By team abhyaspeeth 
Pune: In a significant step towards strengthening film and media education in India, the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata have officially been granted the status of “deemed-to-be universities” by the Ministry of Education. This recognition allows the premier institutions to award degrees and introduce doctoral-level research programmes, marking a new chapter in their academic journey.
The status was granted under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act, 1956, which enables the Central Government to confer deemed university status on institutions of higher education based on UGC’s recommendation. FTII Society had submitted its application through the UGC’s Deemed Universities Application Portal.
A senior official from the Ministry of Education confirmed, “FTII and SRFTI have received deemed-to-be university status as per UGC’s advice. With this, both institutes will now be able to launch research-driven academic programmes, offer PhDs, participate in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), and become part of the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC). This move is in alignment with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, aiming for autonomy, innovation, and excellence in media education.”
Established in 1995 and named after iconic filmmaker Satyajit Ray, SRFTI functions under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. It currently offers three-year postgraduate courses in six cinema specialisations and two-year postgraduate courses in electronic and digital media, also across six disciplines.
FTII was founded in 1960 on the grounds of the former Prabhat Studios in Pune. Initially named the Film Institute of India, it was renamed the Film and Television Institute of India in 1971. It became a key training center for Doordarshan, India’s public broadcaster, with its television wing moving from New Delhi to Pune in 1974.
The institute offers postgraduate diplomas that have been recognised as equivalent to Master’s degrees by the Association of Indian Universities since 2017. Known for its rigorous curriculum and prestigious alumni, FTII drew national attention in 2015 when students launched a 139-day strike opposing the appointment of Gajendra Chauhan as chairman, citing political interference and lack of merit.
With their new status as deemed universities, both FTII and SRFTI are now positioned to become global leaders in film and television education, offering students greater academic and research opportunities in the field.