NEW DELHI: Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata have been granted deemed-to-be university status, Ministry of Education has said.
The new status will empower them to award degrees rather than just diplomas and offer doctoral programmes.
The FTII Pune and SRFTI Kolkata, have been granted deemed-to-be university status under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. The status has been notified following recommendation made by the University Grants Commission, according to a post on the official handle of Ministry of Education on social media platform X.
The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune, and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata have been notified as Institutions Deemed to be Universities under the distinct category by the Ministry of Education, Govt. of India.
📌 Status granted… pic.twitter.com/ChCSnKwl7f
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) April 23, 2025
Both institutes will launch doctoral, research and innovative academic programmes. They will also participate in NIRF Rankings and integrate with Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). Aligned with vision of National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, this landmark decision will pave way for greater autonomy, innovation and academic excellence in film and media education, the officials said.
The FTII was set up by the Government of India in 1960 on the premises of the erstwhile Prabhat Studios in Pune. Formerly known as the ‘Film Institute of India’, it was a department of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
In 1971, FTII was renamed ‘Film and Television Institute of India’ (FTII) and started in-service training programmes for Doordarshan. The Television Training wing, which was earlier functioning in New Delhi, shifted to Pune in 1974. Thereafter, the institute became fully aided by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
In 2017, the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) had granted equivalence to six PG Diploma Programmes of the institute with Master’s Degree.
Named after legendary Satyajit Ray, the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute was the second national centre of cinema education set up in 1995 by the Government of India as an autonomous academic institution under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Now, the Institute offers three year PG programmes in cinema with six specialisations of filmmaking and two year postgraduate programmes in Electronics and Digital Media with six specialisations.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Padhan called it a historic leap towards world-class film and media education in India.
“Deemed to be University status to FTII, Pune and SRFTI, Kolkata is a matter of great delight and a landmark moment for film and media studies. Heartily congratulate the @FTIIOfficial and @srfti_official,” he posted on X.
A historic leap towards world-class film and media education in India!
‘Deemed to be University’ status to FTII, Pune and SRFTI, Kolkata is a matter of great delight and a landmark moment for film and media studies.
Heartily congratulate the @FTIIOfficial and @srfti_official… https://t.co/VECxhFb99x
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) April 23, 2025
The recognition will empower the institutes, offer greater autonomy and flexibility, lead to research, innovation and academic excellence in alignment with the vision of NEP 2020 and ensure that these prestigious institutions transform into 21st century temples of knowledge, innovation, research and cinematic brilliance, he added.