TISS stir intensifies, students appeal for help

In a bid to continue fighting for their rights and those of the future students from marginalised communities, students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) have decided to continue their stir.

On Thursday, the protesting students started a crowdfunding program, requesting anyone and everyone to help fund their protest, which is in the interest of many students from reserved categories, who wish to pursue high education.

“We need funds to keep the momentum going. In order to sustain the movement, we need funds for food, water, blankets and other essentials as well as money for inventory expenses to get mics, speakers, banners and posters. This fund will also help us mobilise more students from across the country to fight for this very important cause,” said a student.

A bandh was called by the TISS Students’ Union on February 20 to protest the institute’s decision to withdraw the fee waiver given to SC, ST and OBC students, eligible for last year’s Government of India Post Matric Scholarship (GoI-PMS). Students have not attended classes since February 21 and the protest has been going on at all campuses of TISS – Mumbai, Hyderabad, Tuljapur and Guwahati.

On Thursday, representatives of the students’ union met up officials from the institute’s administration to find solutions to their problem, but were dejected to find no amicable solution. The institute has agreed to waive off the excess fee for SC and ST students for the current batch and also agreed to increase the compensation money given to OBC and non-creamy (NC) later.

“The institute is only partly accepting our demands without understanding that our fight is not just for the current batch, but also for future students of the institute, who will come from the reserved categories. As of now, we intend to intensify our stir till the central government takes notice of the issue and brings about changes,” said student, who participated in the protests.