TISSTA’s Response to TISS Press Release on the 10 July 2024
TISS Teachers Association | 12 July 2024
Teachers Association condemns the press note released by the TISS administration on July 10, 2024 for its misrepresentation of the current crises confronting the university and for its attempt to mislead students, media and the public at large.
(https://tiss.edu/view/5/homepage-data/homepage-events-and-announcements/press-releaseunveiling-the-whole-truth-addressing-/)
1. In stating that 55 teaching and 60 non-teaching staff were appointed “under projects funded by the TET on a contractual basis” the TISS administration is distorting facts. These employees have been appointed as per the University Grants Commission (UGC) mandate and are not and have never been ‘project staff’, appointed to projects. They have taken full time responsibilities of campuses, schools and centres of which they are a part, on par with UGC-supported permanent positions. The 55 faculty members have taught in various Masters and Bachelors programmes, conducted workshops, contributed to NAAC ratings, guided Masters and PhD dissertations, participated in admission processes, and raised research grants, in their capacity as full-time employees.
2. The timeline mentioned in the TISS administration's press note suggests that TET faculty were aware of the TET programme grants having ended on March 30, 2024, and that it was the generosity of the Institute that led to their extension beyond this time. TISSTA would like to clarify that not a single consultation meeting was held with the 115 affected employees in the last one year. When the Deans of various schools of TISS enquired about this matter, they were led to believe and assured that these positions were secure for the forthcoming academic session at a meeting held on 2nd April 2024, by the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Pro-VC), in which the Vice-Chancellor (VC) was present, in person. They were directed to proceed with admissions to all programmes and workloads and timetables were planned accordingly. However, the larger question of whether their positions will be retained remained unaddressed until the last minute, leading to a fiasco of termination and subsequent retraction. The TISSTA holds the TISS administration responsible for this chaos and demands clarity on the way forward post-December 31, 2024.
3. The termination letters served to faculty and non-teaching staff of Advanced Centre for Women's Studies have not been revoked even after the reassurance from UGC about continuation of the grant and extension. This shows institute leadership's apathy towards critical disciplines like Women's Studies. In spite of repeated requests sent from TISSTA and the Deans to the VC to call for an all-faculty meeting, the administration has paid no heed. Facilitation Committee meetings where the Director interacted with Deans to ensure smooth coordination and information sharing on a monthly basis have been discontinued. There have also been academic delays this year with results of graduating students not being declared. Such delays inevitably put careers of students in jeopardy. TISSTA demands the TISS Administration to address these matters on an urgent basis.
4. The Institute is supposed to now be ‘fully funded’ by the Government of India. Given that the TISS administration knew very well at the time of signing the MOA with the Ministry of Education, that TISS has a large number of contractual faculty and staff, TISSTA demands to know what negotiations were made with the Ministry to ensure the Institute’s stability and the continuation of programmes for which the Institute is known and reputed. What the TISS administration is calling a 'smooth functioning' appears to be an absolute mismanagement of this transition.
5. The press note discrediting student protests by the PSF seeks to undermine the democratic right of Indian citizens to struggle. The Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression is guaranteed in Article 19 of the Indian constitution. TISSTA stands by the students’ rights to freely express their views and opinions.
6. Tata Institute of Social Sciences is indeed a pioneer in the field of social work, social sciences research and education, and it is appalling that the administration is tarnishing the ethos of this Institution and insulting the educators and workers who make this organisation what it is. The quality of programs in TISS has always remained steadfastly exemplary. The administration's claims of academic excellence, publications, peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and writings, include the work done by all faculty. Decades of student feedback has not distinguished between contractual and UGC faculty when they attest to the quality of their learning experience. We as faculty and staff have celebrated, benefited from and contributed to the unique values and study focus that TISS has upheld over its 85-year-long history, and at this crucial moment of crisis, we demand responsibility and transparency to secure TISS' future.