of this institution and the students are encouraged to bring in a personal touch to all their works.

2. St. Xavier’s College (autonomous), Kolkata

One of the oldest colleges of Kolkata, this institute has a legacy to carry forward. When the college adopted itself with the changing times and introduced courses in animation, it made sure that it did it job well and today this particular course is among the top in the country. The animation labs in this college are up to date with the latest technology and all of this has ensured that the students graduating out of the department land themselves with jobs both in the country as well as that at the global level.

3. Maya Institute Of Advanced Cinematic (MAAC)

What sets this institute apart from the rest is its focus in employment driven education. It offers a number of courses in visual arts, VFX, 3D animation and others. Some of these courses are short term while the rest are long term. All these courses train the students to become specialists in their chosen field of study and in turn ensure that they land themselves with jobs in the industry.

4. Arena Animation

The courses offered by this institute ranges from 2D and 3D animation to digital visualization and digital sculpting. On successful completion of any of these courses, the institute offers placement assistance in a variety of job roles like BG Artist, 2D animator, layout artist among others.

5. F X School, Mumbai

The infrastructure of this institute is among the best in the industry. Most of its laboratories are open 24X7 and students can come and practice whenever they want. Being located in Mumbai gives the college the advantage of having the guidance of some of the top names of the industry as its patrons. All of this comes together to make sure that the people graduating out of this college are industry ready.

6. Picasso Animation College, Bangalore

In its fifteen years of existence, this institute of excellence has ensured that money can never come in the way of imparting quality education. Offering cost effective animation courses without compromising on the quality, the college has ensured that they remain connected to the market and evolve a deep training culture that instills creativity in its students.

7. Mayabious Academy – School of Animation And Visual Effects, Kolkata

Established in 2002, this institute has one of the best animation laboratories in the country. The graphic multimedia animation course that is offered by this industry is among the best in the country as this makes sure that the students are well versed in all the modern and latest software in the field. Other than this, the college also offers a number of short term and part time courses in the field of animation.

8. Toonz Academy, Thiruvananthapuram

The focus of this college is on the fact that its students must learn through experience and that is why it is dedicated to bringing out the real talent in its students and grooming them to become one of the most sought after animation professionals in the country. It offers free internship to all its students and its international curriculum ensures that the students of this institute are ahead of their competitors in ways more than one.

9. Zee Institute of Creative Art, Bangalore

What sets ZICA apart from all other colleges in this field is the fact that it was one of the first colleges in the country to offer a course in VFX certification. The number of PDP courses and certifications that are on offer here is much larger than that of other institutions. Its central location and association with the Essel and Zee group ensures that the students who graduate out of this place tend to fare well in their respective careers.

10. Whistling Woods International Institute, Mumbai

With the very reputed film-maker Subhash Ghai as its Founder and Chairman, this institute has collaborations with some of the top names in the industry like Zeiss, YouTube, Foxxcoon, Dolby and Adobe among others. This ensures that the placement scene in the college is among the best in the industry. Students of this college are placed in almost all the top notch animation firms of the country.