‘We didn’t think our resources would dry up’

MUMBAI: Around eight months after S Parasuraman retired as the director of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Shalini Bharat, a professor at the institute’s School of Health Sciences Studies, was handed the reigns. In an interaction with HT, she talks about the fund crunch and other contentious issues. We want to consolidate our position as a premier institute and expand in a year or two. We also want to bring financial stability. I have been meeting officials from the University Grants Commission (UGC) for pending grants. We are looking to start self-financed ‘flexilearning’ courses and want to tap into corporate social responsibility (CSR) resources. Initially, we didn't think that we would be dry of resources – the UGC was supposed to

approve many faculty positions under the 12th five-year plan, but it did not happen. In 2013-14, when UGC funds were deposited directly in student’s bank accounts, many didn't pay the institute. Also, UGC’S maintenance grant got reduced substantially. How so? If it we were retributive we would not have allowed him to join the academic procession on the day of convocation. The degree is granted by the chancellor, which Ahmed refused. The degree is now with the chancellor, it's up to him to give it or not. If we had continued the JRF of the students, while a disciplinary action has been initiated against them, they might have faced scrutiny.