FTII, Satyajit Ray institute in Kolkata to hold joint entrance test in Feb

A PRIVATE body will hold a joint entrance test for the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune and the Kolkata-based Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) for admissions to all courses at the two institutes run by the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&B). The Centre for Management Services, a division of All India Management Association (AIMA), which won the bid floated to award the contract, will look after accepting applications, conducting examination including printing and transport of question papers, processing and evaluating multiple choice questions as well as announcement of results. FTII and SRFTII will continue to set question papers and evaluate descriptive answers.

This year, candidates aspiring to take the joint entrance test (JET) will have to shell out Rs 4,000 (Rs 1,200 for SC, ST and disabled candidates) as application fee, which has been hiked from last year’s 3,500 (Rs 1,000 for reserved categories). Also, for the first time, the entrance test will have a negative marking system as per which 1/3rd marks allotted to a multiple choice question will be deducted if the answer recorded by the candidate turns out to be false.

The proposal to undertake a joint test was approved by the academic council of FTII as well as the SRFTII earlier this year. However, the decision was not implemented in 2017 as there was a very short time left to organise a joint test.

Both the institutes currently conduct their written exams at nearly 20 centres across the country, reportedly spending around Rs 25-30 lakh each for the entire process.

As per the contract agreement, AIMA will be responsible for developing the JET portal for receiving applications, collecting application fee through online mode, segregation of applications and allotment of test centres, distribution of admit cards, handling logistics at the exam centres, printing question papers, dispatch of papers and OMR sheets and collection of answersheets, scanning and evaluating the OMR sheets, distribution of answersheets for subjective part for their evaluation by FTII experts and for collating and publishing results.

FTII Director Bhupendra Kainthola said he was travelling and was unable to provide a comment.

The application process will continue till January 25, 2018. The entrance test will be conducted on February 18, 2018, at 26 centres across the country.