Pune: Following serious disagreement with students, veteran
actor Tom Alter resigned as head of the acting department at the Film and
Television Institute of India (FTII). The FTII administration, while confirming
the resignation of Alter, said, “It is yet to be accepted.”
According to Brijendra Pal Singh, chairman of the FTII
academic council, the students had refused to attend Alter’s classes as he had
sought 100 percent attendance. The FTII students, however, accused Alter of
having “dictatorial ways” and said that he was failing as an administrator, as
a result of which they had to suffer.
Sources said that on May 23, students misbehaved with Alter
and they had a scuffle with him at the director’s office. At that point, the
actor threatened to resign. In his resignation letter sent through an email,
Alter has maintained that due to other commitments, he was “unable to find time
for academic activities”.
FTII director Bhupendra Kainthola, while confirming the
resignation, said, “The institute is trying to persuade him to withdraw the
resignation.” Alter had joined the institute in November 2014, and he
voluntarily decided to not take any honorarium. He was teaching students
without accepting any salary.
Alter’s resignation is the latest standpoint between the
students and FTII management as the institute is again on a simmer after the
academic council proposed to bring in a new syllabus, shifting to a
choice-based credit system and extra measures to maintain discipline on the
campus.
The council has proposed that hostel facility will be allowed
to be used only for the duration of the course while the proctor is to be
appointed on the campus to bring in order among students.
At an academic council meeting held on Wednesday, students
opposed all the proposals put forth by council members. Irked by the constant
opposition by students, Brijendra Pal Singh reportedly expressed his
disappointment, saying he had never come across students who “wanted to oppose
everything”.
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