The students of Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata have been protesting for more than 10 days now, starting from June 5, 2023, and are constantly questioning the institute’s authority regarding their lenient approach while dealing with the cases of sexual harassment.
The students have expressed dissatisfaction with the functioning of the Institute’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC). The ICC’s repeated delays and bias in its investigation process have raised significant concerns among the students. The leniency displayed by the ICC towards the perpetrators of sexual harassment has inadvertently encouraged further misconduct, as it has created the perception that such behavior carries minimal consequences. Many students of the institute are willing to make their complaints regarding the sexual harassment they face in campus, but the biased and unapproachable behaviour of the current ICC is restraining them from filing their complaints.
The student union cited several cases highlighting the biased role of the ICC and callousness of the authority in dealing with complaints of sexual harassment. In one case, a student complainant received the ICC report, which found an accused assistant professor guilty but categorized the offense as minor. Consequently, the disciplinary action imposed by the SRFTI administration was merely a “strict warning” issued to the perpetrator. Consequently, the professor continues to freely roam the campus, creating an uncomfortable environment for the student complainant. Furthermore, during the ongoing protests, the professor was observed mocking the protesting students and verbally abusing the student union vice president of SRFTI.
In another ongoing case involving a female student, who had filed a complaint against a senior batch student, despite the accused student being prohibited from the hostel premises and required to seek permission from the proctor before entering the campus during the investigation, the accused is frequently seen on campus and in the hostel area. The complainant found these encounters with the accused to be highly distressing, leading to suicidal thoughts and a contemplation of leaving the course. The inquiry into the complaint has experienced multiple extensions, causing further delays, with the administration failing to provide adequate explanations when questioned by the protesting students.
Zena Sagar, a Dalit transgender student, had been requesting hostel accommodation in the girls hostel for over a month. Earlier she faced mockery from one of the administration’s officials who questioned her suitability for a girls’ hostel. The administration’s insensitivity towards her predicament, disregarding the threats and safety concerns she faces outside the campus, was deeply concerning so the students had put forth hostel accommodation for Zena as one of their demands in the protest. On the tenth day of the protest she was finally allotted hostel accommodation.
The SRFTI Student Union continues to engage with the administration regarding the adoption of an institute-wide transgender policy. The SRFTI Student Union is demanding stringent action against the guilty professor and have urged the authority to impose disciplinary measures against the accused student, who reportedly continued to defy restrictions by entering the hostel premises. Unfortunately, the administration has demonstrated an unresponsiveness to these pleas, which has further fueled the agitation among students, prompting them to initiate the protests on June 5, 2023.
The students have also lodged a complaint against Miss Oindrilla Hazra Pratapan, the head of the ICC committee, because of her bullying and making inappropriate and degrading comments towards the entire batch of first-year students. Consequently, she had been removed from her role as the head of the grievance committee and officially restricted from all academic activities and evaluations till the inquiry in the matter is pending. Surprisingly, despite these complaints and actions taken against her, she retains her position as the head of the ICC committee!
The main demands of the protesting student are:
- Dissolution of the current ICC and the constitution of a new committee.
- Inclusion of student representatives in the IC committee, in line with UGC guidelines, to enhance transparency in the investigation process.
- Implementation of strict disciplinary action against the accused student involved in the ongoing case for violating ICC procedures and trespassing in hostel premises.
- Formation of an inquiry committee to investigate complaints against Professor Oindrilla Hazra Pratapan, as previously promised by the dean.
- Termination of the assistant professor, a repeat offender.
- Immediate formation of a transgender policy for our institute.
During the fourth day of the ongoing protest, in a meeting with the students, the SRFTI administration promised that each of their demands will be considered and put into action, but with each passing day, students are losing their trust in the administrative process. The students are currently staging daily protests outside the administrative office, persistently voicing their demand for justice and a safe educational environment.
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