All India Radio is the only organisation that officially grades artistes after a strict examination. Starting with B-Grade, AIR grades artistes into five categories. Those who stay in A-Grade for more than 30 years are elevated to the grade of a national artiste.
“AIR grade is the only official stamp of approval that adds value to one’s CV as everyone knows that one has to train scrupulously for the B-Grade examination,” says M.S. Sheela, a senior vocalist and national artiste.
Vocalist Triveni Saralaya, an A-Grade artiste, says, “Added to this is the process of getting an entry point with a B-Grade, which can often prove to be long and drawn-out. For musicians, AIR grades are like ISI marks!”
