Pune:
The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) - country's premiere school of cinema with many illustrious alumni to its name - is in the midst of a controversy.
They are caught in swelling protest against an upgradation proposal.
The proposal, prepared by consultancy firm Hewitt Associates at the request of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, suggests that the FTII should remodel itself along the lines of public-private partnership and should introduce expensive industry-oriented short-term courses to make the institute profit-generating and globally competitive.
"Now why would an institution like FTII be profitable in the first place? It is an art school. It has been set up by Chacha Nehru with a vision. That vision is to create our own individualistic cinema. And in the last five decades we have seen that it has brought Indian cinema on the map of universal cinema," said Resul Pookutty, Oscar-winning sound designer and an FTII alumnus.
"They want to make this a polytechnic instead of an art school," said Pratik Vats, a student at the institute.
The students fear that fundamental alteration in the moral fabric of the institute will mark the end of FTII. They say short-term expensive courses will also keep away students who have merit but no money, limiting FTII's academic gene pool so vital for its growth.
The battle refuses to die down with the powerful alumni now joining in the protests.
They are caught in swelling protest against an upgradation proposal.
The proposal, prepared by consultancy firm Hewitt Associates at the request of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry, suggests that the FTII should remodel itself along the lines of public-private partnership and should introduce expensive industry-oriented short-term courses to make the institute profit-generating and globally competitive.
"Now why would an institution like FTII be profitable in the first place? It is an art school. It has been set up by Chacha Nehru with a vision. That vision is to create our own individualistic cinema. And in the last five decades we have seen that it has brought Indian cinema on the map of universal cinema," said Resul Pookutty, Oscar-winning sound designer and an FTII alumnus.
"They want to make this a polytechnic instead of an art school," said Pratik Vats, a student at the institute.
The students fear that fundamental alteration in the moral fabric of the institute will mark the end of FTII. They say short-term expensive courses will also keep away students who have merit but no money, limiting FTII's academic gene pool so vital for its growth.
The battle refuses to die down with the powerful alumni now joining in the protests.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
