The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is facing a fresh bout of unrest with 50 students of the 2017 batch boycotting classes since Tuesday, complaining of poor infrastructure and a syllabus allegedly designed in a slapdash fashion.
“Following the syllabus change in 2016, no details about the reformed syllabus has been conveyed to us. The practical projects of three different batches will be taking place simultaneously, leading to a severe resource crunch. What is the point of commencing the semester in such a haphazard fashion?” asked a student requesting anonymity.
The authorities, students said, had directed them to conduct their practicals in day and night shifts owing to insufficient resources on campus. Students of the current batch, who are protesting near the institute’s ‘Wisdom Tree,’ said the Cinematography Department was underprepared for resource allocation. “Our resources are grossly insufficient to handle the documentary shoots of the 2016 batch and three digital video exercise shoots simultaneously. And yet, without a proper discussion with concerned batches, FTII authorities decided to conduct eight shoots all at oncebecause of which we are suffering,” reads a letter addressed to the Director and HoD.
Another student said, “The next batch will face backlogs due to this. Academics ought to properly design a time-table where all shoots are not placed in the same slot.”
Students have further complained about the lack of a proper room with a working projection system for smooth functioning of their workshops. Apart from this, track trolleys are in a decrepit condition and there is a shortage of required camera lenses.
Despite repeated letters to their heads of department, the Dean, the Director and the FTII Chairman Anupam Kher, students say their problems have not been remedied.
“Students of Cinematography (Films) had submitted a representation to me earlier this week. Subsequently, a meeting was called with the heads of all departments. As some of the issues concern inter-departmental coordination, wider discussions are currently on,” Bhupendra Kainthola, Director FTII, told The Hindu .
In 2015, the functioning of the institute had been paralysed for four months with students agitating against the Information and Broadcasting Ministry’s appointment of Gajendra Chauhan, a TV actor and Bharatiya Janata Party member, on the ground that he lacked the requisite “creative credentials.”
The 139-day agitation, which finally unraveled in October that year, was the longest in the history of the institute since its inception in 1961.
Soon after actor Anupam Kher had taken over the mantle of chairman in October 2017. An open letter had rebuked the administration for excluding student representatives from the Academic Council discussions, claiming it was “against the constitution of the institute” while mentioning problems with the new syllabus.
