Expert panel to help revamp govt film & television institute in Karnataka

Bengaluru: Higher Education Minister Dr M C Sudhakar on Monday announced the constitution of an expert committee, involving experts from film industry, to upgrade the country’s first cinematography and sound recording & engineering polytechnic in Hesaraghatta.

Following the decline in student enrolment for several years now, Sudhakar visited and reviewed the status of the Government Film and Television Institute.

He observed the lack of technical infrastructure and asked officials to submit a report to facilitate immediate procurement of equipment.

Now, the institute offers only two diploma courses – sound engineering and cinematography. He proposed launching skill-based programmes under one roof, including acting, costume design, sound recording, cinematography, and makeup along with artificial intelligence and gaming courses.

"As this is a pre-independence educational institution, it houses valuable old cameras and sound recording equipment. We must preserve them in a museum," he said.

The course in cinematography and sound recording & engineering was originally introduced in 1943 at Jayachamarajendra Government Polytechnic. In 1996, this course was renamed and relocated to the institute in Hesaraghatta, which is spread across 25 acres.