TISS claims stir has ended, but students continue their protest

Institute decides to waive off fees, initiate student aid for future

Students of Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) have been protesting on campus continuously since last 13 days due to withdrawal of funds for students of socially backward classes. TISS administration has now decided to waive off fees of these students till the current batch and introduce installment fee policy for future batches.

Students belonging to Scheduled Class (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC) have been boycotting classes and field work as they have been denied waiver of fees. On Monday, the protest took a different turn as students approached the administrative office shouting slogans and demanding exemption from high end fees with banners and posters at Mumbai campus.

TISS administration has now decided to waive off all fees for students belonging to SC, ST and OBC background of the current batch. PK Shajahan, Dean of Student Affairs of TISS, said, “We have waived off all fees including tuition fees, hostel fees and dining hall (DH) fees for these students of the current batch of academic year 2017. We understand the financial burden on students but as an institute we have certain limitations in terms of funding.”

For students of future batches, the administration has decided to waive off tuition or course fee for students belonging to SC and ST. But for students of OBC the course fee will remain the same but students will get an exemption of Rs 12,000. Vijay Raghvan, Dean Social Protection Force of TISS, said, “SC and ST students who will be enrolled in the future will not have to pay course fees. But students of OBC will be given an exemption of Rs 12,000 in their course fee.”

In addition, students of SC, ST and OBC will have to pay Hostel and Dining Hall (DH) fees in installments. “Students can pay this amount in the form of installments. They will not have to pay upfront fees like the entire Hostel and DH charges in one go,” Shajahan added.

Students of these classes can also avail of Student Aid through Internal Scholarship Fund which is an internal body of TISS comprising of students, teachers and adminstration. “Those students who cannot afford to pay course fees or cannot manage to pay these installments can avail of this student aid. We will consider the economic condition of students and grant them necessary help though this aid,” Raghvan added.

Students in all four campuses of TISS are continuing protest till they get a satisfactory assurance from the administration and government. Christopher Nag, a student, said, “I belong to the Adivasi tribe and cannot afford to pay fees of Rs 62,000 per year. My annual family income is less than Rs 1 lakh. The government and administration should realise that they cannot play with lives of students.”

The funding for education has been reduced considerably as the Government of India- Post Matric Scholarship (GOI-PMS) for students of socially backward classes was withdrawn. Fahad Ahmed, General Secretary of Student’s Union, said, “Our fight is with the administration and with the Government. The government is discouraging students of socially backward classes to study and take up various courses by cutting the funds for education.”