Students threaten protest as TISS administration yet to re-open campus

In a letter sent to the management this week with signatures of over 168 students, many have demanded the college to reopen

Weeks after the state government directed higher education institutions in the city to reopen and bring back only vaccinated students in a phased manner, students at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) are still waiting for a word from the college management to get back on campus, officials said.

Image for representation. (File photo)

In a letter sent to the management this week with signatures of over 168 students, many have demanded the college to reopen.

“The Covid-19 situation is now in control and colleges too have reopened across the country. The majority of students from the marginalised communities are facing issues due to the digital divide in the absence of basic resources like the availability of electricity, internet connection, which has led to many missing important lectures. We request the institute to open campus only for such students first,” states the letter.

Student groups have suggested that for starters, only research scholars should be allowed to work from campus in order to access basic library and laboratories for completion of work on their respective projects.

In the second week of October, minister for state higher and technical education, Uday Samant, announced the reopening of colleges in a phased manner only for fully vaccinated students. In a statement made on October 13, Samant suggested that colleges should implement the physical reopening of campuses in a phased manner and should continue online classes for those students who are not yet fully vaccinated.

“City colleges are reopening as per government orders. But for us, college reopening means reopening hostels which many students depend on. We have set up a committee to look into the possibility of reopening and suggest protocols and their report is expected by this month-end,” said PK Shajahan, dean of academics, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS).

With no response from the management of the institute as yet, a group of students have also threatened to enter campus by force post-November 30. Hashtags of “chalo campus” and “occupy campus” have been going viral on social media sites.

“TISS administration must notify about campus reopening by November 30, else we will occupy our campus,” said a statement released by the Progressive Students’ Forum (PSF), a group of students from TISS.