‘Government doesn’t want dissent’: TISS has suspended students’ unions at 3 campuses

NEW DELHI: Just before issuing the termination notice to over 100 staff members across the four campuses of Tata Institute of Social Sciences on June 29, TISS suspended the student unions of the Hyderabad and Tuljapur campuses. The emails reached them on June 25. The TISS Mumbai Student Union had already been suspended, in early May. The termination notices to the staff have been withdrawn but the unions remain suspended.

“It seems that the administration was aware of this staff termination and just to avoid any dissent from students, they suspended the union. We have replied to the administration asking for details but no response has been received,” said Chetan Bhalke, vice-president of the Student Union for 2023-24 at TISS Hyderabad.

The TISS Mumbai union was suspended soon after PhD scholar Ramadas Prini Sivanandan was, for joining a protest against the union government’s new National Education Policy (NEP 2020) in Delhi. “An email was received on May 2 stating that the academic year ends on May 4. This could be because our union has been very vocal. During that time, we were raising questions and releasing statements,” said Atul Padmavati Ravindra who was the president of the student union for 2023-24.

Students allege that the suspension of their representative bodies has come along with other issues, including delayed results and reduced transparency of the administration. While a civil court had lifted the ban on campus protests, students still say they can't organise anything. They also allege that the crackdown on student activism has coincided with a change in governance structure of TISS which now allows for a greater role of the union government.

Emails to TISS administration for comment were unanswered at the time of publication, If they do respond, this copy will be updated.

Also read ‘Admin doesn’t want bad press’: Liberal arts universities are clamping down on dissent

TISS Student Union

As per convention, the elected members of a TISS student union step down only 15 days before the new union is formed, explained Ravindra. “However, this year, it seems the government has intervened in the administration functions,” he alleged. This has, in effect, left the students unrepresented.

“Students now are not allowed to speak directly with the administration; only student unions are allowed,” explained Bhalke. “However, while there is no union, no student issues related to fees or anything are addressed. For instance, students need help with student aid, but now the administration has slashed both with no one to address their issues. A union ensures there is accountability.” In the normal course, a union’s tenure lasts from August to August, ending only after the results are declared and the convocation is over.

Exams are over at TISS Mumbai but many students are still on campus. “The question is, where will they go in case they face any issues?” asked the union general secretary, Afrah Khanam.

“While the student union is suspended, the student union fund is still unutilised as they were not allowed to do any activity on campus. Because these funds are collected through the same year’s student fees allocated to the student union, it should be used in the same year by the student union only,” said a TISS Hyderabad student. The unutilised funds would amount to about Rs 1.5 lakh, they estimated.

Plus, there are issues to be addressed, including delayed results, patchy disbursement of scholarships, discontinuation of courses and a less active academic council.

TISS: Delayed, results

Typically, semester exams end in April and results are declared in May. But this year, students allege that the administration has not declared results officially. “The administration has failed to provide timely results and pass it through the AC, which has been a routine process. Usually, results are declared when all the deans, non-deans, and other members pass the results where student union representatives are also present as part of the academic council. But, this year, none of this process was followed,” said Ravindra. Instead, students are receiving their scores in a piecemeal fashion.

“Some departments have shared the marks with individual students but overall semester-wise results have not been declared by the administration,” he stated.

Khanam added, “Though the department deans are saying that results are out, they are asking students to mail them for results which doesn't happen anywhere. And when students are reaching out, still no response is given by the academic section of institute.”

This is getting in the way of applications for further studies.

TISS: Academic council, courses, fees

Both Khanam and Ravindra pointed out that only one academic council meeting was held in 2023-24. “There should have been at least two or three meetings. The administration has been making so many decisions about launching or discontinuing courses but we have no idea where these decisions are coming from. Many decisions are pending and we have no idea what’s happening,” said Khanam. The last AC meeting was in September, she said.

Ravindra added, “The institute is continuously starting new courses which are privately funded with high course fees and scrapping government funded courses which have subsidised fees,” said Ravindra. According to news reports, TISS Hyderabad discontinued MA Development Studies and Women Studies from 2024-25.

Decrease in scholarship aid

At TISS Hyderabad students have alleged that a variety of aid and support, including funds for laptops, food and accommodation, have been slashed.

“Every year, each needy student hailing from a poor background was given Rs 32,000 as aid for hostel and food. But this year, it has been slashed to Rs 18,000. When asked why it was reduced, the administration cited an increase in students,” said Bhalke. A total of 110 students were eligible for aid for whom 100 received aid for only one component, either food or accommodation. Previously, many students received both.

Central government

A new memorandum of association drawn up in 2023 required changes in governance. While TISS had directors, now it was to have chancellors and vice-chancellors appointed by the ministry of education. TISS Mumbai is a deemed-to-university and the University Grants Commission framed new regulations for deemed universities in 2022.

A student from TISS Hyderabad, who didn't want to be named, said, “Earlier, the trustees and committees used to take decisions which members from Tata Trusts, from UGC, making a balance. However, last year we received a notice that the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor of the institute will be appointed by the central government, which implied direct control of the institution by the government.”

“After this, the government has control over everything and doesn't want dissent on campus,” said Bhalke. He added that organising TISS Hyderabad’s annual Ambedkar Memorial Lecture was difficult because the speaker who was supposed to come would have spoken critically against the government. Ultimately, the speaker’s lecture did not take place. Even students are under scrutiny and if they speak against the administration or government, they are suspended, said another student from the campus.