NEW DELHI: Even half a century after it was set up, the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, has failed to get equivalence status for its post-graduate diploma courses in various disciplines of film and television.
As a result of this, those who pass out of the FTII are unable to take up higher studies and research. Taking note of this, a Parliamentary Committee has asked the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to expedite this matter with the Human Resource Development Ministry and the Association of Indian Universities. Interestingly, even the National School of Drama enjoys this equivalence status.
Meanwhile, the I&B Ministry has prepared a Detailed Project Report with the help of a group of experts to upgrade the Institute and its infrastructure. A programme has already been undertaken to upgrade the infrastructure during the 11th and the 12th Plan period in a phased manner.
A bill is expected to be introduced in Parliament to declare the FTII an “Institute of National Importance” to upgrade the position of FTII at the national and international levels to attract talented faculty, staff and students and to start high level research and innovation schemes related to Film, TV and allied media.
The FTII was set up in 1960 in Pune, as a premier Institute for imparting training in art and technique of Film making. The Institute has been conducting Post Graduate Diploma in Film and Television in various disciplines, namely, Direction, Cinematography, Audiography, editing etc. FTII also runs various short courses for working professionals.
The Standing Committee on Information Technology regretted that "no initiatives have been taken to upgrade the status of FTII, and the Ministry is still exploring the possibilities of getting equivalent status for its diploma courses from the Ministry of HRD".
The Committee said the upgradation of FTII to global standards should be done with ‘due promptness’ and wanted to be apprised of the progress and the Ministry’s definite plan for this purpose at the earliest.
