Students from the Documentary Cinema Department at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Itanagar have issued a formal appeal to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute (SRFTI) regarding unresolved infrastructural and academic issues they claim have hindered their first semester and jeopardize their ongoing studies.
In a comprehensive 16-page letter dated November 20, the first batch of ten students stated they would boycott the second semester unless the authorities provide a “time-bound, itemised action plan” to address delays, incomplete facilities, inadequate equipment, and systemic administrative shortcomings.
The letter, which has been shared with Maktoob, highlights that students have consistently raised concerns through emails, meetings, and two academic pauses earlier this year, yet have seen “no significant visible development” on campus since August.
Students reported that several essential facilities remain unfinished, including the sound studio, studio floor, preview theatre, and classroom theatres, all of which are vital for their documentary training.
“Our intention has always been to learn… We are not resisting education; we are seeking an environment where education is realistically possible,” the letter stated.
Specific complaints included limited access to cameras, a lack of dedicated research workstations, no provision for laptops during fieldwork, and a deficiency in practical modules for various documentary formats. They also noted the institute’s remote location in Jollang Rakap village, which necessitates travel to Itanagar for basic groceries, thus impacting their academic time.
The letter warned that the course risks “losing educational and industry validity” without fundamental facilities like a sound studio, crucial for documentary post-production. It further noted that visiting faculty, including sound designer Sneha Khanwalkar, had to minimize the depth of their instruction due to the infrastructural shortcomings.
Students also raised concerns over the institute’s low visibility, citing the lack of a functioning website, official email addresses, student ID cards, and social media presence, which adversely affects their professional prospects, internships, and networking opportunities.
Their demands include completing unfinished construction, operationalizing a standard sound studio, ensuring sufficient camera availability, implementing a structured cultural orientation program, involving students in planning for the monsoon break, and establishing student exchange programs. They also requested an on-campus supply system for basic groceries and a transport facility for fieldwork.
The students emphasized that temporary or makeshift solutions are unacceptable, insisting on “permanent solutions” to safeguard the integrity of the program and the future of the institute’s inaugural batch.
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