The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) is to receive a status equivalent to that of a university, to meet the growing needs of the country’s media and entertainment industry.

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni said the Pune-based FTII will become a ‘centre of excellence’ in order to “foster creative ideas and enjoy the academic status and privileges of a university,” during a Parliamentary Consultative Committee on 2 July.

A parliamentary bill will be introduced to start the process of conversion, according to a report in The Hindu newspaper.

The Ministry added in a statement that the move would help the institute’s students “pursue higher studies and research in both India and abroad” which would “enable the FTII to draw a road map, to address the growing needs of the media and entertainment industry.”

A report from a group of experts exploring the changes needed to bring the college up to university standard will be studied soon. The report’s chairman P.K. Nair reportedly told The Hindu in June that the institute “needs the autonomy that will come along with the university status.”

The Ministry said: “The detailed project report broadly contains recommendations for revitalisation of the courses being offered by the institute. It also envisages enhancing the infrastructure of the institute. It will be considered by the institute's governing council, which is meeting on July 6, 2011.”

The proposal includes establishing shorter ‘mobile’ courses in critical aspects of film making in order to tap regional talent, as well as increasing the offered salary, and the amount of accommodation available at the institute. The revitalisation plan is estimated by Mr Nair to cost INR 300 crore.