STUDENTS OF all four campuses of Tata Institute of Social Sciences have launched a protest against the institute and decided not to pay their fees until the institute rollsback its decisions to make Aadhaar mandatory and scrap financial aid to students. Calling for a mass fee boycott across the campuses in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Guwahati and Tuljapur, the students said the institute must not pass on its financial burden to the students.
On May 26, the institute issued a circular that it will withdraw financial aid to SC, ST and OBC students, much to the surprise of the students.
TISS also made furnishing Aadhaar details mandatory and biometrics compulsory for attendance — an issue that saw protests by students last year too. The circular also asked the students to pay their fees by June 8.
The students had earlier written to the administration seeking clarity on these matters. In a meeting with Director S Parasuraman, the students had been assured that the institute will help them avail student loans on case basis.
However, students are now demanding that the institute grants an extension of date for fees payment as it was too short a time for them to arrange the fees. They have also sought that the institute rollsback its intention of making Aadhaar details mandatory for registration.
Parasuraman said the institute had already discussed the matters with the students and agreed to help some of them, depending on their cases. “The students can go ahead and call for a boycott but it will be their loss. The institute is in no position to provide financial aid anymore,” said Parasuraman.
