Pune: FTII Administration Under Fire for Discriminating Against Physically Handicapped Student
Pune, 13th March 2023: The Students’ Association of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Law College Road, in Pune has accused the administration of shunning all responsibility towards the academic needs of Rachaittri Gupta, a physically handicapped and wheelchair-bound student of Editing (Films). Gupta has missed a part of her academics because of multiple reasons, including the institute’s failure to provide adequate infrastructure to deal with her needs.
Despite repeated appeals, the administration has failed to address Gupta’s accessibility to various classrooms and her own department, the student body alleged. The institute’s failure to be inclusive of differently-abled persons is a significant failing, and the administration’s actions towards Gupta are discriminatory, according to the students’ association.
Gupta underwent surgery and subsequent recuperation, which the institute was aware of, but the administration still used her medical leaves of absence to target her and oust her from her academic rights. The institute has claimed that it is impossible for Gupta to fulfill the credits she has lost because of her absence and has punished her by disallowing all coordinated projects with students from other departments.
The administration is also asking Gupta to vacate her hostel room and leave the campus, and start her course from the beginning, six months later, provided that she pays the fees all over again. This decision denies Gupta her rights as a student and is insensitive to her financial and medical conditions, according to the students’ association.
The FTII Student Community has voiced their support for Gupta and vowed to wait out their academics with her until the issue is resolved.
The FTII officials did not comment on the issue.
Editor’s note: This report will be updated after getting the version of the FTII.
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