FTII sees protest over action against students

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), where frequent protests led to the scrapping of an acting course in the past, is witnessing a fresh protest over administrative action taken against three students.

A couple of final year diploma students have launched a sit-in protest against the action of the administration.

The genesis of the current problem was the expulsion of two students on academic grounds on December 6 by FTII director Tripurari Sharan as they were reportedly found short on attendance, sources said.

FTII students then threatened to go on strike and in a meeting convened by the director, an NRI student, who is studying cinematography, insulted Sharan in full public view on December 12, they said.

The FTII subsequently revoked the expulsion and allowed the students to continue their course on the condition that they completed their current and pending work on schedule, while the NRI student was expelled by Sharan on December 13.

"One cannot be allowed to insult the head of an institution and get away with it. It is an academic institution and there has to be some sort of discipline. I am an IAS officer and know how to deal with such situations," Sharan said, denying the ongoing protest had in any way affected the normal functioning of the FTII.

The institute was on course to re-establish its reputation as a premier training school in different disciplines of television and filmmaking after the acting course was revived last year. A batch of 60-odd students passed out of the FTII five months ago.

"The two students were expelled purely on academic grounds. They have been permitted to complete their course on the condition that they will make up for lost time and finish projects assigned to them within a specific schedule," Sharan said.

The NRI student was expelled because of indiscipline, he said. "He insulted me in full public view and that cannot be tolerated."

Sharan dropped enough hints that if the expelled student expressed remorse for his action and made a public apology, his expulsion could be revoked.

He said five final year diploma students "" one male and four women "" from different streams were staging a sit-in protest outside the institute's gate since December 14.

Sharan said the protest was being staged by a minuscule group and the institute remained totally unaffected by it.