Report alleges 'harassment' at GFTS, authorities deny

The Legislature Committee on Estimates has sought a probe into “discrimination and harassment” alleged by some dalit students enrolled in the Government Flying Training School (GFTS) at Jakkur.

The Committee which looked into the initiatives of Department of Youth Empowerment and Sports, has also flagged the shortage of flying instructors at the school.

Authorities at the Flying School have denied allegations of harassment meted to students studying under SC/ST sub-plans, while stressing on their demand to increase flying instructors at the facility.

According to the report, "a few students being trained under SCP/TSP scheme had complained to the committee of discrimination," while students of general category had maintained that "all students were being trained equally." It also noted that a 17 of the 51 students beneficiaries of the scheme at the sSchool where there was only one flying instructor.

Following a visit to GFTS on November 23, 2018, the committee recommended a departmental probe into "discrimination, harassment" meted to students, while directing authorities concerned to increase the number of trainers at the School.

When contacted, Amarjeet Singh Dange, Chief Flying Instructor, GFTS said that the complaints were by those students who neither attended classes nor exams. "The complaints of harassment started after Directorate General of Civil Aviation removed a flying instructor from the school as he was found to be incapable of training students. Five students started blaming me for his transfer, resulting in these allegations," he said.

Apart from the police and women's commission, the directorate of civil rights too have investigated their complaints and have found little substance in them, he said. He furnished documents to show that both women's commission and police department have closed the complaints filed against them

A student from the college, under the condition of anonymity, dismissed allegations of harassment at GFTS while demanding "at least two or three" flying instructors to train the students. "There are three aircraft and just one trainer at the facility, who is not allowed to fly more than five hours. The government has to appoint trainers in the interest of students studying here," the student who is being trained under SCP/TSP said.