TISS fines 18 students ₹1,000 each for protesting on Mumbai campus

In march, 27 students had blocked the administrative wing, protesting the varsity’s decision to withdraw the fee waiver for SC, ST and OBC students

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), after an independent inquiry conducted by the administration, will impose a fine of ₹1,000 each on students who had blocked the administrative wing of the institute during a protest in March.

The students received a mail from the institute, asking them to deposit the fine within the next two weeks. (HT file photo)

Around 18 students received a mail from the institute on Thursday afternoon, asking them to deposit the fine within the next two weeks.

“Taking into account your actions, which included blocking of the administrative offices as well as illegally and forcibly entering the registrar’s office and accessing official documents, all charges stand partially proved and deserve serious action. However, looking at the academic career ahead of the student, it has been decided to warn the student and impose a fine of ₹1,000,” said the official letter sent to each of the students.

It further states that the collected fine will go towards the Students’ Aid Fund.

While 27 students were sent a show-cause notice, the inquiry committee proved charges against 12 students, who have been asked to pay the fine. “Some of the students who have already graduated have been left off the hook. The move of the institute shows that we will be reprimanded if we fight for the rights of students,” said one of the students fined by the institute.

On February 21, a bandh was called by the TISS Students’ Union to protest the institute’s decision to withdraw fee waiver to SC, ST and OBC students eligible for the Government of India Post Matric Scholarship (GoI-PMS) last year. In the last week of March 2018, the administration of TISS filed a suit against 27 students for encroaching the registrar’s office and blocking the administrative wing, leaving it inaccessible to any staff member and hampering the management of the institute.