The Music School Bangalore Becomes India's Only RSL VQ Delivery Centre

Swathi K Nair
May 20
3 min read

Updated: May 22

27th September 2022 | Fandom at Gilly's, Koramangala, Bangalore

The Music School Bangalore (TMSB) achieved a landmark milestone in June 2019, becoming the only institution in India authorised to both deliver and assess RSL Vocational Qualifications (VQ), internationally accredited programs in Music Production, Music Performance, Music Composition, Audio Engineering and more.

This recognition, awarded by RSL- Rock School Ltd, one of the United Kingdom's most respected music qualification bodies, positioned TMSB as a first of its kind and the only institution in India, and marked a defining moment in the country's contemporary music education landscape.

Students Studying at The Music School bangalore — Students Studying at TMSB

A Historic First for Indian Music Education

RSL VQ qualifications are regulated under OFQUAL, the Office of Qualifications and

Examinations Regulation in England, the same framework that governs A-Levels and

undergraduate degrees in the United Kingdom. They are rigorous, internationally recognised academic credentials respected by universities and music institutions world wide.

Prior to June 2019, no institution in India held the authority to deliver or assess these

qualifications. Students seeking an RSL VQ had no option but to pursue their education abroad, navigating the considerable challenges of international tuition fees, visa requirements, and the prospect of studying far from home. TMSB's recognition as the only RSL VQ Delivery Centre in India changed that permanently, enabling Indian music students, for the first time, to earn a world-class, internationally recognised qualification without leaving the country. It was milestone that had been missing from Indian music education for far too long.

Delivery and Assessment: What It Means

TMSB's status goes beyond simply teaching RSL VQ programs. As an authorised Delivery and Assessment Centre, TMSB holds the authority to both educate students to RSL VQ standards and formally assess and certify their qualifications- end to end under the full regulatory framework of OFQUAL.

This means every TMSB graduate receives a qualification that carries the same international standing as one earned at an institution in the United Kingdom, recognised by universities and employers worldwide, and carrying the full weight of OFQUAL regulation behind it

International Pathways : A Global Network Built Over a Decade

Alongside its RSL VQ Delivery and Assessment Centre status, TMSB has spent over a

decade cultivating deep, meaningful relationships with some of the world's most

respected contemporary music institutions. These partnerships, built on mutual trust,

shared academic values, and a common commitment to student outcomes, enable TMSB graduates to transition directly into advanced years of Bachelor's degree programs at partner institutions, carrying every credit earned in Bangalore with them:

British Institute of Modern Music (BIMM) - United Kingdom, Germany,
Ireland
Musicians Institute - Los Angeles, USA
Singapore Raffles Music College - Singapore
Australian Institute of Music - Australia

For Indian music students, these pathways represent something genuinely transformative, the ability to begin their professional music education in Bangalore and continue toward a world class international degree without the financial and personal burden of starting from scratch abroad. Each partnership was forged independently, through years of institutional relationship building, shared academic standards, and a proven track record of producing students who are genuinely ready for the demands of international higher education.

A Statement from the Founder

Milton Lance, Founder and Director of The Music School Bangalore, commented on the significance of this milestone:

"Becoming the only RSL VQ Delivery Centre in India was the moment everything we

had built at TMSB came together. We had always believed that Indian musicians

deserved access to qualifications that the world recognised and respected. This status made that belief a reality, and it remains the foundation on which everything we have built since then stands."

A Milestone Eleven Years in the Making

Founded in 2008, TMSB spent over a decade building the facilities, faculty, curriculum, and international relationships necessary to meet RSL's exacting standards for Delivery Centre status.

That journey required sustained investment, in acoustically treated studios equipped with industry standard technology, in a faculty of working music industry professionals, in a curriculum designed to meet the rigorous demands of international academic accreditation, and in the institutional relationships that would eventually open doors to universities across four continents.

The recognition in 2019 was the culmination of that work and the beginning of a new chapter for music education in India.Six years on, TMSB continues to hold its position as the only RSL VQ Delivery and Assessment Centre in India, a distinction that remains unique in the country and central to TMSB's identity as one of India's most internationally connected contemporary music institutions.