3-member panel likely to submit report on FTII today

New Delhi: The three-member committee constituted by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to look into issues pertaining to Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is likely to submit its report today.

Sources said that members of the committee who had been given 48 hours to submit their report on the ground situation at FTII, especially pertaining to the assessment of 2008 batch of students, today met Minister of State for I&B Rajyavardhan Rathore and sought more time.

“The members of the committee have spoken extensively to the students, faculty, staff and other people. So they wanted more time. They are expected to submit the report to I&B ministry tomorrow,” a senior official said. Officials said that they would take further steps after the report is submitted by the committee which is headed by Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI) DG S M Khan.

A senior official said that while the focus of the report is basically on the issue related to assessment of 2008 batch of students it will also give an overall insight to the ministry “which is hopeful that a solution will emerge soon”.

The FTII campus has been witnessing students’ protest ever since actor Gajendra Chauhan was named as the chairman of the institute by the I&B ministry.

The authorities meanwhile decided to go ahead with the assessment of 2008 batch which was vehemently opposed by the students.

The students also reportedly “gheraoed” the institute’s Director Prashant Pathrabe over their demands. Later in a midnight crackdown, police arrested five students from the campus following a complaint by Pathrabe.

The students were later given bail. After the incidents, the I&B ministry had constituted the committee to look into the happenings at the institute.

PTI