Eight students at the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI) in Kolkata have received show-cause notices amid an ongoing sit-in protest, with the institute citing alleged wall defacement, unauthorised occupation of the vice-chancellor’s office and alleged misconduct involving staff and other individuals.
The notices, issued during the continuing campus agitation, give the students 48 hours to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated under applicable academic bye-laws. SRFTI vice-chancellor Santosh Ajmera said the notices should not be confused with the ongoing agitation and were issued to ensure compliance with the law and the institute’s rules.
Three students were issued notices over alleged defacement of institute premises with what the notices described as “unparliamentary/provocative” slogans. The notices referred to a communication from the officer-in-charge of Panchasayar police station, who reportedly warned that such graffiti or remarks could hurt public sentiment, disturb peace and affect the tranquillity of the area.
According to the notices, an SRFTI committee examined available CCTV footage and other visual evidence before identifying the three students. Three other students were asked to explain their alleged unauthorised entry into and continued occupation of the vice-chancellor’s office, including alleged obstruction of his access and official functioning and occupation of his chair.
Two further notices were issued following complaints against named students. One concerned alleged physical misconduct towards an institute employee, while the other cited alleged physical misconduct, threatening behaviour and unauthorised entry. The allegations remain matters for the disciplinary process outlined in the notices.
The action has intensified demands from protesting students for the resignation of Ajmera and the appointment of an experienced, full-time successor. In a letter to chairperson Suresh Gopi, students also sought independent inquiries into alleged campus violence and staff misconduct, the withdrawal of show-cause notices and disciplinary action against protesting students, and safety-related accountability.
Their demands include the rescheduling of all missed classes, temporary housing in staff quarters, construction of a new hostel and the declaration of a “Zero Year” to address what they describe as a shortage of academic resources. Students have also raised concerns about intimidation and safety following violent incidents on campus.
Student union member Anamika Pal described the notices as intimidation and said the administration was attempting to dictate terms to students. The comments were reported by The Times of India. Ajmera, however, urged students not to violate campus rules or create situations that could be provocative or breach institutional bye-laws, while saying that efforts were being made to maintain peace and order.
The protest has also affected students who want to resume classes. Praveen Mittal, a student of the sound recording course who joined SRFTI in 2023, told The Times of India that several students in his batch wanted to complete their course and leave the institute. He said his semester began on September 1, 2025, but that only a six-week long-take exercise had been completed during the following 13 months. He said the remaining 14-week schedule had been prepared but not finalised.
Mittal also alleged that students had been promoted despite unpaid tuition and hostel fees, creating nearly Rs 1 crore in outstanding dues. He said a September 7 letter from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had instructed the SRFTI registrar to recover outstanding amounts. These claims were presented by Mittal and were not independently established in the supplied report.
The immediate institutional process is the 48-hour response period given to the eight students. The institute’s disciplinary authorities will determine the next steps under the applicable academic bye-laws, while the students’ wider demands concerning safety, classes, housing and hostel construction remain unresolved in the reported account.
