Hearing the plea of a colour blind student, the Supreme Court has directed the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and other institutes to allow admission to students with the condition. The admission of Ashutosh Kumar, a student from Patna, was cancelled by the FTII after he was found to be colour blind, a leading news agency reported.
The institute had cited its rules that don’t allow colour blind candidates to apply for a few courses like film editing. Challenging the move, Kumar approached the Bombay High Court in 2016 which rejected his plea. The court noted that FTII had set up an admission committee to review its admission criteria. After assessment, the committee found 6 out of 12 courses at the FTII to be not suitable for colour blind candidates.
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As the matter was brought before the Supreme Court, it formed a 7-member expert committee to look into it. Subsequently, the court observed that aspiring filmmakers cannot be denied admission just because they are colour blind. The court also rejected the submission of the institute and said that a change was needed.
It asserted that FTII is a premier institute and should encourage liberal thoughts and not put film courses in any conformist box. The apex court said art must be inclusive. The order was passed by a bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and MM Sundresh who accepted the recommendations made by the expert committee.
The court noted in the order that “film and television creations are collaborative art forms.” It added that the committee was of the view that denying entry to colour blind students in film courses would sacrifice their talent and “stultify the development of the art.”
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The court further emphasized the inclusivity that enriches creative art and said that an assistant can overcome limitations in educational and professional life. It said that a student should be eligible for admission if reasonable accommodations are made or the student is provided with an assistant.
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