FTII students’ association leaders on hunger strike to protest fee hike

The students led by the association president V Aadith have demanded that a 10 per cent fee hike decision taken by the FTII Governing Council in 2008 be revoked, and that the JET (Joint Entrance Test) 2020 be put on hold, until entrance exam fees are reduced

PUNE: Three office-bearers of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Students’ Association, initiated an indefinite hunger strike on December 16, in protest of the “constant hikes in tuition fees and unreasonably high entrance exam fees”.

FTII main gate. (Sanket Wankhade/HT PHOTO)

The students led by the association president V Aadith have demanded that a 10 per cent fee hike decision taken by the FTII Governing Council in 2008 be revoked, and that the JET (Joint Entrance Test) 2020 be put on hold, until entrance exam fees are reduced.

“The students of FTII have been trying to address this issue for the last four years. Having no voice in the Academic Council, the agendas proposed by students either does not get taken up or are outright rejected. The entrance exam fees have touched the Rs 10,000 mark and tuition fees, annually, are Rs 1,18,323. The students feel it is high time a strong radical stance is taken against this unreasonable hike which stops numerous aspirants across the country from accessing this premier education,” said Aadith.

Bhupendra Kainthola, director, FTII said, “ We have received a letter from the students association informing us that three students have started a hunger strike on Monday. The hunger strike is totally unjustified as there is no immediate reason to protest a decision taken 11 years ago. Also, the student association has not given any prior notice to the administration. I appeal to the three agitating students to call off the protest and resume their studies.”