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Govt plans to give FTII degree granting powers

Last Updated 06 July 2015, 19:16 IST

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) will have powers to grant degrees and offer undergraduate and post-graduate programmes in film, television and allied studies, according to a bill bring formulated by the Centre to recognise it as an institute of national importance.

The proposed bill also seeks to give the institute powers to issue recognised diploma and certificate for the various programmes offered by it.

“The degrees, diploma, certificates and other academic distinctions under this Act shall be equivalent to such corresponding degrees, diploma and certificates and other academic distinctions granted by any other university or institution established or incorporated under any other law,” official sources told Deccan Herald.

The institute, offers seven post graduate diploma courses of three year duration each on various technical streams relating to film and television as well as five certificate programmes of one year duration each.

Though these courses have due recognition in the industry, they will become more valuable and useful once the FTII gets degree granting powers and status of the institute of national importance under Central University Act.

The Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute, Kolkata, is also proposed be given similar status and powers under the bill.  “The finalisation of the bill is at a very advance state. Since both the FTII and SRFTI has to be recognised as an institute of national importance under the Central University Act, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is examining the legislative framework proposed by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry in this regard,” official sources added.

Finalising draft bill

The Centre is on a fast pace to finalise the bill to give degree granting powers to the two institutes even as the FTII students and alumni have been agitating against the reconstitution of the institute’s society and appointment of TV actor and Bharatiya Janata Party member Gajendra Chouhan as chairman of its society for last several days.

They have refused to call of their strike even as the I&B Minister Arun Jaitley, while meeting a delegation of students and alumni here on Friday, agreed to fulfil all of their demands, except the revocation of the appointment of Chouhan.

The minister also assured them of complete academic freedom at the institute, promising that no “untoward interference” by “anyone” would be allowed in matters of the institute.

“There is no move to privatise the institute as recommended by an expenditure reforms committee headed by Geetal Krishnan a decade ago. The striking students are being misguided. Contrary to claims, the government is making efforts to develop the institute and make it a centre of excellence. The striking should see the reason in the efforts being made by the government,” official sources said, rejecting media reports that Jaitley hinted at privatisation of the FTII during his meeting with students and alumni delegation here.

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(Published 06 July 2015, 19:16 IST)

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