FTII Entrance Exam 2026: Exam Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern and Counselling

The FTII Entrance Exam 2026, officially known as the Film and Television Institute of India Entrance Test 2025-26 (FTII ET 2025-26), is conducted by FTII Pune for admission to MFA in Cinema, PG Diploma, and PG Certificate programmes in film, television, and digital arts. The original written test was held on April 26, 2026 but was cancelled due to operational issues at examination centers across India, and FTII issued a re-examination notice on April 30, 2026, rescheduling the test to July 12, 2026. All registered candidates will appear in the re-exam without any fresh registration or additional fee.

• Admit Card: The FTII ET 2026 re-examination admit card is scheduled for release on June 25, 2026. You can download it from ftii.ac.in using your application number and date of birth — carry the printed copy along with a valid photo ID to the exam center.
• Re-Examination: The FTII Entrance Test re-examination will be held on July 12, 2026 in offline mode across 28 cities in India. All candidates who applied for the original April 26 exam will appear automatically — no fresh application, registration, or fee payment is needed.
• Result: The FTII ET 2026 final merit list is expected around October–November 2026. In the 2025 cycle, the revised final merit list was published on October 24, 2025, about 3 months after the written test held on July 27, 2025.
• Stage 2 and Counselling: The Mixed Format Assessment (Stage 2) at FTII Pune campus will be scheduled after Stage 1 results. Seats are available in 11 specialisations across FTII Pune and SRFTI Kolkata. Classes are expected to start in the first week of September 2026.

What is FTII Entrance Exam 2026?

The FTII Entrance Exam 2026 is the national-level entrance test conducted by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, for admission to its postgraduate programmes in cinema and television arts. FTII is an autonomous institution under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. It is one of the oldest and most prestigious film schools in Asia, known for producing some of India’s most celebrated filmmakers, cinematographers, and actors.

The exam is commonly called the FTII Joint Entrance Test (FTII JET 2026) and serves as the common gateway for admission to both FTII Pune and the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Kolkata. Admission is available in specialisations like Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Recording, Art Direction, Screen Acting, and Screenwriting at FTII, along with equivalent programmes at SRFTI.

FTII Entrance Exam 2026 — Key Details at a Glance

The FTII entrance exam selects candidates in two stages. Stage 1 is the written test (25% weightage in the final merit list), and Stage 2 is the Mixed Format Assessment held at the FTII Pune campus (75% weightage). Admission to FTII is highly competitive — hundreds of candidates compete for just 11 to 16 seats per specialisation.

FTII ET 2026: Latest Updates and Re-Examination Schedule

The FTII Entrance Test 2025-26 was originally conducted on April 26, 2026. However, FTII cancelled the examination following significant operational disruptions, particularly at the Delhi examination center. After reviewing the conduct of the exam, FTII found concerns about fairness and integrity and decided to re-conduct the full written test for all candidates across all papers at the national level.

All registered candidates must appear in the re-examination on July 12, 2026. No fresh registration is required — your existing application number and roll number remain valid, and no additional fee will be charged.

FTII issued the official re-examination notice on April 30, 2026. The key updates as of May 28, 2026 are:

• Re-examination date: July 12, 2026 (upcoming)
• Admit card for re-examination: June 25, 2026 (upcoming)
• All candidates registered for the original April 26 exam are eligible for the re-exam automatically
• No additional application fee is required for appearing in the re-examination
• Stage 2 (Mixed Format Assessment at FTII Pune campus) will be scheduled separately after Stage 1 results are announced
• Final merit list and counselling dates will be announced after Stage 2 completion

You should monitor ftii.ac.in regularly for further updates on Stage 2 dates, result declaration, and counselling schedule. You can also contact the Office of the Controller of Examinations (CoE) at FTII for any queries.

Source: FTII Re-Examination Notice, April 30, 2026 (Official PDF)

FTII Entrance Exam 2026 Important Dates

The FTII Entrance Exam 2026 timeline has been revised following the April 30 re-examination notice. The table below covers both the original schedule and the updated dates. Events marked as upcoming have not yet occurred as of May 28, 2026.

Source: FTII Official Admission Process Page

FTII Entrance Exam 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The FTII entrance exam 2026 eligibility varies by course. Most programmes require a bachelor’s degree in any discipline. There is no age limit for any FTII programme. Here is the complete eligibility for each specialisation:

Candidates appearing in their final year graduation examination are also eligible to apply. They must submit proof of passing their degree at the time of admission to FTII. If they fail to submit the certificate, their admission will be cancelled.

• There is no upper age limit for any FTII or SRFTI programme
• Indian nationals are eligible; a limited number of seats are reserved for foreign candidates
• Candidates can apply for a maximum of two courses in a single application cycle
• Candidates with disabilities (PwD) are eligible for a 5% horizontal reservation across all programmes

FTII Entrance Exam 2026 Application Process and Fees

The FTII ET 2026 application process was conducted entirely online through the official application portal. The application window has already closed (deadline: April 9, 2026). Since all candidates appearing in the re-examination retain their original registration, no fresh application is needed. The steps below describe the process for future reference:

• Step 1 — Registration: Visit the application portal and create a new account using your email ID and mobile number to get login credentials
• Step 2 — Fill Application Form: Enter your personal details, educational qualification, and course preference — you can select up to two courses and two preferred exam cities
• Step 3 — Upload Documents: Upload a recent passport-size photograph, your signature, and any required certificates in the prescribed file size and format
• Step 4 — Pay Application Fee: Pay the fee online using credit card, debit card, or net banking. No offline or cash payment is accepted
• Step 5 — Submit and Download: Submit the completed form and download the confirmation page. Save the application number for future use — you will need it to download the admit card

FTII ET 2026 Application Fee

Application fees are strictly non-refundable, non-transferable, and non-adjustable under any circumstances, even in case of exam cancellation or postponement.

FTII Entrance Exam 2026 Admit Card

The FTII ET 2026 re-examination admit card is expected to be released on June 25, 2026. You can download it from the official FTII website at ftii.ac.in using your application number and date of birth. The admit card is mandatory for entry into the exam hall — you cannot appear in the test without it.

How to Download FTII ET 2026 Re-Examination Admit Card

• Go to ftii.ac.in and look for the "Admit Card" or "Hall Ticket" link in the Admissions section
• Enter your registered application number and date of birth
• Click "Submit" to view and download your admit card
• Print the admit card on A4 paper — keep at least two copies
• Check all printed details carefully: your name, roll number, exam center address, reporting time, and course name
• If you notice any discrepancy, contact the Office of the Controller of Examinations at FTII immediately

Documents to Carry to the FTII Exam Center

• Printed copy of the FTII ET 2026 re-examination admit card
• Original photo ID proof — Aadhaar card, PAN card, passport, voter ID, or driving licence
• Two recent passport-size colour photographs matching the one uploaded in the application form
• PwD certificate in original (if applicable), for availing scribal/compensatory time

Candidates must not bring mobile phones, smartwatches, Bluetooth devices, calculators, notes, or any electronic devices inside the examination hall. Any possession of such items during the exam will lead to immediate disqualification.

FTII Entrance Exam 2026 Exam Centers

The FTII ET 2026 re-examination will be held in 28 cities across India. At the time of application, you could select two preferred exam cities. The final allotment of exam center is at FTII’s discretion and will be mentioned on the admit card.

The exact exam center address within each city — the building name, street address, and reporting time — will be printed on your admit card. You should check the venue in advance and plan your travel accordingly, especially if you are appearing in a city other than your hometown.

• Report to the exam center at least 30 minutes before the scheduled exam time
• Entry to the exam hall closes approximately 15 minutes before the exam starts — late entry is not allowed
• Exam center allotment is final and cannot be changed once the admit card is issued

FTII Entrance Exam 2026 Answer Key

FTII usually releases an official answer key after the Stage 1 written test. Since the re-examination is scheduled for July 12, 2026, the answer key is expected to be published in July or August 2026 on the official website at ftii.ac.in.

What the FTII Answer Key Covers

• The answer key covers only the objective sections of Part I — MCQs and MSQs
• Descriptive answers in Part II are evaluated by subject-matter experts and are not part of the public answer key
• The provisional answer key is published first; candidates can raise objections within a specified window
• A final answer key is released after FTII reviews valid objections; this final key is used to prepare the Stage 1 results

How to Raise Objection Against FTII ET Answer Key

• Visit the official FTII website after the answer key is published
• Login to your candidate account and go to the objection portal
• Select the question number and provide your objection with supporting references
• Submit your objection within the given window — typically 2-3 days after the provisional key is released
• The objection fee, if any, will be refunded if your objection is found valid

In previous years, FTII has published the answer key within 2-3 weeks of the written test. Keep checking ftii.ac.in regularly after July 12, 2026.

FTII 2026 Courses and Seats at FTII Pune and SRFTI Kolkata

The FTII Entrance Exam 2026 gives you access to two premier national film and television institutes — FTII Pune and SRFTI Kolkata. FTII offers MFA in Cinema programmes (3-year and 2-year) and PG Certificate TV courses. Seats are limited and admission is highly competitive.

FTII Pune — Film Wing (MFA in Cinema)

FTII Pune — Television Wing (PG Certificate, AICTE Approved)

The annual course fee at FTII Pune is approximately ₹59,211 per year (excluding hostel charges and refundable deposits). SRFTI Kolkata has a similar fee structure and offers its own specialisations in Film Direction, Cinematography, Editing, Sound Recording, and Production Design. Reservation of seats follows the central government norms: 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST, 27% for OBC-NCL, and 10% for EWS, with 5% horizontal reservation for PwD candidates.

Source: FTII Admission Prospectus 2025-26 (Official PDF)

FTII Entrance Exam 2026 Preparation Tips

The FTII Entrance Exam 2026 is one of India’s most selective entrance tests for creative and media arts. Unlike other entrance exams, it tests your knowledge of cinema, literature, and culture, as well as your writing ability and creative thinking. Stage 2 matters far more (75% weightage) and tests your actual aptitude for the craft. Here is how you should prepare:

Watch Films Systematically

• Watch at least 5-8 films per week — focus on Indian cinema classics (silent era, parallel cinema, New Wave), contemporary Indian films, and world cinema
• Watch films by directors like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Mrinal Sen, Guru Dutt, Bimal Roy, and Shyam Benegal from India; and Ingmar Bergman, Akira Kurosawa, Federico Fellini, Jean-Luc Godard, and Stanley Kubrick from world cinema
• While watching, pay attention to cinematography choices, editing rhythm, sound design, production design, and how the script is brought to life on screen

Build Your Arts and Culture Knowledge

• Study Indian classical music forms (Hindustani and Carnatic), folk theatre (Tamasha, Jatra, Yakshagana, Kathakali, Nautanki), and classical dance traditions
• Read about Indian history, major architectural monuments, and visual arts movements in India and globally
• Keep a running list of important books, authors, literary movements, and Nobel/Booker Prize winners in literature
• Stay updated on current affairs in arts, cinema, and culture — National Award winners, major film festivals (IFFI Goa, Cannes, Venice, Berlin, Sundance), and important policy changes in the media sector

Practise Descriptive Writing Daily

• Write at least one short descriptive or analytical piece every day — a scene description, a short story opening, a review of a film you watched, or an analysis of a cinematography choice
• For Direction candidates: practise writing shot lists, scene breakdowns, and director’s notes
• For Sound candidates: practise describing the acoustic design of a scene and how sound creates mood
• For Art Direction candidates: practise writing production design briefs and spatial descriptions
• Time yourself — in the exam, you have 3 hours for 100 marks; Part II alone can take 2 hours if you are not quick

Solve Previous Year FTII Papers

• Download and solve all available previous year FTII entrance exam papers from ftii.ac.in/p/exam-paper
• Attempt full papers under real exam conditions — 3 hours, no breaks, no references
• Analyse each attempt to find your weak areas in general knowledge, cinema history, or descriptive writing
• For MSQ questions, be careful — selecting an extra wrong option reduces your score even if you have the correct ones marked

Prepare for Stage 2 at FTII Pune

• Stage 2 carries 75% of your final merit score — do not underestimate it
• The campus assessment evaluates creative thinking, how you engage with problems, and your awareness of the medium you want to work in
• Talk to FTII alumni or attend information sessions; understanding what Stage 2 involves for your specific specialisation is very important
• For Screen Acting candidates: practise performance exercises, cold reading, and improvisation before your audition