Protests fallout: FTII makes students sign 'decency' affidavit

After being caught last year in students protests, the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), in Pune reportedly is now making the new students sign an affidavit that prohibits them from violating the “decorum and decency on the campus” and “insulting” faculty members.

The students are expected to submit five affidavits on a ₹100 stamp paper. According to the Indian Express, the affidavit reads: 

"…I agree to maintain decorum and decency on the campus, including in hostel and staff residential areas, and in any circumstances would not be insulting to the faculty, staff members and elders."

“I understand that the institute has full right to initiate disciplinary proceedings against me for violation of any of its rules & regulation by me,” says the “self-declaration affidavit by the candidate for general conduct on FTII campus”.

The affidavit states that the students have no right for being given hostel accomodation and must pay “pay all kinds of fees 100 per cent in advance” and “not bring any kind of external and/or emotional pressure on FTII for any exemption”.

A spokesperson of the FTII Students' Union told IE that the language of the affidavit was "patriarchal" and it was a 'knee-jerk reaction' by the administration.

"We don't agree with such arm-twisting methods employed by the administration, aimed at instilling fear in the minds of the freshers," a student told Express.

The 139-days long strike that was called off on 16 December last year was the seventh major and the longest such protest in the history of FTII. The students then were protesting over the appointment of Gajendra Chouhan as the chairman of FTII.