Students threaten to disrupt TISS convocation in ongoing fee tussle

Students have been fighting for the fee waiver promised to SC, ST and OBC students .

Students at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) protesting against the withdrawal of fee benefits to students from socially weaker sections have now threatened to disrupt the annual convocations, scheduled for May 7 and 8.

Students protest in front of the institute’s main gate at Deonar in Mumbai on March 5. (HT File)

They have been protesting the cancellation of hostel and dining hall fee waivers given to those belonging to scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST) and other backward categories (OBC). The latest flashpoint is a notification issued by the institute, which requires the upcoming batch to pay a part of their fees for the academic year 2018-19 upfront. While SC and ST students will have to pay ₹12,500 towards hostel and dining hall charges, OBC students have to pay ₹30,700.

“The institute had told us that students will only be charged ₹4,500 at the time of admission and an aid of ₹5,000 will be given to SC and ST students upfront. We will not let the convocation take place unless authorities keep their promises,” said Fahad Ahmed, general secretary, TISS students’ union.

Apart from this, OBC students are also protesting against the tuition fees charged. “We want the scholarship aid by the government,” said Yashwant Zagade, a first Year PhD student at TISS.

However, TISS said the new fee structure is according to the plan of action laid down in the wake of student agitation. “We will hold a meeting with the students after the convocation. We will go forward with the plan of action laid down, on March 10,” said Shajahan PK, dean, student affairs.

TISS has claimed that the post-matric scholarship provided to socially disadvantaged students by the government fails to cover fee expenses and the money, disbursed through direct benefit transfer, often doesn’t reach the institute. “TISS is already relieving some amount of the fees of OBC students without being mandated by the government. The administration is doing all that it can do,” said Kandharaj M, treasurer, students union.