PUNE: The health of another student of the 2020 batch on a hunger strike since May 15 at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, is worsening.
The institute’s decision to make one of them repeat the semester triggered the protest which is now 10 days old.
All students of the 2020 batch have boycotted their classes since the beginning of this semester on April 10 to protest against the administration’s decision.
Initially, three students started the strike. On the fifth day, one of them was taken to a hospital, and later released. Another student was hospitalized on Monday and released on Wednesday. Two other students joined the hunger strike in their place last week.
The student of the 2020 batch was told to repeat the semester allegedly due to poor attendance and credits.
However, classmates said that he was undergoing medical treatment and if his medical records are considered, he will get the credits to be eligible for the current semester.
“No official from the institute has met us or enquired about our well-being. On Monday, we sought an assurance from the registrar about considering the student’s medical leave but nobody listened to us. When we asked that the academic council meeting be scheduled before May 30, the administration ignored us,” a student from same batch said.
Registrar Sayyid Rabeehashmi said several FTII representatives have been meeting the students who are on a hunger strike with requests to them to withdraw it and start attending their classes.
“An emergency meeting of the academic council was held on May 1 to discuss the matter and another meeting is scheduled on May 30 ,” he added.
The medical certificate submitted by the student, which came after the May 1 meeting, will be placed before the council, he said.
“We are viewing the situation. The director has met the representatives of the students twice and also had a brief meeting with a group of ex-students. Faculty members and others are also meeting them,” Rabeehashmi added.
The institute’s decision to make one of them repeat the semester triggered the protest which is now 10 days old.
All students of the 2020 batch have boycotted their classes since the beginning of this semester on April 10 to protest against the administration’s decision.
Initially, three students started the strike. On the fifth day, one of them was taken to a hospital, and later released. Another student was hospitalized on Monday and released on Wednesday. Two other students joined the hunger strike in their place last week.
The student of the 2020 batch was told to repeat the semester allegedly due to poor attendance and credits.
However, classmates said that he was undergoing medical treatment and if his medical records are considered, he will get the credits to be eligible for the current semester.
“No official from the institute has met us or enquired about our well-being. On Monday, we sought an assurance from the registrar about considering the student’s medical leave but nobody listened to us. When we asked that the academic council meeting be scheduled before May 30, the administration ignored us,” a student from same batch said.
Registrar Sayyid Rabeehashmi said several FTII representatives have been meeting the students who are on a hunger strike with requests to them to withdraw it and start attending their classes.
“An emergency meeting of the academic council was held on May 1 to discuss the matter and another meeting is scheduled on May 30 ,” he added.
The medical certificate submitted by the student, which came after the May 1 meeting, will be placed before the council, he said.
“We are viewing the situation. The director has met the representatives of the students twice and also had a brief meeting with a group of ex-students. Faculty members and others are also meeting them,” Rabeehashmi added.
