I&B-constituted panel's 'clean chit' to Prashant Pathrabe

New Delhi: A committee constituted by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to look into the affairs of FTII is believed to have given a clean chit to its Director Prashant Pathrabe on the issue of assessment of the 2008 batch saying his actions were valid and in line with Academic Council's decisions taken earlier.

The three-member committee, however, in its report is also learnt to have apprised the ministry that completing the process of assessment of the 2008 batch, would mean declaring the results and issuing students notices to leave the hostel which could create an unpleasant situation.

The I&B ministry had formed the committee headed by Registrar for Newspapers in India (RNI) DG S M Khan, to examine the issue related to the assessment of the 2008 batch.

The team was formed after Pathrabe was gheraoed by students for several hours following which he complained to the police and some of the students were even arrested.

The team had then visited Pune and spoken to several sections associated with the premier film institute and given its report to the ministry.

Sources said that the committee had found that in Academic Council meetings earlier and through subsequent notices, the process of assessment of 2008 batch had been set in motion.

The report has found that Pathrabe was acting as per his duty with regard to the issue of assessment.

The sources said that the committee has found that as per the rules, the director can take the necessary action required to implement decisions of the various committees of the institute.

The committee, it is learnt, has said that while the director has initiated the process of assessment of 2008 batch, completing it would require, announcing the results after which the students would be required to vacate the hostels.

This could create a situation similar to the one when the gherao and the consequent unpleasant scenario, the committee is learnt to have informed the I&B ministry.