Student bodies oppose new constitution of student council at TISS

The new constitution has been prepared in line with recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee, the institute said in a statement. The new structure will help maintain discipline on campus, improve coordination among student activities, and protect the academic environment, it said

Mumbai: Nearly two years after student unions were suspended at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) in Mumbai, the institute has decided to bring back student representation. On January 23, TISS released a draft constitution for a new students council and declared that elections for the council would be held soon.

TISS Mumbai (HT PHOTO)

The new constitution has been prepared in line with recommendations of the Lyngdoh Committee, the institute said in a statement. The new structure will help maintain discipline on campus, improve coordination among student activities, and protect the academic environment, it said.

According to the statement released by the institute, the traditional students union will be replaced by a students council comprising class-wise elected representatives and various committees such as cultural, sports, literary, health and mentorship. The Office of Student Affairs will oversee elections to the council, functioning of the committees and fund-related matters, the statement mentioned.

The move has, however, sparked strong opposition from student organisations. The Progressive Students Forum (PSF) accused the administration of weakening student democracy and imposing a new system without proper consultation. While the new constitution claims to be student-driven, there is no clarity on which students were consulted during drafting, PSF said.

Student groups questioned why the earlier student union constitution was completely scrapped when it could have been amended. They also raised concerns about provisions that allow the administration to nominate members to committees and include non-elected members in the council; two PhD students are to be directly appointed by the administration, which could reduce the power of elected representatives and create an administration-controlled body, they said.

A student group claimed that in the previous system, students could raise issues through general body meetings, and the student president and general secretary were part of the academic council.

Concerns have also been raised about compliance with University Grants Commission (UGC) guidelines. Student organisations said important bodies like the Internal Complaints Committee require at least three elected student representatives, while the new constitution provides for only two, that too nominated.

Financial transparency is another issue, as the Students Union Fund collected from students has been renamed as the Student Wellness and Welfare Fund. Student groups said there is no clarity on the total amount collected, how it will be used, or what role students would have in financial decisions.

Student organisations have also highlighted the lack of information about elections at TISS’s Hyderabad and Guwahati campuses. The PSF has sought a transparent, democratic election process led by students, in line with UGC rules and Lyngdoh Committee recommendations.

TISS officials said that regulation was necessary to ensure smooth academic functioning. The administration came up with the draft constitution after consultation with faculty members, students representatives and other stakeholders, officials said.

“Now we have opened it to the public for consultation. We will incorporate valid suggestions and will publish the final constitution,” an official said, requesting not to be identified.