“This is not the Delhi School of Drama. This is the National School of Drama (NSD). We want people from around the world to teach us," said Kunal Bhange, a first-year student at the NSD.
Bhange is one of the students protesting at the NSD since 3 October with a roster of demands such as the appointment of a permanent director and permanent faculty members, removal of the Registrar, a robust academic schedule, and an end to budget cuts.
A student also sat on a hunger strike 6 October onward. Each batch has 26 students.
At NSD, a tarpaulin cover protected the students from the rains that has lashed across Delhi over the weekend.
Posters such as “Gar ho sake toh ab koi shama jalaiye/ Iss daur-e-siyasat ka andhera mitaiye,” NSD kiske liye hai?” “We have started and we are not stopping” and “Jab tak Chairman nahi, tab tak uthenge nahi.”
NSD alumnus MK Raina, a veteran theatre director, in attendance.
Photo: Facebook/National School of Drama Students' Union)
Junaid Rather, a third year-student and the president of the NSD Students’ Union alleged, “We have been informally told by the Academics department that the Registrar had previously directed them to call guest faculty from Delhi only so that they don't have to provide accommodation. Budgetary issues were cited as the reason behind this.”
On 10 October, the hunger strike ended after NSD chairperson Paresh Rawal met the students and “assured them that their grievances will be addressed.”
“After the meeting, we decided to call off the hunger strike but the protest will go on till the next meeting on 20 October,” said Jitender Pal Singh, a second-year student. On 11 October, the NSD Students’ Union posted a video of Rawal eating at the NSD mess with the students.
The Quint met the protesting students who talked about the issues they have been facing.
NSD Alumni Piyush Mishra, MK Raina Show Solidarity
While the protest began on 3 October, Aditya Shastri, a first-year NSD student sat on a hunger strike on 6 October.
The 23-year-old who hails from Maharashtra’s Jalgaon told The Quint, “I had no choice left. I am here to study and as students we have valid demands that should be met. My parents advised me against it as it would impact my health but I really had no other option.”
During the protest, notable alumni of the NSD such as veteran actors-musicians Piyush Mishra and Raghubir Yadav, and theatre director MK Raina too joined in on different days.
Mishra, who was at the protest site on 9 October, sang Ik Bagal Mein Chaand Hoga, a song he wrote and sang decades ago.
Raina, who graduated from NSD in 1970, told The Quint, “Things have been deteriorating for four years (since the last permanent director left). The administration at the NSD is interfering with academics. Students told me that just to get a pencil issued, they need to get signatures from eight people. They’re dismantling the institution and bringing down its reputation.”
Shastri said that the solidarity shown by the alumni has helped highlight the many problems they have been facing.
“Raina sir said that it’s shameful that we have to fight for our education, while Piyush sir said that education is our right and it’s a good thing that we are fighting for it,” said Shastri.
‘Last-Minute Budget Cuts Are Unfair’: Students
About the many problems that the students have been encountering, the absence of a permanent director is at the top of the list.
Ramesh Chandra Gaur, who is permanently associated with the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in Delhi, is the NSD director – an additional charge he took over in March this year.
Isha Pandey, a third-year student at NSD, said, “The current director, who is on temporary deputation has way too many things to handle. It directly impacts our studies, as the administration is trying to take over the academic side of things."
Another issue that students raised is that Gaur is not from a theatre background. "He is unable to understand our problems because of this. Due to several engagements, he’s unable to devote his time to NSD. All the previous director used to spend their time with the students but Gaur doesn’t," said Bhange.
Raina reminisced about his time at NSD in 1970, when the director was theatre veteran Ebrahim Alkazi.
He said, “When I was a student at NSD, our director’s door was always open. We did not have to face these kinds of issues in our time. We made a little noise and did strikes. Alkazi, got all society members, which included big shots, to talk to us. Now people don’t even know about society members. Some of them are not even associated with theatre.”
Speaking about the protest Gaur told The Quint, “The demands have been discussed with the students. Further discussions will be held with them and their issues will be resolved soon. Everything is fine now at the institute.”
Apart from this, students also want the current registrar Jwala Prasad removed.
“There have been several instances of budget cuts because of the registrar. Sometimes we are informed about a budget cut less than two days before production day. A lot of work goes into production and last-minute changes makes it difficult for us," said Singh.
About guest faculty visits, students alleged that lack of a proper accommodation and even remuneration has been a cause of worry for the students.
“Due to this, many guest lecturers don't want to visit us. Humari demand zyaada kuch nahi hai, aap hume bas padha do theek se (Our demand is not much, please just teach us properly),” said third-year student Isha.
Bhange, the first-year NSD student, hails from Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur and said that he “left home with a lot of hope about being a student at this institute.”
“It was my dream to be a part of such an institute but the ground reality has been demoralising. I question myself sometimes if I will be able to sustain myself in the industry with this kind of training. That is why we want these issues fixed as soon as possible," said Bhange.
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