Film and Television Institute of India Chairman Gajendra Chauhan on Thursday advised students of the college to “be disciplined, keep up the hard work and stay away from politics”. With his tenure ending on Friday, the FTII chief told Hindustan Times that he now wanted to “move on and do new things”, and that the government was happy with his work. “I did the best I could do with the time I was given,” he added.

While an FTII chairman’s term is usually for three years, Chauhan’s tenure ends on Friday after only a year and seven months in the post. His term at the institute was mired in controversy, with students deeming the Bharatiya Janata Party member unfit for the role and protesting against his appointment. Despite the opposition, Chauhan said “it wasn’t their fault” and that he still supported them.

A new syllabus and the introduction of a credit-based system of choosing electives were among his achievements at the FTII, the TV actor told Hindustan Times. “More importantly, we reintroduced the campus to discipline and made 75% attendance a prerequisite for students appearing for exams,” Chauhan added.