|
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.
| 
