Reduce fee, reopen campus, end digital divide: TISS students union to institute

A group of student representative groups from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) have recently approached the administration of the institute with a host of demands. Students have demanded that the institute find a way to reduce fee, especially for students from the marginalised sections of the society as well as push for reopening of the campus in order to help those students who have been missing out regular lectures due to technological difficulties.

“The administration was recently forced to extend the fee payment deadline following students’ resistance but the institute needs to focus on establishing a system allowing students to pay fees in installments,” highlights the statement released by student unions on August 3. It further states that the institute should instead try and utilise Student Union and Medical Insurance funds to fill the monetary gap for the moment.

With the pandemic forcing schools and colleges across the country to the virtual mode, students across have highlighted the plight of those who are facing internet trouble and therefore missing out on regular education.

“It is imperative to move towards a blended mode of education. We propose a survey of staff and students who are vaccinated already and undertake steps towards reopening the campus Which allows partially or fully vaccinated people to have access to the library, computer labs, hostel and dinning room on campus. Students facing severe difficulties in attending online classes should be allowed back on campus to attend the online lectures in the new semester,” the student unions have demanded.

Other problems highlighted by the students includes need for restoration of the activities of the placement cell. “We also demand for reinstating the elected student union across four campuses of TISS. Absence of a student union has made processes concerning students with students losing their representative in the Academic Council as well,” said the statement.

(Reaction from the TISS administration is awaited)