I&B Ministry
FTII to broad base its course content; introduce choice based credit systems
NEW DELHI: The Film and Television Institute of India is to have new syllabus for its courses aimed at streamlining academic course work.
The Governing Council of the FTII in its 129th meeting held in Mumbai today also gave approval to the Academic Council’s proposal to convert FTII into a holistic institute of cinema, television and allied arts, offering varied choice of subjects related to cinema and digital media.
The GC also approved the vision document of FTII, which proposes to switch from teacher centric approach to learning centric approach, giving students enough flexibility to steer his / her career.
The GC Meeting was chaired by Chairman Gajendra Chauhan and Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Ajay Mittal attended the meeting as a special invitee.
The Academic Council of FTII, headed by noted filmmaker and television producer B P Singh, had drawn up an action plan for broad basing the course content. The proposal envisages setting up of nine different “schools” under the aegis of FTII, which will offer 22 courses, including short-term courses in music composing, animation and gaming, prosthetics and make up, costume design etc, besides the core subjects like direction, cinematography, acting, editing and sound design.
The new syllabus aims to finish the courses in time bound manner. The new syllabus has been drawn up through a collaborative process taking inputs from academics, experts and alumni of FTII.
The institute will also introduce Choice Based Credit System which would replace the present system of annual assessment. The new syllabus under semester system would be introduced from August 2016 batch, while existing batches will continue to be covered under the old system. The GC also approved appointment of a Proctor and new rules regarding hostel accommodation.
Film maker Rajkumar Hirani, actor Satish Shah, former Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore, Director Pankaj Chandra, former Mumbai Univesity Vice Chancellor Dr Rajan Welukar, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, DG K G Suresh, Films DivisonDG Mukesh Sharma, Ramoji Film & Television Institute, Hyderabad, Director Pavan Manvi, and noted film critic Bhavana Somayya were among those attended the meeting.
I&B Ministry
India tightens anti-piracy law, blocks sites and Telegram channels
New rules bring jail terms, fines and faster takedowns of illegal content
NEW DELHI: The Government of India has stepped up its fight against film piracy, invoking stricter provisions under the Cinematograph Amendment Act 2023 to crack down on unauthorised recording and distribution.
The law now imposes tougher penalties, including jail terms ranging from three months to three years and fines starting at Rs. 3 lakh, which can go up to 5 per cent of a film’s production cost. The provisions target both illegal recording in cinemas and unauthorised online transmission.
In a fresh enforcement push, authorities have notified the Telegram platform to act against piracy, leading to the identification of 3,142 channels allegedly distributing copyrighted content without permission. In parallel, access to around 800 piracy websites has been blocked through internet service providers.
The action has been taken under the Information Technology Act 2000, which empowers the government to direct intermediaries to remove unlawful content. The framework is further reinforced by the Information Technology Rules 2021, requiring platforms to act swiftly when notified of violations.
An institutional mechanism is also in place, allowing copyright holders and authorised representatives to file complaints through designated nodal officers. Once verified, these complaints trigger takedown notices to intermediaries for disabling access to infringing content.
The update was shared in Parliament by Government of India minister of state information and broadcasting l murugan in response to a query from Parimal Nathwani.
The government’s latest move signals a sharper, more coordinated approach to tackling piracy across both physical and digital channels. For the film industry, it is a step towards protecting revenues, while for viewers, it reinforces the shift towards legitimate content consumption.
