The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and Netflix have announced scholarships for 100 students across six professional programmes, with financial support covering 50 per cent to 80 per cent of the applicable programme fee.Applications for the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies-Netflix scholarships opened on August 24 and will remain open until September 30. The scholarships are open to students and working professionals from across India.The initiative is part of the Netflix India Storytelling Initiative, which aims to strengthen India’s creative talent pipeline and build industry-ready skills across the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) ecosystem.
Which programmes are covered?
The scholarship covers two one-year diploma programmes and four six-month certificate programmes.The diploma programmes are:
- Interactive Comics & Sequential Arts
- Visual Effects Mastery
The six-month certificate programmes are:
- Virtual Art Department Content Creation
- Media Tech Workflow
- Art of Character Animation
- E-Sports & Gaming Management
Scholarship coverage will range from 50 per cent to 80 per cent of the applicable programme fee, depending on the scholarship offered.
How will IICT-Netflix scholars be selected?
The selection process will be merit-led and will assess a candidate’s skills, craft and creative potential.Candidates will first undergo an application and eligibility review. Their applications will be checked for academic requirements, scholarship eligibility and programme-specific submissions. Only complete and eligible applications will move to the next stage.Eligible candidates will then be invited for an online multiple-choice question (MCQ) assessment. Performance in this stage will contribute to the shortlist for the next round.Shortlisted candidates will undergo a programme-specific portfolio or course assessment. Depending on the programme, this may involve a portfolio review or a course-specific assessment conducted online or on-site.The next stage is a personal interview with IICT faculty and a member of the IICT-Netflix Scholarship Panel.Scores across the approved stages will then be combined to determine the final ranking and admission decision. Candidates can receive a scholarship offer, be placed on the waitlist or receive an unsuccessful application notification.
Netflix inputs to shape IICT curriculum
The scholarship programme follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s meeting with Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos on August 5. During the meeting, Modi highlighted India’s storytelling tradition and creative talent pool and called for strengthening the country’s position as a global hub for content creation.The Netflix India Storytelling Initiative was launched subsequently to invest in India’s creative talent pipeline and provide the next generation of storytellers with skills aligned with industry requirements.According to IICT, the curriculum for the Visual Effects Mastery and Media Tech Workflow programmes has been developed in line with contemporary industry workflows and global standards, with inputs from Netflix.Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Chairman of the IICT Board, said the creative economy is at an inflexion point as technology changes how stories are created.IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar said the partnership would bring industry perspectives into the academic framework, including curriculum design, professional workflows and the standards expected from students.Munjal Shroff, Chairman of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) AVGC-XR Forum, said the collaboration between FICCI, IICT and Netflix reflects a shift towards industry-aligned talent development for India’s AVGC-XR sector.
Where is IICT located?
IICT is India’s national centre of excellence for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sector. It was established by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in partnership with the Maharashtra government, FICCI and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).The institute currently operates from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) Complex on Pedder Road in Mumbai. Its permanent 10-acre campus is being developed at Film City in Goregaon.For applicants, the immediate deadline is September 30. The selection process will then determine which candidates move through the assessment stages and ultimately receive scholarship support.(with ANI inputs)
