FTII assessment issue: I&B min-constituted team to study scene

The Information and Broadcasting ministry today decided to constitute a team to assess the ground situation at Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), a day after students gheraoed director Prashant Pathrabe in his office in Pune over "assessment" process.

It is learnt that the team of senior officials will visit Pune and study the situation where the students have been opposing the ongoing "assessment" of incomplete diploma film projects of the 2008 batch.

Academic activity in FTII is at a standstill with the agitation by students demanding removal of BJP member and TV actor Gajendra Chauhan as its chairman entering the 69th day today.

While FTII Students' Association (FSA) have called the "assessment" unjustified, authorities have held that the process is important for the premier institution.

Sources said that FTII administration has been concerned over the fact that several students of the 2008 batch have not yet passed out of the institute. Therefore officials said the the projects of 2008 batch have been assessed on as is where is basis as per norms which the students are opposing.

There are also concerns the staying on by previous batches affects the fresh batches. Officials said that while there have been zero admission years, they have not served the purpose towards resolving problems at FTII.

"The academic council headed by the then chairman had way back on April 26, 2013 decided that 2008 batch diploma assessment is to be done in February 2014 on as is where is basis," a senior official said.

Sources said that there were several times during last year notices were given related to assessment and passing out of the 2008 batch after which the students would have to vacate the hostel.

"It is unreasonable to say that the present action is any way arbitrary as the previous management had sent notices to students of the 2008 batch. What is being done now is a follow up action," a source said adding that it seemed there are incentives to flunk.