SC directs FTII Pune to allow candidates suffering from colour blindness to pursue film-making courses

Supreme Court. File Photo

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) Pune to allow people suffering from colour blindness to pursue all courses on filmmaking and editing and said no discrimination should be made on the basis of colour blindness for getting admission in the institute.

A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh observed that "film making and editing is a form of art" and "the institute must adopt an inclusive and progressive approach".

The apex court also ordered that its direction will also be applicable to other film and television institutes following a similar curriculum as FTII.

It directed the FTII to exclude colour grading modules in its diploma and film editing course or to make it an elective as suggested by the Committee appointed by it to look into the issue.

"Art is non-conformist in character. The respondent institute is a premier institute and one would expect it to encourage liberal thought process and not put courses connected with films in any conformist box," the bench observed.

The order of the top court came on an appeal filed by Patna resident Ashutosh Kumar challenging the order of the Bombay High Court which rejected his plea seeking admission in a three-year postgraduate diploma course in film editing at FTII.

In 2015, Kumar was shortlisted for the course but his candidature was rejected after he was found to be colour blind during a medical examination. The authorities cited FTII rules which state that colour blind candidates are not fit for admission in a few courses, including film editing.

Challenging the rejection of his admission by the FTII, Kumar had moved the High Court in 2016. The High Court had noted that the FTII has set up an admission committee of experts from various fields to review the admission criteria and carved out six out of 12 courses at FTII in which colour blind candidates are not found suitable.

When the matter reached the apex court, it had formed a committee of experts on the issue.

The top court noted that as per the committee, individuals with colour blindness should be able to enrol for all courses at FTII.

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