Students’ hunger strike at FTII in Pune enters fourth day

As per the information given by the FTII Students Association, five students of the 2020 batch were expelled from the institute without giving any prior notice. Later, in an emergency academic council meeting held on May 1 this year, four students were allowed to attend classes

The hunger strike of three Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) students to demand the reinstatement of an expelled batchmate entered the fourth day on Thursday. The institute carried out the health check-up of protesting students of 2020 batch on Thursday.

Several rounds of meetings were held with these students and student association. In some of these meetings, the tone of students’ reaction was inappropriate, said FTII registrar Sayyid Rabeehashmi. (Pratham Gokhale/HT PHOTO)

“I along with two other batchmates are on hunger strike seeking permission to attend the next semester and classes. There are discrepancies in the attendance record which they have sent. We had given seven days medical certificate for leave and accordingly the credit issue would have got cleared,” said Ayush Verma (27).

“Our health is better today. The institute is threatening our parents to stop our hunger strike. They should immediately hold a meeting with me, but are ready to talk with other students,” he said.

As per the information given by the FTII Students Association, five students of the 2020 batch were expelled from the institute without giving any prior notice. Later, in an emergency academic council meeting held on May 1 this year, four students were allowed to attend classes on condition to remedial assignments and exercises decided by the department heads to be completed in stipulated time frame.

“Several rounds of meetings were held with these students and student association. Two representatives of the association were part of the meeting of the Academic Council. After the beginning of the hunger strike this week, officials, including dean films, registrar incharge and director, met representatives of the batch and student association multiple times. In some of these meetings, the tone of students’ reaction was inappropriate,” said FTII registrar Sayyid Rabeehashmi.

“In all the meetings, FTII officials were requesting students to stop the strike and resume classes. However, the students were not compromising in their demand to promote a student with 30 per cent of attendance and inadequate credits,” he said.