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The adverse publicity may be the reason why government is compromising with situation that has occurred due to Film & Television Institute of India’s (FTII) students strike. Otherwise no students are allowed to choose their administrator or principal anywhere in the world. FTII student can enjoy this privilege because it is a public institute. In private organization, they would have thrown these students out of the campus .

Actually as per rules FTII students are barred from any interference in administrative matters of the Institute. Such Interference in administrative matters is major breach of discipline for which the student is liable for expulsion. However students in last some years have not only interfered in the administrative matters but also taken total control over it. Moreover the Government is also negotiating with these students on the issue that they are barred to interfere in. If followed properly there are several rule in FTII , that would have kept the students ‘student’ status intact . However compromising with these rules has raised their status from students to dictators.

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There are several rules of this institute that nobody follows except only one, and that has turned this institute in a ghetto like society. As per this rule students are barred from complaining or reporting of any incidence, no matter of whatsoever nature be taken to the outside agency like Police & Other organizations. They are allowed to do so only after approval of the director, FTII in writing. Everybody including students, staffs & administration follow this rule religiously. Hence incidences of whatever serious nature including deaths , thefts, sexual harassments, intimidation, alcoholism, vandalism, and nuisance etc. got buried in the institute itself.

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One may not believe but as per FTII rules no students of the Institute is permitted to accept any professional assignments before he/she completes training .Failure to complete course assignment on given frame due to individual reasons leads to de-enrollment. No student is allowed remain absent from classes or the examination without the permission in writing of the HoD or Dean. Adhering to strict course schedule is compulsory, only HoD’s are empowered to relax the same in deserving individual cases, depending upon circumstances. No alcoholic drinks or narcotic drugs are allowed to be brought to or consumed in the Hostel and the Campus. However Institute authorities for reason best known to them compromised with each of these rules.

All above situation was encouraging for those students who wanted to make this institution a way of their survival and they succeeded with help of faculty, HoD’s & Directors. Not all students are on strike but a group of few dominate the others. Actually the film wing of this institute dominates the others, especially the television wing. Students of film wing do not respect television guys. That may be another reason that striking students are opposing Gajendra Chauhan as he is mainly known for contribution in television.

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It is difficult to comment on when actually this stale mate will end. But while thinking on this strike one should not forget that, earlier students sent ministry a proposal to solve the crisis but latter on they denied it. They also denied that they had given any type of commitment to interlocutor Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Raju Hirani . Vidya balan denied that she had signed any proposal to support student’sstrike. Pallavi josh, Jahnu Baruah, Santosh Sivan resigned from the FTII society to support students but students didn’t request government to reinstate them.

Meanwhile Striking FTII students have now told the Government that Secretary of Information & broadcasting ministry can be the chairman of the premier Institute till revamped process of appointment is put in place. Earlier these students had demanded to put the FTII Society in abeyance. These both demands are childish. Government cannot appoint a new chairman or keep the present appointment on FTII in abeyance unless it first cancels earlier appointment. Whatever may the situation at present, The very fact is that right now Gajendra Chauhan is the Chairman of FTII.It is highly unlikely that the Government will climb down on its decision. If they do due to political reasons, that will be a pretty damning precedent to set for themselves.

Wednesday, October 7, 2015

FTII logjam, Government is negotiating with students on the issues that they are barred to interfere in.

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