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Saturday, October 3, 2015

FTII row - Khan committee blames nexus between students, alumni, external faculty for entire mess

The majority of contract/external faculty who happen to be alumni of the institute as well as some other alumni who frequently visit and stay in the campus, they fuel the students without any responsibility towards orderly conduct of courses and passing out of students. The academic faculty keeps on changing its stand, this kind of wavering stand on the part of the faculty only aggravates the situation, putting extraordinary pressure on the present Director. These are some of the observations drawn by S M Khan committee that was appointed to assess the ground status of Film and television Institute of India ( FTII).

The committee also expected contract faculty to restrict themselves to academic activities only rather than indulging in activities which are not academic in nature and are beyond their scope of work. It asked the administration of the Institute to seriously look into the behavior of the contract faculty.

If we look at the submissions made before the khan committee & it’s observations, some questions arise in mind i.e. who are these students with whom Government is holding talks? What is their locus standi? Are they the only stake holders or well wishers of the institute? How come mere 3-4 defaulter students are being allowed to decide future of the FTII., why government is not taking action against the students , faculty , staff who have duped institute for lacs of rupees? . Why government didn’t question director of FTII for not lodging complaint of contempt of national anthem against students? . Present students demands are to expel or throw out everything that they don't want or like, then instead of succumbing to that why don't government throw these students out ?

Khan Committee Report

While deposing before this committee some members alleged that for some student’s participation in the strike is a way of survival. Not all students are on strike and a group of few dominate the others. Students are virtually running the institute encroaching even on the administration’s domain. Over the past few years, the entire decision-making process in the Academic Council has been taken over by the students. The guest contract faculty freely mixes with students in “all their activities” and there is no control over production schedule or adherence of academic discipline. Contract faculty [who happen to be ex-students] instead of enforcing strict academic discipline, they accommodated all requests of the students in violation of norms.

Some staff members said that although the reason behind the delay in completing students projects was being told the infrastructure, this was not the main issue. The existing infrastructure is sufficient if schedules are strictly followed and all exercises are completed on time. There were always excuses resulting in exercises being re-scheduled which had a cascading effect on subsequent groups.

Photo Courtsey http://images.jagran.com/

There were also allegation of the students having long practice of a method called “interrogation technique" which is passed on by seniors to juniors and also “FTII Anthem” being sung by the students which is full of vulgar words. Some members also deposed that although the TV students are in favor of continuing their studies since a majority are staying in hostels, they are to toe the line of others.

Some members even suspected that the students follow a "secret cult" and alleged that use of abusive language, liquor & drugs by students was common and number of dignitaries were humiliated in the institute by them.

Photo courtsey http://vecto.rs

Students were not clear on their stand while deposing before the committee. On a speciﬁc query about the decisions of Academic Council meetings by committee, one of the student stated that the AC in its 72nd meeting gave time to some students to complete the project. However, when he was asked to show the relevant paper, it was the agenda paper for the meeting which mentioned this item as one of the agenda. The student was told that the minutes of the meeting do not show any such decision. When asked about the final notice of December 2014, for taking over of the projects by the institute and notice for vacation of hostel, the students did not give any clear reply and stated that there were many notices and they were not given serious note of as a tradition in FTII.

The students requested for the matter that was not within the domain of committee, administration or even minister. They asked the casual (contract) labourers may not be stopped from work as they are working in the institute for a long time and they are being penalized for no fault of theirs.

The alumni stated that they stand by the students with respect to their core demands. They also mentioned about the inclusion of some members in the Society. When asked about the various AC decisions and the subsequent notices, they had no clear answer and only stated that this was not the opportune time. They ﬁnally requested for withdrawal of FIRs against the students and address their core demands.

The Former Director (Shri D. J. Narain) was requested to submit a Report on the status of the 2008 batch .following points emerged from his report-

a) The reasons for delay of ﬁnal year projects were primarily due to non- submission of scripts (from students) . Special workshops were also conducted for this purpose.

b) Infrastructure was not an issue and additional infrastructure was made available to enable both 2008 and 2009 Batch to undertake their projects. While 2009 completed, 2008 is still in the campus. No preference was given to any Batch over the other.

c) Director did not interfere with any academic decision. These decisions were taken in meetings where the faculty participated and in the academic Council meetings.

d) The assessment of 2008 batch is legitimate. There are instances when the assessment was made on ‘as is where is’ basis including the second year of 2008 Batch.

The committee also considered previous committee reports that were constituted under similar circumstances. There are a number of places in the report where the behavior of the students and conduct of the faculty were highlighted.

Photo courtsey drawnbyfire.files.wordpress.com

After taking into considerations, all the stake holders' views the committee further observed that the unfortunate incidents that led to the lodging of FIR were due to the constant shifting of stand by the faculty. Earlier HoDs unanimously agreed with the proposal to assess the projects of 2008 on “as is where is’ basis however while interacting with the Committee they stated that this was not an opportune time to do the assessment. Another clear example was when they spoke to the Committee; they put the entire blame on the previous Management including the former Director. However, subsequently they “clariﬁed” that everybody should be responsible for academic delays. Committee also noted that all the documentation from 2013 onward in this regard had been by consent and under the signature of the faculty. Committee also noted that faculty may be changing its stand frequently due to populism or intimidation.

Committee also put the onus of delay in projects on students it observed that the Academic Council meeting minutes, the notices issued thereafter and the Report of the former Director clearly indicate that the reasons for delay for completion of the 2008 Batch are attributable to the students

Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Maharashtra Government Announces 41 Online Services Under MRTPS Through Single Portal ' Aaple sarkar'

Maharashtra Government will be giving 41 services online from Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti i.e 2^nd October 2015. Circular regardingthis has been issued to all the concerned departments. The government has notified The Maharashtra right to public services act 2015 on 28^th April 2015. As per section 3 of said act citizens need to go to citizen felicitation centers like setu, Maha e-seva or sangram centers.

To avail some such services citizens have to visit different websites. Now Maharashtra government has decided to provide all these services from a single portal called ‘Aaaple Sarkar’. To make this possible government has asked various departments to

1) make available all its notified services through a single portal ‘ Aaple Sarkar’ in addition to existing systems.

List of on line services to be provided through Aaple Sarkar

2) Departments will have to make available online appeal system also.

3) If the service is related to certificates then such certificates should be made available online. Applicant should be provided with receipt of application and date of service to be provided

4) Date of application and date of service actually provided should be there on “ Aaple sarkar’ portal

5) Applicant should be provided unique application number so that he/she can check its status online.

List of on line services to be provided through Aaple Sarkar

Departments have been asked to make necessary technical changes in their present system to make it possible to provide such services through ‘Aaple Sarkar’. Government intends to provide 41 such services online from 2nd October 2015. Government also expects these services should be provided in such a manner that citizens need not go to any office.

List of on line services to be provided through Aaple Sarkar

Government has asked departments to form a task force that should consist of officers at divisional, commissioner, directorate and secretariat level. This force should be headed by secretary of concerned department or his representative of not lass than deputy secretary rank. This task force will make necessary changes in existing system of providing notified services if necessary. Government has also asked departments to form a task force before 15^th October and complete its activities within one month after that.

Monday, September 28, 2015

FTII Hunger Strike Called off , Struggle to Control Money Minting Machine Continues

Finally the agitating Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) students called off their ‘17 day long !’ hunger strike . However,their primary agitation against Gajendra Chauhan and the appointments of Sangh Parivar members in the FTII would go on. This was clarified by the students after the Information and Broadcasting (I & B) Ministry agreed to hold fresh talks. Paradoxically, student’s frequently changing stance and demands have brought this agitation back to square one.

Photo courtsey hindustantimes.com

Looking back on their 108 day long agitation and “17 day long Hunger strike!’, it is now clear that the students don’t want to end their agitation. Actually, the students and the government had arrived at a settlement and an understanding on 25th July 2015 itself when the students along with the interlocutors Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Raju Hirani met with the Ministers.

However, the students resiled on their commitments made to interlocutors also. The Government in its several letters has alleged that students frequently changed their stance and made factually incorrect averments in communications.

Students do not want Government to have any references / preconditions, especially to and in the meeting held on 25-07-2015 in the presence of the interlocutors Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Shri Raju Hirani. In fact,through one of the letters they had clarified to the ministry that the student representatives never gave any kind of commitments to the interlocutors to reside on them later in any capacity .

In the nutshell students want the government to have talks with them afresh without any preconditions. There are two reasons why students don’t want any pre-conditions before any talks.

Firstly,the main intention of the strike was the assessment of incomplete projects. Whentheacademic council of FTII decided that when delays to complete projects are caused without any valid reasons, the project even though incomplete, will be stopped within the time frame and assessment will be done accordingly on as-is-where-is basis. Students were opposing that decision but there was no reason they could start an agitation because several students haven’t completed their projects for years together which they should have completed within three months.

Meanwhile , the Government reconstituted FTII and appointed Gajendra Chauhan and other members on it. No doubt these appointments were politically motivated but studentsfound this as an excuse to agitate. And obviously Modi critics supported the students. However this support was for the appointments only and not for the students original ‘assessment’ cause. This support was so overwhelming that the students also forgot their original aim of theagitation. However with time, every body concentrated on issuesother than assessments and that is the reason students don’t want any preconditions beforethe talks. This is because if talks continue on the basis of discussions held on 25th July then the “assessment issue will not be discussed.

Secondly, the students have nothing to lose if agitations continuebut everything to gain with support from people with their own agendas. They can enjoy the agitations for months together. The agitation is on FTII premises. This may be the India’s first agitation which is being run from Government buildings and funds. FTII not only paid the air fare to the agitating students to go to Delhi but also admitted the fasting students in private hospitals at great cost.

Additionally, the students have no worry about their lodging and boarding. They can get money to run their agitation or day-to-day expenses from institute as and when required. Yes, it is true. After students started agitation on 12th June, one agitating student submitted a bill of rupees 30,000/- as reimbursement of expenses towards the purchase of photo frames. Such frames are available in market maximum at the cost of Rs.100 to 200. However the student charged Rs. 3000 per frame. The bill was approved and signed by all the authorities on 16th June and cleared on the same day. The receipt submitted doesn’t bear the name of the purchaser. Absurdly, the bill was ssanctioned as contingency without reason. The HoD concerned who approved this suspicious bill has generously sanctioned Rs. 25000 instead of 30,000. This student hasn’t submitted accounts or returned the money taken earlier.

This is just one example but shows how money is being siphoned off from the institute with help of the authorities and shows how authorities are sponsoring the agitation with 'artistes' in tow. For some people FTII has become money minting machine and hence everybody wants control over it.

Thursday, September 17, 2015

FTII Students Strike, New Documents Raise Doubts on Students Intentions

New documents obtained under the RTI Act reveal that the sole purpose of all the agitations and hunger strike of students of FTII was to take total control over the institution and that they had no problem with Gajendra Chauhan and Shailesh Gupta. These were red herrings. The stalemate is now restricted to three names only.

Students Don't want to leave their heaven
Photo courtsey the scroll

After meeting the Minister of Information & Broadcasting and the Minister of State on 25 July 2015, the students wrote a letter to the Directors of FTII giving a solution to resolve the ongoing crisis. The students were apparently happy with the discussions at Delhi. Post-meeting, the students had intense deliberations and discussions with the larger student body. Then they sent a proposal to the Director who in turn forwarded it to the Ministry. The students mentioned that the proposal to resolve crisis was based on what they (students) understood from the various proposals put forward during discussions with the Ministers.

Lets us first see actually what student’s proposal was

l. Three out of the ﬁve contentious members of the proposed society (Anagha Ghaisas, Narendra Pathak and Rahul Solapurkar) would be replaced immediately by three new mutually agreeable members.

2. Three members who have resigned (Jahnu Baruah, Santosh Sivan and Pallavi Joshi) would be replaced by three new mutually agreeable members.

3. For the tenure of the current society, a Vice-Chairman would be elected from among the Society members. All the powers of the Chairman would be vested in this Vice-Chairman while Mr.Chauhan would function as the interim titular head.

4. Mr. Chauhan would not be a part of the revamped process of appointing the new Director at FTII a search committee could be formulated for the appointment of the director- they would be entrusted with identifying suitable candidates.

5. The main demand of the students is academic excellence; to achieve this. a "Mentor/Academic chair" would be created at FTII who would help steer the institution in all academic matters. This mentor would arrive at decisions in consultation with students, teachers and other bodies. By deﬁnition he/she would be an active member of the Academic and Governing council.

6. A time bound Committee with a clear mandate should be formed to look into the reasons of the current crisis and suggest new rules towards formation of all the future FTll Societies in a transparent manner.

7. A Study Group comprising eminent people and academicians will be formed to look into the academic, administrative, infrastructure and human resource issues of the institute and help in the transition to the Institute of National importance. Recommendations of previous Committees such as the Khosla committee and the Nair committee reports could be considered to avoid duplication.

However, the students still have apprehensions about the role of the appointed Chairman under these circumstances. A proactive mechanism devised to address these apprehensions would help strengthen your commitment to make FTII a truly world class Film Institute. We suggest that the post of the Vice- Chairman in the current Society; to be given the title of Co-Chairman. All the powers of the Chairman would be vested in this Co-Chairman and the appointed Chairman would function as the interim titular head.

FTII Students proposal

The modalities and the time frames within which these solutions would be arrived at will be very critical to expedite the process. Also, the different committees suggested should have a clear mandate and should be time bound with members representing the highest academic excellence. In light of the above, if we mutually agree to the proposals discussed and apprehensions raised, it would help us resolve the current crisis at the earliest.

What prompted students who were earlier adamant on dropping five members to suddenly agree to retain Gajendra Chauhan and Shailesh Gupta? What was it that made Chauhan and Gupta non-contentious almost overnight? The students had earlier insisted that none of these five has strong credentials to become members of this premier institution. They also alleged that these five were political appointments. If that be so, why didn’t they oppose Pranjal Saikia who was an office-bearer of the RSS-linked Sanskar Bharati. Their vociferous protestations have suddenly gone silent.

Whatever be the reasons, it now appears that their opposition has whittled down only to three

Photo courtsey Ravi Karandeekar

names i.e Anagha Ghaisas, Narendra Pathak and Rahul Solapurkar. Students want these three and other members who have resigned (Jahnu Barua , Santosh Sivan and Pallavi Joshi) to be replaced by new mutually agreeable members. Why do the students not want back the members who resigned to support them? And what is this new condition of “mutually agreed” members. Process of such appointments should be transparent but that doesn’t mean appointments by “Mutual understanding” with agitators. Will not all other such institutions ask for similar changes then? This will then become the proverbial tip of the ice berg for agitations in the future.

Earlier the students didn’t want Gajendra Chauhan and four others to be associated to a “premier Institute’ like FTII. Then how come suddenly only Gajendra Chauhan and Shailesh Gupta are acceptable and not the other three who are presently on the board? Are they to be sacked? And if so what is the charge-sheet against them?

The president or chairpersons of governing council of FTII are, in any case, ornamental posts only. They don’t have any special powers. That means these posts have been titular all along. Then why did the students oppose Gajendra Chauhan in the first place? Their earlier objection that Chauhan did not have any association with FTII in the past and ,nor could he be placed in the same league as some of his predecessors has suddenly vanished in thin air. Does the only being titular make him to be placed in that league?

Students’ another demand is, Vice-Chairman would be elected from among the Society members. All the powers of the Chairman would be vested in this Vice-Chairman. Presently, the Governing council elects the Vice Chairman. What difference it would achieve if society members elect the Vice Chairman is difficult to understand. Giving powers to the Vice Chairman or any other member is the prerogative of the Governing Council of FTII. The government has nothing to do with it and the students far from it.

Students don’t want Chauhan to be a part of the revamped process of appointing the new Director at FTII. A search committee could be formulated for the appointment of the director- they would be entrusted with identifying suitable candidates. FTII rule 37 (i) specifically says that the Director shall be appointed by the Governing Council with the prior approval of the Central Government on such terms and conditions as may be approved by the Central Government. It is up to the governing council whom to make part of such appointing process. It is another thing that till today governing council has made chairman a part of such process.

Their next demand is the creation of "Mentor/Academic chair" who would help steer the institution in all academic matters. Interesting part of this demand is they want this mentor to arrive at decisions in consultation with the students, teachers and other bodies.

In nut shell, the students want total control and say in the process of appointing, president, chairman, member, director and also administrative decisions. It seems that if government appoints members with mutual understanding with students then that is the only transparency as far as current process is concerned. Those who appoint have the powers to replace and re-appoint. So, when would the students study and learn the basics of films and television. In their spare time?

What difference does it make if Gajendra Chauhan associates with FTII as titular or regular? How is it not going to affect the prestige of the Institute? How out of 6 members (Pranjal saikia included) only 3 members are contentious and others not? Students now have to answer as to the extraneous considerations that have weighed on their minds while trying to stage an official coup and take over the prestigious institute, which will go further down hill until it crashes if these demands are accepted.

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

FTII Students’ Strike, Frustrated, Tainted, Intelligent but Not Innocent

Gajendra Chauhan’s appointment on FTII may be wrong but is that the only reason behind student’s on-going strike? Certainly not. The main reason behind the all this episode is corruption, hence everybody e.g. students, ex-students, administration, politicians wants to have control on it. This institute is not premier anymore. People who claim to be fighting for the Institute’s pride and eminence are just fooling everyone. Being in the field of acting, they write and execute the script according to their will and put its edited version and claim that as a truth.

Photo Courtsey Ravi karandeekar

I got involved in this FTII matter because of Right to Information ( RTI ) only. One fine morning a media person called me asking how to go ahead with RTI in order to get some information immediately, because filing regular RTI may waste precious time. I asked her to carry out office inspection under section 4 of the RTI Act, because all she wanted to know was about the letters shared and communication between the FTII director and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B), registrar and ministry, dean and ministry with respect to the strike and the minutes of all the discussions held between the SM-Khan led three- member delegation and director, registrar, faculty, students and staff on August 21.

Dues of cash advance till july 22015

She gave intimation to the institute but FTII didn’t give any information. Hence after giving the same intimation, I went personally for inspecting the files. This time they were ready with limited transparency. They provided me some information on a pen drive and as earlier director had just transferred , asked for 8 to 10 days time because the correspondence was from the personal email ID of the then Director.

dues of Cash advance till july 2015

As for the minutes of the meeting held on 21.8.2015 between S. M. Khan led three-member delegation and Director, Registrar, faculty, students and staff are concerned; they said that the information was not available with FTII. This was totally unacceptable and wrong. They also denied the documents related with the assessment of 2008 batch students since the assessment was kept on hold and the process was yet to complete. That was ok.

dues of Cash advance till july 2015

However whatever information I obtained under the RTI Act and later through my sources is shocking and throws light on the chaos, illegalities, mismanagement, corruption and misbehavior of the administration, faculty and students.

Being students, they get support and sympathy from all walks of the society. This has not happened for the first time. Every time a chairman, director or faculty not of their liking is appointed, students call them incompetent. The only self-proclaimed entity that is always competent in FTII for the past so many years is the students.

Let us first see the reasons behind such repetitive agitations.

1) If a student doesn’t complete his course or project within the stipulated time, they are still entitled to free accommodation , subsidized food and no fees.

2) Students get cash advance for projects and hardly anybody checks the accounts and whether the cash is spent on legitimate heads.

3) Students can do private jobs in extended periods of free stay with subsidized food and cash advance in the hostel.

To avail of all these facilities, some students take the faculty and some from the administration in their loop and enjoy these facilities for years together. This is not the first time that the students haven’t completed their courses or projects in the stipulated time.

Academic councils decision on 11 April2014

The present agitation is connected with the first reason. It all started because of 70th meeting of Academic Council of FTII held on 11 April 2014. In this meeting it was decided that any student who does not complete any project or any part of the curriculum due to personal reasons and which adversely affect the running of the academic curriculum as well as affects the learning of the other students, must not be allowed to continue.Normally students claim differences with the faculty as a cause of delay in completing projects. Therefore the Council decided that differences amongst the team members needs to be resolved by them in case of delays are caused because of differences. The project even though incomplete, will have to be stopped within the time frame and assessment will be done accordingly, on as is where is basis.

And this is the root cause of the present agitation. But there was no way they could oppose this resolution, although they managed to pass ample time. But as earlier the director was about to transfer and there was need to find some reason for fresh agitation to go on strike before new one takes charge. This meant that students may have to leave the campus and also immediately clear the cash advance dues if he would act as per resolutions passed in Academic Council.Suddenly with the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan and 4 others, they found an opportunity to strike. Actually, the President of FTII or chairman of its Governing Council does not have any special powers. Decisions are taken in governing council meetings on “majority carries the point” basis. And as this appointment was backdated, newly appointed committee would hardly make any difference. But the students hyped this issue.

Minutes of meeting director an all HoD's

Meanwhile the Ministry asked the newly appointed director to go ahead with assessment as per resolution dated 11 April 2014. Accordingly, it was decided that projects including the incomplete ones should be assessed. Extensions had been given to these students in 2013 as well as in 2014 and there doesn't seem to be any logic in giving any further extension. It was also decided that students can be asked to vacate the hostels though, they should be given opportunity to complete the remaining work including post production on the projects or exercises, for which they may be provided facilities as and when available and guest house accommodation on individual basis. There was nothing wrong in this decision. Even then the students opposed and held the Director hostage and insulted the national anthem. Even then director didn’t file a FIR against them for contempt of national anthem. In this case Heads of the departments that proposed and signed the minutes of this latter on denied any of such decision because many HoD's faculties are ex - students of FTII and any such may have put some restrictions on corruption and using facilities free of cost.

Now do the students really care about institute’s reputation? In the past one and half years at least 15 times, the police have knocked at the doors of the FTII in the wee hours, because of complaints of noise of late night cocktail parties. However,During the former director D J Narain's tenure the students seem to have got freehand and this is well understood because no police dared to enter the premises despite of serious police complaints and incidents that happened in the institute during earlier many director's term Had they allowed them to enter, many including students would have been behind bars. There are several instances of liquor parties of students in FTII, which are recorded in security diary. Is this their love for reputation of institute?

Parties recorded in campus

Students are allowed to take cash advance for there projects. But hardly any body ever submits accounts. Outstanding dues of the cash advance till July 2015 are around Rs 20 lakhs. Till 31st March 2015, the dues were around Rs18 lakhs. That means students had to either submit accounts for that amount or had to return that money to the Institute. Some of the dues are pending since 2012. If audited carefully the expenses from advances may attract severe punishment. And in this case students are not alone administration also has dues to clear.

Parties recorded in campus

There are hundreds of incidences of damage to the Institute’s property from students.

Next incidence may not be related to the students. But a camera worth Rs5 lakhs was stolen from the Institute. But FIR was not lodged for some time. Later on it was decided to lodge the FIR, initially police refused to do so, but as it was government property they accepted the complaint and HoD also didn't insisted on lodging FIR. However when police went to investigate administration didn’t allow them do so.Also they on investigation Hence police closed the case. Who is responsible for this loss?

This may be the India’s first agitation, which is being run from government buildings and funds. FTII has landed itself in more trouble by not only paying air fare to the agitating students to go to Delhi but also because FTII has admitted the fasting students in private hospitals at great cost. In reality, where was the need for FTII to pay for the agitating fasting students and least of all in a private expensive hospital at tax-payers' cost. Later on when I put this matter on face book Director Prashant Pathrabe realized that the strike was illegal and confessed. And that hospital bills for the first two fasting students were paid as courtesy. Courtesy , at whose cost? The students sat on a fast of their own sweet will while the cost of the repercussions is being borne by the tax-payers. These students are one up over our politicians as far as enjoying five-star facilities!!

Now , as the students have successfully prevented administration from new admissions to take place. The Government should immediately order an audit by the C&AG so that the agitation would come to an end automatically‼

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FTII row, non issue being stretched too far

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Sunday, September 13, 2015

FTII row, non issue being stretched too far

Students of Film and TelevisionInstitute of India ( FTII) are on strike since last 93 days. Their demands are legitimate or not may be the matter of debate. However one thing is clear, everybody associated with FTII i.e ministry, administration and students can not claim innocence in this matter and everybody is stretching the issue too far.

Photo courtsey Ravi Karandeekar

Right now this issue is focused on the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as the President of FTII and Chairman of the Governing Council (GC). Students have also objected to the Rahul Solapurkar, Anagha Ghaisas and Narendra Pathak as members of the Council. However, it seems that agitation is now focused only on Gajendra Chavan.

Photo Courtsey Ravi Karandeekar

There is no doubt that nominations or appointments on several authorities or Institutes like FTII are always politically motivated. It is also agreed that process of such appointments must be transparent. There may be some substance in argument on credentials of Gajendra Chavan. But it is also fact that President of FTII or chairman of its Governing Council doesn’t have any special powers. Decisions are taken in governing council meetings on “majority carries the point” basis. Then how come appointment of members who doesn’t have any special power or authority became such a “big issue”?.

Photo courtsey Ravi Karandeekar

FTII is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and is registered under the Societies’ Registration Act of 1860. There are a total 26 members in the Society and a President. Themembers are appointed by the Central Government under various categories. The 26 members elect 13 members for the GC. The general superintendence, direction, control and administration of the affairs of the Institute, its property and income vests with the GC. The President of FTII is by default the Chairman of the GC. The GC has powers to appoint other committees and the Academic Council and the Standing Committee on Finance are formed by the GC.

The GC, as the apex body of the FTII, is responsible for making all major policy decisions of the Institute in consonance with its aims and objectives. In any event, the 4 members of the GC against whom allegations have been made cannot take or manipulate any decision. Then why are the Government and more particularly the students making a prestige issue on this point? Removal of Gajendra Chauhan may solve this problem immediately.

Photo Courtsey Firstpost.com

Then why is the Government not doing that? And why have the students stalled the functioning of FTII? This is specially significant because politically affiliated members are in a minority in the GC and it is crystal clear that these so called politically affiliated members on the GC cannot make any difference in the functioning of FTII. Then what is bothering the students?

Since last 18 months i.e from 4 March 2014, GC is not in place in FTII. And it has made no difference to the functioning of the Society. The tenure of the GC being 3 years, the newly constituted committee will get only 18 months tenure because the members will be appointed retrospectively i.e from 4 March 2014. And hardly 4 or 5 meeting would take place in 18 months.

Photo Courtsey Mid day

Past history of institution shows that hardly any luminary has participated in such meetings. So big names do not make any difference to the functioning of the Society. Further, there is always the chance of this issue landing up in a court of law due to the political overtones in this agitation. No one can then predict the outcome; however by that time this Committee’s tenure will certainly be over.

Support to student’s agitation grew multifold after the Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi entered the fray. And as media is covering it 24x7, it has now become fashionable to support blindly put one's name behind it! Surprisingly, Rahul Gandhi did not do anything for FTII when he was the ruling dispensation and had full authority and over a decade to take steps for the betterment of the FTII? The tenure of the earlier committee ended on 3 March 2014 and the Code of Conduct came in to force on 5 March. Why did not UPAII appoint the FTII Committee? Why Rahul Gandhi and his government let the opportunity to appoint the new GC slip to the NDA II?

Recently actors Vidya Balan, Pallavi Joshi and Anjum Rajabali have also supported the student’s agitation urging the President to declare FTII as a Centre of Excellence and de-link it from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting by making it an autonomous institution. Pllavi Joshi while supporting agitation said, "Creativity and great work is an impossible target to reach in a cloud of negativity”. She should have added that politics and art rarely go together! Vidya Balan and Pallavi Joshi are both appointed on FTII GC.Pallavi has tendered her resignation.

Instead of supporting the agitation, Vidya and Pallavi should join FTII and transform the Institution. If one one 'wrong' person make so much difference then two right persons should make much more positive difference to the Society. However, no one is coming forward for the betterment of FTII but appear to be interested in supporting agitations and allegations.

Vidya balan has also talked of de-linking FTII from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and making it autonomous. FTII is already autonomous, now what de-linking will achieve only Vidya Balan may reveal. One can attach several connotations to the word "de-linking" and many of them could be serious.

FTII Students’ Association has already alleged that the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister, Arun Jaitley has hinted that if students do not “cooperate” with the Ministry to resolve the stand-off over the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan, it could lead to FTII’s privatization. Earlier, such agitations in FTII have ended in the termination of the course or temporary closure of the film wing. In such circumstances,students should help run the Institutee and not nip the intention of closing the Institute or its privatization in the bud.

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